The hard part may be over, but George Washington knows its work is not done for securing a home playoff game.

The Patriots rode their defense to capture a 14-0 victory Friday night over crosstown and top-10 rival Capital, which should vault them into the top eight of the playoff pairings.

GW was No. 9 before that game, and should move past No. 6 Capital (5-3) and perhaps both No. 7 Nicholas County (which beat three-win North Marion) and No. 8 Martinsburg (which beat two-win Jefferson).

But the Patriots players are cognizant of the fact they must still clamp down and beat the teams they'll be favored against the next two weeks - Greenbrier East (2-7) and St. Albans (2-6).

"We've got to win out,'' said quarterback Nick Britton, who threw for 168 yards and a touchdown against Capital. "We've got to get home field in the playoffs, and we've got to come ready to play every game.''

The victory - GW's third straight against a team currently holding a winning record - should also provide a boost of confidence heading down the home stretch. Capital had won five in a row, including road victories against top-five teams South Charleston and Spring Valley.

"To beat a team like that, that's a pretty good team right there,'' said Patriots linebacker Eric Davidson, who had 11 tackles and forced one of Capital's two lost fumbles. "You've seen what they did against those top teams. We came out and showed we can hang with them top teams, too. We're just as good as anybody in the state.

"If we play hard and finish, we can beat anybody out here. Ain't anybody that can beat G-dub but G-dub.''

Patriots coach Steve Edwards Jr. was pleased with both sides of the ball, especially a defense that allowed a net of just 124 yards and pitched a shutout. He stressed that there's still some fine-tuning ahead - GW twice jumped offside on fourth and short, handing over free first downs - but still couldn't hide his satisfaction.

"We've got tons to do,'' he said. "Defensively, we have to work on our discipline. We've got to be more disciplined but when we had to, we buckled down. They tried to get us to jump offside again, and we didn't do it. I hope we don't make a trend of that.

"I'm happy these kids won. That's four in a row [over Capital]. My senior class has never lost to this bunch, and that's tough to do. I never had a class go through here like that. We've been on the opposite end of those things so many times through the years, I'm just happy the guys were able to go out and do a good job.''

Capital, however, must regroup this week in time to face Parkersburg and tailback Allan Wasonga, a Kennedy Award frontrunner who has rushed for 1,854 yards and 23 TDs.

The Cougars ended Friday's game without quarterback Josh Sharp, who injured an ankle, and cornerback/backup running back Justin Cousins, who was ejected.

"It is what it is,'' said Capital coach Jack Woolwine. "We've withstood a lot of adversity and sickness and injury. We've been through a lot of things and the kids are resilient, and they continue to come back. This one's over. We've got to put it aside and get ready for Parkersburg next week. Another tough test.''

The hard part may be over, but George Washington knows its work is not done for securing a home playoff game.

The Patriots rode their defense to capture a 14-0 victory Friday night over crosstown and top-10 rival Capital, which should vault them into the top eight of the playoff pairings.

GW was No. 9 before that game, and should move past No. 6 Capital (5-3) and perhaps both No. 7 Nicholas County (which beat three-win North Marion) and No. 8 Martinsburg (which beat two-win Jefferson).

But the Patriots players are cognizant of the fact they must still clamp down and beat the teams they'll be favored against the next two weeks - Greenbrier East (2-7) and St. Albans (2-6).

"We've got to win out,'' said quarterback Nick Britton, who threw for 168 yards and a touchdown against Capital. "We've got to get home field in the playoffs, and we've got to come ready to play every game.''

The victory - GW's third straight against a team currently holding a winning record - should also provide a boost of confidence heading down the home stretch. Capital had won five in a row, including road victories against top-five teams South Charleston and Spring Valley.

"To beat a team like that, that's a pretty good team right there,'' said Patriots linebacker Eric Davidson, who had 11 tackles and forced one of Capital's two lost fumbles. "You've seen what they did against those top teams. We came out and showed we can hang with them top teams, too. We're just as good as anybody in the state.

"If we play hard and finish, we can beat anybody out here. Ain't anybody that can beat G-dub but G-dub.''

Patriots coach Steve Edwards Jr. was pleased with both sides of the ball, especially a defense that allowed a net of just 124 yards and pitched a shutout. He stressed that there's still some fine-tuning ahead - GW twice jumped offside on fourth and short, handing over free first downs - but still couldn't hide his satisfaction.

"We've got tons to do,'' he said. "Defensively, we have to work on our discipline. We've got to be more disciplined but when we had to, we buckled down. They tried to get us to jump offside again, and we didn't do it. I hope we don't make a trend of that.

"I'm happy these kids won. That's four in a row [over Capital]. My senior class has never lost to this bunch, and that's tough to do. I never had a class go through here like that. We've been on the opposite end of those things so many times through the years, I'm just happy the guys were able to go out and do a good job.''

Capital, however, must regroup this week in time to face Parkersburg and tailback Allan Wasonga, a Kennedy Award frontrunner who has rushed for 1,854 yards and 23 TDs.

The Cougars ended Friday's game without quarterback Josh Sharp, who injured an ankle, and cornerback/backup running back Justin Cousins, who was ejected.

"It is what it is,'' said Capital coach Jack Woolwine. "We've withstood a lot of adversity and sickness and injury. We've been through a lot of things and the kids are resilient, and they continue to come back. This one's over. We've got to put it aside and get ready for Parkersburg next week. Another tough test.''

Desperate vs. SC

Defending state champion South Charleston (7-1), fresh off a 53-12 win over Nitro, concludes its regular season against a pair of teams desperate to get into the playoffs.

The Black Eagles also have incentive themselves the rest of the way, since they want to stay in the top eight to get home field for at least the first round, which would likely take eight wins. A ninth victory might mean as many as two home playoff games, which like last year would probably be held at Laidley Field.

Home for Hoover?

Herbert Hoover could also be playing for homefield advantage in the Class AA playoffs when it travels to Point Pleasant Friday.

The Huskies (6-3), who won their fifth in a row by beating Roane County, came into last week's game ranked No. 11 - three spots out of the final homefield berth. Point (5-3) was tied for 16th before an impressive 23-21 victory over defending Class A champion Williamstown.

Hoover, which had held its home playoff games at Laidley Field in recent seasons, is now an approved AA playoff site after new bleachers were installed in 2007.

Some of the teams Hoover will be battling for a top-eight spot with also have tough tests down the stretch, including No. 7 James Monroe (Bluefield), No. 8 Keyser (Frankfort), No. 9 Bluefield (James Monroe, Robert C. Byrd) and No. 10 Chapmanville (Wayne, Point Pleasant).

More on Moore

Fairmont Senior quarterback Logan Moore stamped himself as a Kennedy Award candidate worth consideration in Friday's 58-35 win over Wheeling Park, accounting for 481 yards and seven touchdowns.

Moore completed 18-of-31 passes for 324 yards and three TDs and ran 14 times for 157 yards and four scores. He also intercepted two passes as a defensive back.

Reach Rick Ryan at 304-348-5175 or rickr...@wvgazette.com.