Buttrey resigns
Coach led PHS to two football titlesBy DAVE POE dpoe@newsandsentinel.com
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PARKERSBURG - Bernie Buttrey, who guided Parkersburg High School's football program to 66 wins and two state championships over the past eight seasons, has resigned as the head coach of the Big Reds.
"I have loved the past eight years,'' Buttrey said Monday evening. "I want to step back and catch my breath. I just want to relax a little. I kind of knew at the beginning of this season this might be the last one, but I wasn't sure.''
Buttrey officially submitted his resignation late last week, but he didn't want to make it official until PHS conducted its annual football banquet, which took place on Sunday afternoon. Buttrey had told banquet organizers he wanted the banquet to focus on the senior members of the Big Red football program, not on him. Buttrey said both PHS Principal Ralph Board and Athletics Director Richard Lance asked him to reconsider his decision.
Buttrey is the only coach in the more than 100-year history of Parkersburg High football to lead the Big Reds to back-to-back state titles He was named by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association as the West Virginia High School Coach of the Year following the Big Reds' 14-0 season in 2006, when Parkersburg won the first of two state championship under his guidance. PHS repeated as state champions in 2007, posting a 13-1 mark in winning the 11th state football title in school history.
Buttrey's Big Red teams qualified for the state playoffs in six of his eight seasons, failing to accomplish that feat only in his initial season of 2002, and again in 2008. PHS went 4-6 in both of those years.
Lance said as soon as the resignation is accepted by the Wood County Board of Education, the search for the new coach will begin. He expects the job to be posted by mid December. Lance said a new coach could be named by the end of January.
Buttrey, will leave as the fifth winningest coach in PHS history, trailing only Buddy James (178), Marshall Burdette (89), Jimmy Scott (87) and Russ Parsons (85).
His 2006 team was just the second PHS team to compile a 14-0 record, joining the 1999 squad in that category. The 2006 team allowed just 13 touchdowns throughout the regular season and playoffs, and dominated Martinsburg, 34-6, in the state championship game.
The 2007 squad, although it lost a regular season game at George Washington, ending a 21-game winning streak, won the next six games, including four in the state playoffs.
Under Buttrey's guidance, 22 Big Red players have been named to the Class AAA all-state team. The 2009 squad has not yet been announced, so that total is likely to rise. One of Buttrey's players, lineman Josh Jenkins, became only the second player in the history of Parkersburg High School to earn all-state honors three straight seasons, joining the legendary Ross McHenry, who like Jenkins went on to play football at West Virginia University. McHenry returned to Parkersburg and became the head coach of the Big Reds.
Buttrey said he felt good about leaving the program at this time because he believes it is in a position to be successful.
"We have a solid freshman group. Our JVs had a good year. And we have a great offseason conditioning program and a good coaching staff. It was a prime time for me to go with things in good shape.''
His coaching colleagues had nothing but praise for Buttrey.
"Bernie is a dedicated football coach,'' said Gene Epley, under who Buttrey served at Marietta College. Epley thought so much of Buttrey, he agreed to become an assistant at PHS. "He had a good rapport with the kids. He understands it's what you do in the winter that makes the difference in the fall. He had a stong winter program and a strong summer program. You don't go by Parkersburg High and see many kids who aren't in good shape.''
One of Buttrey's long-time friends, Epley said Buttrey needed a break.
" I know he is looking forward to getting away from football,'' Epley said. "When you are a high school coach, you are with your kids the entire year. There is never a break. Bernie doesn't want football to be the dominant point in his life.''
Epley saw a side of Buttrey not everybody gets the opportunity to experience.
"He would hold morning study halls for the players,'' Epley said. "When they would get done with their studies, he would cook them breakfast. He went a little further than most people would go to have a complete program. He was always there for the kids. He did a lot at PHS.''
Frank Marcinko, who applied for the PHS position when Buttrey was hired, had nothing but praise for his long-time colleague.
"Bernie is old school,'' said Marcinko, who attended Glenville State at the same time as Buttrey. "He understood what it takes in terms of putting in the time. He knew that you win football games with preparation.''
Marcinko, who served as the athletics director at Williamstown where Buttrey coached from 1998-2001, credited Buttrey with establishing the program at Williamstown that has led to the Yellowjackets becoming a Class A powerhouse.
"He is the reason why Williamstown is where it's at,'' said Marcinko. "He laid the groundwork with his conditioning and strength program. I never had to worry about a Bernie Buttrey-coached team. He took care of all the necessary business. He left no i's undotted or t's uncrossed."
Marcinko, a key member of the PHS football staff under Marshall Burdette, said Buttrey did an "outstanding job. He has set the bar high. He was a good friend and an excellent colleague.''
Marcinko has been around football long enough to know that any coach who wins back-to-back state titles has accomplished something few ever will achieve.
"Bernie's teams always got better as the season progressed,'' Marcinko said. "Parkersburg has a lot of blue-collar kids and Bernie is a blue-collar coach. It is going to be a loss for PHS for him to retire.''
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PHSElite
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12-09-09 9:03 AM
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just one more thing to think about - what respectable head coach would allow his team to carry a body bag out to the field at a play- off game? that would be buttrey! he allowed this two years ago! can you imagine the site and the dismay by the "older" generations to see this display? not a classy move but yes mr buttry allowed it! that is not a sign of class! this was tasteless and morally shameful! and precisely why i personally am glad to see him go - as is many many others!
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PHSElite
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12-09-09 8:39 AM
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in such disarray! the now run around out there with shirts hanging out, helmets on helmets off a total mess! lets give thanks to tom brock who gives up his time to condition the boys, to coach eddy who was one of the better defensive coaches we have had, and to coach mccullough for special teams. thanks to them for doing their part to make bernie look good. i promise you i am not the only Big Red who has not been in support of bernie! we are not williamstown- it is just like richard lance, this is too big of a committment for the likes of bernie and lance. they cant handle it. they both have rode on the coat tails of far better individuals below them and stood tall to take the credit! thank goodness at least one of them are gone! and bids to take the other?
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PHSElite
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12-09-09 8:33 AM
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and silencedogood please enlighten me! buttrey isnt staying around long enough to compare to any other coaches PHS has seen. with the likes of andy thomas, matt lindamood, pj posley, josh jenkins, matt littleton, and matt winans to name a few how could he not win 2 state titles? again coach eddy was there coaching the defense! his committment isnt questioned here sure he gives up his time but his coaching ability, philosophy is not that of Big Red tradition. is it wrong for phs alumni to expect the best when they are given the best? the stadium committee provides the football program with anything and everything so in return it is not wrong to expect the best in return! bernie is not the best! what happened this year? and not to knock the kids on the team, they are what the coach makes them but where is their discipline? where are the shirts being tucked in, the matching socks and shoes from the past? the respected Big Reds (team and coaches) from the past never walked on the field
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PHSElite
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12-09-09 8:23 AM
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well gorilla if i am so stupid please tell me why coach eddy left phs and why rick phillips is sitting in the stands rather than standing on the sidelines? that i will answer for you with first hand information! mr wonderful, aka bernie buttrey had a severe problem with the fact coach eddy was a better coach and had more support from the team and the parents. so he took coach eddy out of the equation without the administrations knowledge(as if they care) coach phillips sits in the stands due to lack of discipline buttrey has with his team, ie josh jenkins. he may be doing well at wvu but he had no discipline in the way of morals or his mouth-that is directly reflective of bernie. he was star struck by josh and the attention he was getting he couldnt possibly give josh guidelines of which to stay within. with eddy gone bernie made a mockery of the defense by appointing reeves as the defensive coordinator-doesnt sound like a knowledgeable coach to me!
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JCB1964
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12-09-09 7:59 AM
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Bernie Buttrey did a pretty good job.
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Shearer
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12-09-09 1:46 AM
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Stupid****so called fans. The man took plenty of his personal time to coach and bring teams to state titles yet you have the pleasure to knock him down without anything to do with his commitment. I never coached under the guy but as a former athlete of PHS I wish him the best. Hopefully he didn't leave because a few of you didn't make it worth his while.
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samileec10
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12-08-09 6:31 PM
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Amen . Send Buttrey to Michgan .With old Rod. The players did it all. And Richard Lantz just run around on a golf cart.
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JCB1964
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12-08-09 6:20 PM
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If Don Reeves is already getting the job, that's discrimination. What if someone else is better qualified was gonna apply? If Don Reeves is given this job, and he takes the team to the toilet, like he did South, will anyone "good" ever apply for this job again? Reeves had heart problems at South because he wouldn't trust his assistants to do their job, and he picked them, what's that tell you,....he micro-manages. No decent coach will assist him at PHS.
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gorilla
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12-08-09 11:30 AM
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I hate to pass judgment on someone I don't know. But 'PHSElite' is stupid. Thanks to Coach Buttrey for a job well done.
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SilenceDogood
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12-08-09 9:30 AM
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The first post on here is an excellent example of what is wrong with PHS sports. Congrats to Bernie for getting PHS back on top with 6 playoff appearances in 8 years and 2 state titles. He also laid the foundation for a well oiled, small school football program at Williamstown.
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GTL4pns
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12-08-09 9:15 AM
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WOW is all I can say to the story, and the PHSElite response! Just WOW.
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PHSElite
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12-08-09 8:16 AM
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*dont*
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PHSElite
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12-08-09 8:13 AM
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Good Riddance! Stop giving credit to someone who was lucky enough to have star players play for him and make him look good! He couldnt handle the team liking Coach Eddy better than him so he let him go and put Donnie Reeves in charge of the defense! See what happened?! Richard Lance aka Mr. Roane County hopefully will not have the last word on hiring a coach! He is dumb enough to put Donnie Reeves in that position! His defensive coaching this year sucked! He couldnt make it at South do let him drag PHS down too! Bring on Craig Farnsworth or Coach Eddy! Can anyone talk Richard Lance into resigning with Buttrey? PHS' alumni's prayers will be answered then!
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