WELLSBURG - Earlier this season, Ripley held a reunion for its wildly successful 1989 team that ultimately saw its season end against Brooke. When current coach Jimmy Frashier, then a volunteer assistant, watched a highlight tape of that season and that game, one thing stood out - former Brooke coach Paul "Bud'' Billiard's toboggan.

In preparing for Saturday's playoff rematch between the Vikings and Bruins, Frashier watched the tape of Brooke's first-round game against Princeton last week and saw something familiar.

"There he was on the sideline,'' Frashier said of Billiard. "I think it was the same hat.''

Same result, too.

With Billiard acting mainly as a consultant to coach Tom Bruney these days, the Bruins (12-0) scored the game's first five touchdowns and cruised to a 34-14 victory against the Vikings (9-3) Saturday afternoon at Brooke Memorial Stadium, setting up a rematch with University this weekend in the Class AAA semifinals.

It marked the fourth time in the last 23 years that Ripley has been eliminated by Brooke.

A lot of talk centered on the Vikings being 9-0 when they score first, while the Bruins had fallen behind in nine of 11 games.

Ian Morris laughed in the face of that trend, returning the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown.

"That Morris kid, what an unbelievable guy he is,'' Frashier said. "They ought to call him 'Slash.'''

The kickoff return was just the beginning for Morris, who has taken on a bigger role in the offense during the last month because of running back Ryan Lazear's gimpy ankle.

WELLSBURG - Earlier this season, Ripley held a reunion for its wildly successful 1989 team that ultimately saw its season end against Brooke. When current coach Jimmy Frashier, then a volunteer assistant, watched a highlight tape of that season and that game, one thing stood out - former Brooke coach Paul "Bud'' Billiard's toboggan.

In preparing for Saturday's playoff rematch between the Vikings and Bruins, Frashier watched the tape of Brooke's first-round game against Princeton last week and saw something familiar.

"There he was on the sideline,'' Frashier said of Billiard. "I think it was the same hat.''

Same result, too.

With Billiard acting mainly as a consultant to coach Tom Bruney these days, the Bruins (12-0) scored the game's first five touchdowns and cruised to a 34-14 victory against the Vikings (9-3) Saturday afternoon at Brooke Memorial Stadium, setting up a rematch with University this weekend in the Class AAA semifinals.

It marked the fourth time in the last 23 years that Ripley has been eliminated by Brooke.

A lot of talk centered on the Vikings being 9-0 when they score first, while the Bruins had fallen behind in nine of 11 games.

Ian Morris laughed in the face of that trend, returning the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown.

"That Morris kid, what an unbelievable guy he is,'' Frashier said. "They ought to call him 'Slash.'''

The kickoff return was just the beginning for Morris, who has taken on a bigger role in the offense during the last month because of running back Ryan Lazear's gimpy ankle.

Morris later scored on a 41-yard run. He also added a 35-yard touchdown reception. Then he took a break because it was halftime. His TD catch came one play after Ripley fumbled a punt.

"We made some mistakes,'' Frashier said, "and Brooke did what Brooke does.''

Five minutes earlier, Brooke's Gianni Fuscardo picked off a Scott Ullom pass at the Vikings 26. Two plays - and 74 yards later - the Bruins were in the end zone celebrating after quarterback Cotey Wallace completed a 69-yard pass to Joe DiNardo that set up a 5-yard touchdown toss to Shane Paesano.

Two turnovers for the Vikings, 13 points for the Bruins. And Ripley was plus-18 on the season in turnover margin coming in.

Meanwhile the Brooke defense, which welcomed back two starters from two-week suspensions, was giving up nothing. With seven minutes remaining in the first half, Ripley had only 12 yards before running back David Hicks tripled his team's total with a 24-yard run.

"We didn't play 100-percent perfect,'' Bruney said. "But I thought we totally dominated. Our defense always seems to rise to the occasion.''

The Vikings did score twice, both inside the last four minutes.

The first one came via a 19-yard pass from Ullom to Josh Donohew, the other on Hicks' 53-yard interception return. That pass was thrown by Alex Buchmelter, the first freshman in Brooke history to ever take a snap.

Briefly

At one point in the first half, Brooke had four first downs and four touchdowns. . . . Wallace completed 9-of-13 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns, while running for 98 yards on 16 carries. . . .  Brooke wound up with 339 total yards, Ripley 195.