The Press Box for December 4
West Virginia coach Neil Brown and the Mountaineers gained more respect throughout the Mountain State on Friday when they came from behind to defeat TCU 20-17. Improving to 5-7 on the season and getting the upset to knock TCU out of bowl contention has WVU fans shouting wait until next year!
The Mountaineers defense started out strong and put them in position for their first score with an interception during TCU’s first possession of the game. From there it was a good battle the rest of the way with West Virginia getting a late touchdown on a nice catch with two and a half minutes to play to go up by three.
TCU couldn’t move the ball on the Mountaineers defense and after two possessions time just ran out. Coach Brown showed great leadership and coaching qualities all season and was respected by most everyone who watched the Mountiees. They were in several other games clear to the end and with a break here or there could have easily been bowl eligible.
Coach Bob Huggins has the mens basketball team rolling again after making the trip to Mexico and coming home with the Cancun Basketball Tournament championship. The Mouintaineers are 7-0 as of this writing and playing like teams of old. After last seasons disaster at Coastal Carolina in the Mrytle Beach Classic, coach Huggins vowed to right the ship and from all indications he sailing pretty good.
With two quality big men in the middle and some help at the guard position, the Mountiees look strong. They go about 8-9 deep and when they gain consistencey they’ll be a tough match up for everyone on the schedule.
The WVSSAC super six football championships will be held on Friday and Saturday at Wheeling Island Stadium. The Class A match up has number 1 ranked Doddridge County battling number 10 Wheeling Central. Class AA is a matchup of Bluefield and Bridgeport, while AAA will have number one Martinsburg going for it’s 55th straight win against undefeated Cabel Midland 13-0. Should be some exciting football. Make your way up to Wheeling and take in a game or two. It will be high school football at it’s best.
Tyler Consolidated basketball coaches Steve Nutter and Matt Wright took a group of ball players to Cleveland to watch the Caviliers on Friday and then got back home in time to open the kichen at the high school for a community breakfast at 8 a.m. Saturday and followed that up with an open gym practice from 10-noon. Nutter and Wright are two hard workers who always look for ways to get kids envolved. We need more of that!
Hats off to the New Martinsville Rotary Club who has been active in civic projects this past year. They do a little of everything and it’s normally something to benefit other people. They have been putting on the Rotary basketball challenge for the past several years and will host it once again on January 25 at Magnolia high school.
This year Magnolia, Tyler Consolidated, Paden City and Valley will all play in the event. It’s a great day of basketball and the Rotary spends a good deal of time preparing for the hospitality meal for the officials, media, coaches and players. Hats off to the Rotary for giving back to the youth and community. They do a great job.
This week opens the season for girls hoops here locally as the Silver Knights coached by Ben Thomas and Tommy Phillips will suit up 8-10 girls for varsity action on Friday as they host South Harrison. The Silver Knights reserve team will kick off the action at 6 p.m.
Paden City gets it’s girls season under way as the Wildcats host Hundred high school on Wednesday and Valley high school on Thursday. Get out and support your favorite team as there are several games on tap before the Christmas break.
Paden City wrestling will also kick of their season on Saturday as they travel to Union Local to partake in the Rick Link Invitational starting at 8.a.m. at least that is what the schedule says. However you may want to check with the coaches or school before driving to any event.
While writing this column I got to thinking about all the independant league basketball tournaments that used to take place in the area. Some of them were really big deals as the sponsors brought in many big name collegiate stars who went on to careers in the NBA. Sistersville had a very strong and well organized Lions club back in those days and they put on one of the best A tournaments you could find anywhere.
At the old Sistersville gym names such as Hot Rod Hundley, Jerry West, Lou Mott (the ex-Marshall University great) and many many more, gave fans something to cheer about and memories to last a lifetime. I don’t know what happened, but things sure have changed. However the Friendly Lions club still has bingo on Tuesday nights. Whoo Hoo!
After the Lions club fell apart the Sistersville Jaycees led by President Mike (Cupcake) Steele took over the tournament and started having B league teams come to town. It was still great and they packed the gym. But the lack of big names and difficulty getting sponsors soon led to the downfall. (Cupcake) by the way got that nickname in a particular way. He used to hang around at my house with my brother Jimmy (Chester). Now that was a pair.
Cupcake lived in Paden City at the time with his parents up on north second avenue, prior to moving to Sistersville, where they thought he could make the football team, and he did. One Saturday my mother spent all day making cupcakes for a gathering at the First Baptist Church. She had about 80 cupcakes all baked and ready for the icing. Jimmy and Cupcake were in the living room when mom said she was going to foodland (Les Fagerts) store on Main Street for some mix for the icing. When she returned the cupcakes for gone and from that day forward Mike Steele was known as cupcake. Real Story, ask him he’ll verify it.
Well, those days are gone and a new times are here. Make the best of everyday and situation, you never know what tomorrow brings. Good luck to all area teams during the winter sports season. eparsons@tylerstarnews.com
The Press Box for December 4
West Virginia coach Neil Brown and the Mountaineers gained more respect throughout the Mountain State on Friday when they came from behind to defeat TCU 20-17. Improving to 5-7 on the season and getting the upset to knock TCU out of bowl contention has WVU fans shouting wait until next year!
The Mountaineers defense started out strong and put them in position for their first score with an interception during TCU’s first possession of the game. From there it was a good battle the rest of the way with West Virginia getting a late touchdown on a nice catch with two and a half minutes to play to go up by three.
TCU couldn’t move the ball on the Mountaineers defense and after two possessions time just ran out. Coach Brown showed great leadership and coaching qualities all season and was respected by most everyone who watched the Mountiees. They were in several other games clear to the end and with a break here or there could have easily been bowl eligible.
Coach Bob Huggins has the mens basketball team rolling again after making the trip to Mexico and coming home with the Cancun Basketball Tournament championship. The Mouintaineers are 7-0 as of this writing and playing like teams of old. After last seasons disaster at Coastal Carolina in the Mrytle Beach Classic, coach Huggins vowed to right the ship and from all indications he sailing pretty good.
With two quality big men in the middle and some help at the guard position, the Mountiees look strong. They go about 8-9 deep and when they gain consistencey they’ll be a tough match up for everyone on the schedule.
The WVSSAC super six football championships will be held on Friday and Saturday at Wheeling Island Stadium. The Class A match up has number 1 ranked Doddridge County battling number 10 Wheeling Central. Class AA is a matchup of Bluefield and Bridgeport, while AAA will have number one Martinsburg going for it’s 55th straight win against undefeated Cabel Midland 13-0. Should be some exciting football. Make your way up to Wheeling and take in a game or two. It will be high school football at it’s best.
Tyler Consolidated basketball coaches Steve Nutter and Matt Wright took a group of ball players to Cleveland to watch the Caviliers on Friday and then got back home in time to open the kichen at the high school for a community breakfast at 8 a.m. Saturday and followed that up with an open gym practice from 10-noon. Nutter and Wright are two hard workers who always look for ways to get kids envolved. We need more of that!
Hats off to the New Martinsville Rotary Club who has been active in civic projects this past year. They do a little of everything and it’s normally something to benefit other people. They have been putting on the Rotary basketball challenge for the past several years and will host it once again on January 25 at Magnolia high school.
This year Magnolia, Tyler Consolidated, Paden City and Valley will all play in the event. It’s a great day of basketball and the Rotary spends a good deal of time preparing for the hospitality meal for the officials, media, coaches and players. Hats off to the Rotary for giving back to the youth and community. They do a great job.
This week opens the season for girls hoops here locally as the Silver Knights coached by Ben Thomas and Tommy Phillips will suit up 8-10 girls for varsity action on Friday as they host South Harrison. The Silver Knights reserve team will kick off the action at 6 p.m.
Paden City gets it’s girls season under way as the Wildcats host Hundred high school on Wednesday and Valley high school on Thursday. Get out and support your favorite team as there are several games on tap before the Christmas break.
Paden City wrestling will also kick of their season on Saturday as they travel to Union Local to partake in the Rick Link Invitational starting at 8.a.m. at least that is what the schedule says. However you may want to check with the coaches or school before driving to any event.
While writing this column I got to thinking about all the independant league basketball tournaments that used to take place in the area. Some of them were really big deals as the sponsors brought in many big name collegiate stars who went on to careers in the NBA. Sistersville had a very strong and well organized Lions club back in those days and they put on one of the best A tournaments you could find anywhere.
At the old Sistersville gym names such as Hot Rod Hundley, Jerry West, Lou Mott (the ex-Marshall University great) and many many more, gave fans something to cheer about and memories to last a lifetime. I don’t know what happened, but things sure have changed. However the Friendly Lions club still has bingo on Tuesday nights. Whoo Hoo!
After the Lions club fell apart the Sistersville Jaycees led by President Mike (Cupcake) Steele took over the tournament and started having B league teams come to town. It was still great and they packed the gym. But the lack of big names and difficulty getting sponsors soon led to the downfall. (Cupcake) by the way got that nickname in a particular way. He used to hang around at my house with my brother Jimmy (Chester). Now that was a pair.
Cupcake lived in Paden City at the time with his parents up on north second avenue, prior to moving to Sistersville, where they thought he could make the football team, and he did. One Saturday my mother spent all day making cupcakes for a gathering at the First Baptist Church. She had about 80 cupcakes all baked and ready for the icing. Jimmy and Cupcake were in the living room when mom said she was going to foodland (Les Fagerts) store on Main Street for some mix for the icing. When she returned the cupcakes for gone and from that day forward Mike Steele was known as cupcake. Real Story, ask him he’ll verify it.
Well, those days are gone and a new times are here. Make the best of everyday and situation, you never know what tomorrow brings. Good luck to all area teams during the winter sports season. eparsons@tylerstarnews.com
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