BLACKSVILLE – The Clay-Battelle football team hosted its first playoff game in over a decade on Saturday as No. 14 Ritchie County traveled to Blacksville to visit the third-tanked Cee-Bees in the opening round of the 2025 Class A playoffs.
Just as they did in 2014, the Cee-Bees handled business and advanced to the quarterfinals with a victory, this time over the Rebels, 44-8.
C-B led by only one possession at halftime, 16-8, but used a 28-0 advantage in the second half to pull away from the visitors and earn a postseason win, the first for head coach Aaron LaPoe in his time at the helm of his Alma Mater.
“We were doing well on offense to start the game, so we thought the offense was fine,” LaPoe said. “But our defense made some adjustments, and honestly, I don’t know what they were. You’re truly going to have to ask them.”
C-B defensive coordinator Justin Allar said at first, the issue was adjusting too much, and that getting back to their base was key defensively.
The Cee-Bees established the ground game early and dominated the Ritchie County defense to the tune of 342 rushing yards on 48 carries. Quarterback Corey Coen attempted only seven passes in the contest, while every C-B touchdown but one came on the ground.
Four players scored a rushing touchdown for the Cee-Bees on the day, led by Caleb Hall, who ran for 165 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. Caleb Snodgrass (10-79-TD) and Coen (9-49-2TD) added scores of their own on the ground as well, with Cooper Peyton adding the final score of the day on a short run at the goal line.
The Rebels tied the game at eight late in the first quarter on a three-yard touchdown run by Carter Satterfield, but wouldn’t add another point from there as the C-B defense allowed only 136 yards of offense.
“We were dealing with a lot of illness this week, like an unusual amount,” LaPoe said. “I was a little concerned about starting slow, but then I remembered that isn’t who these kids are. Yeah, we looked tired at times and were having a hard time breathing. But we talked at halftime and circled the wagons and they came together and decided to give everything they had for each other.”
The victory is the first for Clay-Battelle in the playoffs since the last home game in 2014. The Cee-Bees will have another chance to pick up a postseason victory in the quarterfinals next week, as No. 11 Wirt County advanced to the second round after a 27-14 upset over No. 6 St. Mary’s on Saturday. Kickoff day and time will be announced on Sunday afternoon.
“We talk a lot about making memories together,” LaPoe said. “No one wants to make memories alone. When you’re doing it with people you love and your family and community, that is special. I saw faces in the stands today that I recognized that I’ve never seen at a football game before. It’s great to have something everyone in the community can be proud of.”
Box score
RCHS 8 0 0 0–8
C-B 8 8 14 14–44
SCORING SUMMARY
C-B–Hall 10 run (2pt good/Hall run)
RC– Satterfield 3 run (2pt good/Poole run)
C-B– Coen 6 run (2pt good/Coen run)
C-B– Coen 1 run (2pt good/Ponceroff from Coen)
C-B– Snodgrass 1 run (2pt no good)
C-B– Sandy 1 pass/Coen (2pt good/Peyton run)
C-B–Cooper Payton 1 run (2pt no good)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Ritchie–Shriver 12-52, Satterfield 11-35-TD, Poole 4-14, McCray 1-4. Clay-Battelle–Hall 22-165 TD, Snodgrass 10-79 TD, C. Coen 9-49 2TD, McGloughin 3-32, D. Coen 3-16, Payton 1-1 TD.
PASSING: Ritchie–Shriver 5-10-3 31. Clay-Battelle –Coen 3-7 30-TD.
RECEIVING: Ritchie–Satterfield 1-19, Cress 1-9, Hanlon 1-8, McCray 1-3, Keen 1-(-8). Clay-Battelle–Payton 2-29, Sandy 1-1 TD.
