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This week in MOV athletics

Two teams and one motivated individual have chances at history when the W.Va. State Wrestling Championships kick off Thursday inside Big Sandy Superstore Arena in Huntington. Parkersburg South’s grappling team can complete a four-peat as the team title winner. I say “can” but it is more likely “will” at this point. The Patriots bring their entire starting roster to states, including the top- or second-ranked wrestler in more than half the weight classes. One of Shaun Smith’s wrestlers, Josh Humphreys, is aiming to join state legends by winning his fourth straight state ...

Big Reds’ swimming Sniders want more hardware

A century of PHS athletics have seen 1,000s of athletes pass through the Big Reds’ ranks. Sometimes multiple athletes from the same family test their mettle in the same sport. Recently the Lindamoods were a clan standing out on the football field. Golf saw eight years of the Prine family. Soccer always has the Fosselmans. The Gnegys have become a part of the tennis team’s DNA, and then you have swimming... You could chose several dominant clans having belonged to the school’s strong swimming tradition in the past ten years alone. The Phillips’ and Cox’s come to mind ...

Parkersburg South’s Dominic Collins a fast learner

Swimming easily stands as one of the most technical sports in the wide world of athletics. Those who wish to make waves are encouraged to start young with swimming lessons at their local YMCA or wherever else possible. Obviously, good technique early is a necessity if someone endeavors to continue with the sport at the high school level and beyond. Stamina and a competitive mindset are must-haves too. Swimming requires a strong body as every muscle must work together and in sync as an athlete propels through the water. Parkersburg South senior swimmer Dominic Collins had no problem ...

Parkersburg Catholic’s Olivia Ullman on her long journey

The answer was unanimous among the entire Parkersburg Catholic girls’ basketball team when I asked them to identify the best shooter on the squad. “It is Olivia,” said Mikayla Alkire. “Olivia Ullman,” added Jenna Boice. “Oh, it is Olivia,” chimed in Kamaria Robinson. ...

This week in MOV athletics

Championship season for winter sports is finally here. After two months of regular-season competition, plenty of heartbreak, and more blood, sweat and tears than can be imagined, the best of the best in the state and its leagues will be crowned. Three team state championships and countless individual state honors are up for grabs this week alone. PHS girls’ swimming eyes one of those group titles and a few of the solo ones as well. Terry Nisewarner’s Big Red girls face stiff competition from Fairmont Senior, Wheeling Park, Morgantown and GW from Feb. 15-16 inside WVU’s ...

Spending time with South mat

Friday was one of those rare days, almost like having a Saturday off from work, where I didn’t find myself getting ready to cover a basketball game somewhere in the Mid-Ohio Valley. I figured what better way to spend part of the late afternoon and early evening than taking in some wrestling practice with the three-time defending state champion Parkersburg South Patriots. After head coach Shaun Smith finished practice, I took the opportunity to chat with three-time state champion Josh Humphreys, who is the top-ranked 152-pounder in the Mountain State. The journey for Humphreys to ...