By Tom Bone, for the Bluefield Daily Telegraph
PRINCETON, W.Va. — The “road to Wheeling” wound through Princeton on Friday night, and the Tigers hopped on board.
In a record-breaking performance, the blue-clad Princeton squad preached the state football championship game for the first time in recorded memory, outlasting the Bridgeport Indians 73-70 as the temperature hovered in the 30s at Anne S. Hunnicutt Stadium.
Princeton (12-1), ranked fifth in Class AAA, never trailed against eighth-seeded Bridgeport (11-2), but couldn’t put the game away until the harrowing final minutes.
Chance Barker threw for eight touchdowns for the Tigers despite a brutal pass rush by the Indians.
Dominic Collins tallied five touchdowns for Princeton, including an 87-yard scoring reception with 5:36 to go that provided a points cushion at 73-50 that the Indians could not exceed.
