South’s Nathan Tanner tasked with leading West Virginia BACF team
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PARKERSBURG -- If football ever tinkered with the idea as a year-round sport, Parkersburg South coach Nate Tanner would be all in.
The sport is his passion.
As he enters his fourth season with the Patriot program, Tanner and his staff are wrapping up their spring session of workouts and just in time to step aside from his usual duties to coach the West Virginia squad for Friday's Battle Against Cystic Fibrosis Football All-Star Game at St. Marys High School.
Game time is set for 7:10 p.m.
"I love being around the game of football -- if I could, I would do it all day every day," said Tanner, who served as an assistant for the North-South Football Game but is tasting his first experience as head coach with the BACF event. "The BACF game will be a different type of experience, but will be a lot of fun because you have individuals who are highly-motivated and also want to have a good time. It's a positive experience and being the head coach makes it extra special."
Last week's introductory practice featured a total of 16 graduated seniors, with several handfuls of individuals who were unable to attend because of prior commitments. Tanner will coach two members from his Parkersburg South team which finished 5-5 after losing in the first round of the Class AAA state playoffs.
Trent Parsons is listed as a 5-foot-10, 165-pounder who plays wide receiver and defensive back.
"Trent was a program kid who grew for us astronomically because of a lot of hard work," Tanner said. "When I first met Trent, and you would have told me he was a two-year starter, I would have thought you were crazy. He put a lot of work in the weight room and learned the system. He became a leader on the team and was fun to have around."
Aidan Starcher is a lineman who stands 6-5 and hits the scales at 370. Starcher broke his leg in the second scrimmage of the preseason, which forced him to miss his entire senior year. He will be playing football for Bluefield State in the fall.
"Aidan is another kid who had never played football," Tanner said. "Not only did we get a football player out of him, but he changed as a young man and matured as a human being.
"Aidan helped me run youth camps at the Elite Sports Center this past spring. He took charge and did a lot of the teaching. It was cool to see that."
Another local lineman at Tanner's disposal is Parkersburg's Jeffery Jones. The Big Reds also will be represented by a pair of running backs/linebackers in Zach Howard and Kyle Hall.
Unique to the West Virginia team are a pair of twins from Mount View -- wideouts/defensive backs Justin and Jason Haggerty. The two siblings traveled more than three hours one-way from McDowell County to attend last Thursday's introductory session. They planned to stay the week in the Mid-Ohio Valley for practices and the BACF game.
The Golden Knights wrapped up a 10-2 season after losing to eventual Class A state champion Ritchie County in the quarterfinal round of the postseason.
"We have three practices to get our offense, defense and special teams installed -- and to get personnel sorted out," Tanner said. "That first day last week, the kids picked it up well. Our scheme is simple as it is.
"The other day, we talked as coaches as this game being like a trial run before the three-week period in June and a chance for our whole staff to get their feet wet. Then we will have another little break, followed by the flex days in July."
In three seasons with Parkersburg South, Tanner has guided the football program to 17 wins and two playoff appearances. The Patriots open the 2022 season on August 26 at home against Capital.
Earlier this month, close to 80 players were fitted for helmets.
"The stars are aligning," Tanner said. "Physically, this team is right up there at the top in the 11 years I've been in coaching. When I first got here, we had 45 to 50 kids on the team. The goal was eventually around 60 to 70. A lot of kids have bought into our program."
Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com
WEST VIRGINIA
Head coach: Nathan Tanner, Parkersburg South
Assistant coaches: Evan Campbell, Bryan Youngblood, Zach Walls, John Price, Adam Wilson, Cody Miller, Larry Thompson, Ryan Rice, John Kinnaird, Sam Schuler
Roster
No. Name School Pos. Hgt. Wgt.
16 Shadraq Greathouse Roane County QB/DB/LB 5-11 180
22 Trent Parsons Parkersburg South WR/DB 5-10 165
25 Justin Haggerty Mount View QB/WR/DB
26 Jason Haggerty Mount View WR/DB
27 Caleb Hatfield Point Pleasant WR/DB 6-2 170
34 Zach Howard Parkersburg H/LB 6-0 190
37 Eian Grigsby Point Pleasant LB 6-1 185
44 Kyle Hall Parkersburg H/LB 6-0 190
46 Wes Hill Ravenswood H/DL 6-3 240
63 Brayden Connolly Point Pleasant G/DL 5-11 205
69 Colby Price Point Pleasant OL/DL 5-10 220
71 Riley Boley St. Marys T/DL 6-2 275
71 Toby Copen Roane County OL/DL 6-1 270
76 Aidan Starcher Parkersburg South OL/DL 6-4 360
78 Jeff Jones Parkersburg OL/DL 6-1 285
80 Shawn Conrad Roane County WR/DB 6-0 185
81 Russel May Roane County WR/DB 5-8 170
82 Dylan Knight Doddridge County RB/FB/LB 5-10 185
84 Jared Jones Doddridge County QB/WR/DB 5-9 165
86 Jaycent Ash Doddridge County LB 5-11 185
98 Wyatt Norman St. Marys C/H/DE 6-2 178
98 Case Landis Tyler Consolidated OL/DL 6-0 205