Toronto, Weir ready to meet again

Zeb Kinsey will look to lead Toronto against Weir High – Mike Hughes

WEIRTON — Last season when Weir High met Toronto, a second-half comeback helped kick-start what ended up being a long run to the state semis for the Red Riders.

That game also proved to be the lone loss of the regular season for the Red Knights.

The teams meet again Friday night in a big local showdown, this time at Jimmy Carey Stadium. The opening kick is set for 7 p.m. up on the hill.

In that game a year ago, a 23-12 Red Rider victory, Toronto scored the game’s first 12 points. Quarterback Zeb Kinsey went down with an injury, however, and Weir High took the momentum and rattled off 23-unanswered to surge to victory, 16 of which came in the second half.

Russ Dickinson went on to set school passing records in helping Toronto win the next seven-straight as both teams compiled 9-1 regular seasons.

Entering that game, the Red Riders had defeated rival Oak Glen in their opener and the Red Knights were 2-0 after scoring a lot of points the first two weeks.

As fate would have it, the rematch comes with the teams in the same scenario and a healthy Kinsey is back to guide the Knights.

Toronto owns a 41-0 win on the road at East Canton and a 57-26 win at home last week over Lowellville. In those games, Kinsey has been effective with both his legs and his arm and Toronto has used a few different weapons around him, Drake Bouscher racking up three scores last week.

The Red Riders, meanwhile, have a new signal caller this time around as Lucac McAllister now guides the offense.

His debut for Weir High in a 40-21 win over the Golden Bears last Thursday was one to remember as he racked up more than 330 yards of offense and combined to score five touchdowns, four on offense and a defensive scoop and score.

Another thing different this time around is who will be standing on Toronto’s sideline as Jaret Aubiel now guides the Red Knights.

He was an assistant on Josh Franke’s staff a year ago when the cross-river foes met at Clarke Hinkle Stadium.