Sports

COLUMN: Beyond the Backstop

Local Sports May 22, 2026

Family baseball trips never experienced this. Beginning last Friday night during a Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals regular season game at Busch Stadium, members of a club baseball team representing Stephen F. Austin sparked a craze which is spreading like wildfire throughout several major league parks. “Tarps Off” creates an environment similar to hockey arenas and European soccer. Continuous cheering seeking to rally the home team. With one major caveat: Fans, primarily young-adult males, in these designated sections are shirt-less. Shirt waving never stops. And rarely ...

2-time NASCAR champ Kyle Busch dies at 41 after being hospitalized with a 'severe illness'

Local News May 22, 2026

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who won more races than anyone across NASCAR's three national series, has died. He was 41. The Busch Family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR issued a joint statement Thursday saying Busch died after being hospitalized. No ...

All-LKC Baseball

Local Sports May 22, 2026

2026 LKC ALL CONFERENCE Baseball 1st Team Infield: Wyatt Boice Wirt County; Kolten Holbert Gilmer County; Turner Shriver Ritchie County; Evan Panaro Buffalo; Mason Belcastro South Harrison Pitcher: Jenner Burge Williamstown; Tristan Swiger Doddridge County; Casey Burkhamer Saint Marys Outfield: Reese Davis Tyler Consolidated; Jackson McClanahan Poca; Attilio Signorini Buffalo; Caleb Hall Doddridge County Catcher: Pierce Adkins Clay County; Brogan Medina South Harrison Utility: Wyatt Powell Williamstown; Joe Casto Ravenswood; Luca Signorini Buffalo Coach of Year: Nate ...

St. Marys girls favored in Class A track

Local Sports May 22, 2026

PARKERSBURG — Doddridge County won't be a factor at this year's Class A state track and field meet since last year's champions are now competing in double-A. As it stands, the 2025 single-A state runner-up girls from St. Marys and the fellow state runner-up boys from Wahama are favored ...

Big Reds eliminated by Woodrow Wilson, 9-6

Local Sports May 22, 2026

PARKERSBURG — No. 9 seed Woodrow Wilson used a five-run top of the fifth as the catalyst here Thursday night at Bennett Stump Field inside City Park to rally past No. 5 Parkersburg, 9-6, in a Class AAAA, South Region loser’s bracket contest. The Flying Eagles of skipper Alex Williams, ...

Ripley baseball secures spot in state tournament

Local Sports May 22, 2026

RIPLEY — Over the game’s first seven batters, Ripley committed three uncharacteristic errors. But that wasn’t enough to lose its grip on another spot in the state tournament. Landon Meadows went the distance and struck out five with no walks Thursday evening and the Vikings blew the game open with a seven-run third inning as they cruised to a 10-2 victory against Herbert Hoover in the Class AAA Region 3 co-championships at soggy Viking Park. The win sends defending champion Ripley (21-10) back to the state tournament, set for June 6-13 at Jack Cook Field on the campus of ...