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Exciting time for sports

Mid-Ohio Valley prep sports fan sure have a plethora of options today, especially if they like to travel. Class AAA defending state wrestling champion Parkersburg South hits the road to Lakewood St. Edward in Ohio while the Big Reds of Parkersburg High also head to the Buckeye State with a match at Elyria. Inside the Rod Oldham Athletic Center, wrestling fans can take in some NCAA Division II action as Ohio Valley University will be on the mats. Of course, St. Marys is going after a repeat Class A state football title in Wheeling. The Blue Devils are set to tangle with Wheeling ...

Super Six is here at last

Here we go folks! One of the most exciting times of the W.Va. prep sports season is here once again! After 689 games over three classes the last 14 weeks (yes, I counted), we finally have our six competitors for three gridiron state championships today and tomorrow inside Wheeling Island Stadium. I guess you could call them the Super Six. And what a collection of squads we have in attendance. With a combined record of 69-8, it isn’t hard to figure out why these teams are the participants. If records don’t impress you, four of the six made the trek here last year and the ...

Talking Time: Kennedy Award

About eight days ago, I began to wonder when my Harrison H. Kennedy Award ballot would make an appearance in my email. Super Six week and the all-state meeting were drawing near and I knew we (the West Virginia Sports Writers Association) usually had the prize for the top football player in the state voted on and done around this time of the year. While sending my box and a brief story on St. Marys and East Hardy Friday night in Moorefield, the message I had been waiting on finally arrived to my inbox. I was excited, but not quite sure why because the task of assembling the three top ...

St. Marys’ rare chance

A great opportunity awaits St. Marys head coach Jodi Mote and his Blue Devils when they take the field against Wheeling Central in the W.Va. Class A state championship game at 7 p.m. Saturday inside Wheeling Island Stadium. An elusive feat all but 43 other football squads in the 195 state championship games played in one, two and then three classes since Vinson and Alderson met for the Class B title back in 1948 presents itself to the fifth-seeded team from Pleasants County. To accomplish this, you need luck, desire, passion, health, humbleness and a strong burning competitive ...

PHS fans, jot down these dates

One year after an energetic run to the Class AAA state tournament, the Parkersburg High School girls basketball team is set up for even more success with the return of experienced players all over the floor for first-year head man Scott Cozzens. Expectations are high for the Big Reds, but chances to catch the squad at home are low this season. Fans need to clear a few hours out of six nights if they want see a dynamic team play inside Memorial Fieldhouse. Good competition drips from the matchups as former state champions, several 2017 state tournament participants, and Mountain ...

WVU game all down to just one play

It isn’t often when a competitive game is decided on a first-quarter play, but to the dismay of West Virginia fans that is what occurred on Saturday. Late in the first quarter in a scoreless game quarterback Will Grier dove for the end zone on what was first ruled a touchdown. After replay, not only was the touchdown taken off the board, but it was ruled Grier lost control of the ball before it hit the pylon. No score and a lost possession, but even worse was Grier broke a finger on his throwing hand. This was a worst case scenario and the Mountaineers played the remainder of the ...