By PAMELA SCOTT JOHNSON

Sports Editor

The chance for the Mingo Central Miners to make the playoffs is slim but it is there. In order to accomplish this feat, Central would have to win every game remaining on its schedule.

But there is a big problem...

Standing in the way of the Miners' postseason play are the Logan Wildcats.

Mingo hosts the 6-1, 3A fifth ranked Logan County squad Oct. 21.

After defeating in-county rival Tug Valley High School 71-12, Central enters the game with a two game winning streak and ranked 22 in class 2A.

The 3-4 Miners had no problem with the Panthers and faced very little defense in the rout last week.

This game will be a different story.

Logan enters the game after a big 28-27 upset over Huntington and is in the hunt to host its first playoff game. In order to do so, the Wildcats has to win two of the last three games - including Friday night's battle against MCHS.

The Miners' powerful offence led by QB Ashton Cline will run into the teeth of the Wildcats' strong D.

Logan's defense was led by Thomas Hunter and Tyler Vernatter against Huntington with 10 tackles each. David Toney had nine tackles. Worm Street had an interception and Clayton Marcum added a fumble recovery and an on-side kick recovery which led to the decisive touchdown by Joe Street.

The Wildcats' defense will all it can handle when they make the trip up on the mountain.

Cline was 8 out of 10 passing for 204 yards and four TD passes last week.

The Miners' offense had 10 catches on the night for 219 yards.

Central was led by Corey Daniels' two receptions for 93 yards and a 49-yard TD. Joe May had two catches for 48 yards and two touchdowns - one for 10 yards and the other for 38.

Senior Nick Lee caught the first TD 16-yard pass and added another catch for a total of 46 yards on the evening.

May made the field his stage when he rushed for three more TDs during the game. The RB rushed for 76 yards on four tries.

Canterbury added a rushing touchdown and had 60 yards on five tries. The ball seemed to stay in Jacob Staton's hands as he continuously moved the Miners, putting them in scoring position. Staton rushed for a 3-yard touchdown and had 52 yards on the ground on 12 attempts.

The squad ran the ball for 240 yards on 40 tries.

The Wildcats looked like they were going to drop the game to Huntington last week before Joe Street ran in from one-yard out with time expiring. Logan's decision to go for two instead of the XP kick put the W in their lap instead of overtime.

Mingo's D will have to keep an eye out for Street as the senior RB ran for 163 yards on 32 attempts and scored three touchdowns.

Wildcat QB Khaleel Reynolds was 2 for 6 passing for 68 yards. He had nine rushes for 78 yards on the ground. Senior RB David Toney had 15 carries for 62 yards, including an 8-yard TD run. Brant Williams finished with two catches.

Logan ate up the clock with long drives giving Huntington little time to put the game out of reach and then to finally to catch up when Logan took the lead.

The Miners will depend on its defense to get the ball back into Cline's hands when Mingo's offense is forced to leave the field.

Against the Panthers, Mingo was led by Drew Kirk with 14 tackles, R. J. Collins added eight and a blocked punt. Matt Wellman had eight along with a sack and a fumble recovery that led to an 18-yard touchdown.

Alex Lee had six tackles and four sacks while Austin Compton added six. Austin Trent, Austin Reed and Steve Messer had five each.

Staton also had five along with a tackle that resulted in a safety. Alex Daniels tackled five with a pass deflection. Cline had time for four tackles and an interception while Garth Simpkins added four with a fumble recovery.

As a team, the Miners had 101 tackles, five sacks, two fumble recoveries and three pass deflections.

The one problem that continues to haunt Central is penalties. the Miners were flagged 10 times for 70 yards.

If the Miners' explosive offense can escape the stranglehold of Logan's powerful D, Mingo has great chance of sweeping the remainder of the season.

The game starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday evening at the James H. "Buck" Harless Stadium at Newtown.

(Logan sports editor Paul Adkins contributed to this article.)