Big Red Madi Mace’s other sport

September 18, 2018

Being a professional, preparation is my key when requests are made for my contribution on a project. About a month ago, my writer friend Sean McNamara requested help with a PHS/Morgantown football preview on his new radio show. The health of Big Reds’ wide receiver Brenton Strange along with other topics were among the discussion points. A phone call easily could’ve yielded the information required but I enjoy face-to-face conversations with PHS head coach Mike Byus. My arrival to the school’s back parking lot Aug. 21 timed perfectly with a strange sight. Two-time Class AAA ...

Monday Morning Quarterback: Big 12 shaping up to be tough

September 17, 2018

West Virginia’s scheduled game Saturday at North Carolina State was cancelled by approaching Hurricane Florence. It was unfortunate as it was an important game for both schools, and it does not appear it will be rescheduled. The circumstances remind us that although the outcome of football games may be uncertain Mother Nature, like Father Time, will always remain undefeated. Fans did have an opportunity to watch several future Big 12 opponents in an important weekend for the conference. Performance by teams in a league in the nonconference portion of the schedule becomes very ...

COLUMN: An Xs and Os rain delay in Spencer

September 11, 2018

As soon as the first lighting bolt forked across the sky Friday night at Roane County’s County Stadium I thought, “Oh boy ... This game could take a while.” As an already steady rain became stronger by the minute and thunder boomed overhead late in the first quarter, the chances steadily increased of a shrill whistle signaling a storm delay. Sure enough the ultimately deadline-shattering wail rang out at the 7:33 mark of the second quarter, with the host Raiders up on St. Marys 14-3. Roane cruelly waiting longer to snap a 13-game losing streak 28-17. Players, coaches, fans ...

Monday Morning Quarterback: Rain no problem for WVU

September 10, 2018

It was a rainy afternoon for the home opener at Mountaineer Field but after a slow start West Virginia cruised to a 52-17 victory over Youngstown State. Recognizing its secondary would be overmatched against the WVU passing attack, the Penguins basically dropped seven into coverage and invited the Mountaineers to run the football. West Virginia successfully did so, accruing 289 rushing yards on the afternoon. But even with the coverage approach by the opposition, quarterback Will Grier still completed 21 of 26 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns, three of those to Gary ...

Big Reds’ Madison Trippett healthy again

September 5, 2018

Something was off with Parkersburg High cross country runner Madison Trippett last season. One of the Big Reds’ most accomplished runners wasn’t meeting her usually high standards she regularly set for herself. There wasn’t a sophomore slump or the realization of all the attention on her. “She has always been mentally tough,” said PHS cross country coach Larry Games. No, instead Trippett dealt with one of the most frustrating injuries a runner can face: a stress fracture in her leg. Huge chunks of her summer training regimen were obliterated by an injury where a bone ...

COLUMN: Grant Hussey’s summer to remember

September 4, 2018

Baseball gifting big, shiny packages to Parkersburg South’s Grant Hussey shouldn’t be surprising by now. The Patriot dedicates sizable quantities of time, sweat and energy to the sport he has loved since childhood. This fall giving up basketball to focus on baseball fulltime. Effort not ignored by the baseball gods. Already a recipient of prodigious diamond talents, Hussey unwrapped the summer of a lifetime shortly after Hurricane eliminated the Patriots from the Class AAA high school regional tournament, 4-3, on May 24. Three months spent playing ball in front of college ...