A pair of 2025 state championship participants meet for the first time as Nitro travels to Wheeling Central for the MetroNews Television Week 7 Game of the Week, sponsored by GoMart.

Defending Class A state champion Wheeling Central enters at 3-3 after navigating an entirely out-of-state schedule through the first six weeks. The Maroon Knights have responded to a 1-3 start with consecutive wins over Monroe Central, Ohio, and Windber, Pennsylvania, and now return home looking to climb back above .500.

Quarterback Nico Kusic is back after helping lead Wheeling Central to last season’s title, while running back Dustin Sanner has stepped into a larger role following the graduation of Kade Koroneos, whose historic 415-yard, seven-touchdown performance powered the Maroon Knights past Clay-Battelle in the state championship game. Sanner is averaging more than 100 rushing yards per game as 22nd-year head coach Mike Young continues to lean on the physical, ground-oriented identity that has helped build one of the state’s most decorated programs.

Nitro comes to Wheeling at 2-4 after finishing as the Class AAA state runner-up a season ago. The Wildcats fell 36-35 to Princeton in last year’s championship game and have worked through significant roster turnover along with a coaching change in 2026. Now a young Nitro team gets an opportunity to make a statement against the defending Class A champion.

It’s the first-ever meeting between Nitro and Wheeling Central — two programs coming off championship appearances, each looking to build momentum in the second half of the season.

Watch Nitro at Wheeling Central live from Bishop Schmitt Field in Wheeling on Friday, October 9. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on MetroNews Television, YouTube and Facebook, with Eli Brady and Coach Nick Bartic on the call.

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Game produced by: MetroNews Television

Watch Nitro at Wheeling Central live Friday, October 9 at 6 p.m. on MetroNews Television, with Eli Brady and Coach Bartic on the call.

Game produced by: MetroNews Television