Bluefield to be tested by strong early-season schedule
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Under the leadership of Fred Simon, the state's longest-tenured head coach, the Bluefield Beavers are preparing for the 2025 season after a resilient 2024 campaign where they reached the Class AA quarterfinals and gave eventual champion Frankfort its most competitive playoff game. The offense returns significant talent, headlined by sophomore quarterback Max Simpson, who passed for over 1,300 yards as a freshman and has already received a Division I offer, and junior running back Willis Wilson, the team's leading rusher from a year ago. A primary challenge for the Beavers will be the development of a young and inexperienced offensive line, which returns only a sophomore tackle and a senior center to starting roles. This new line will be tested immediately, as Bluefield faces an exceptionally difficult five-game stretch to open the season against opponents who all qualified for the postseason last year, including a Virginia state champion and two West Virginia semifinalists.
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