Print |
E-mail to a friend
FEATURED
Prep Notebook: Basketball realignment to stretch travel costs
HUNTINGTON -- Despite being in the heart of football season, the WVSSAC's recent release of the basketball realignment for this fall has received a lot of attention this week.
One big topic of interest has been Class AAA, Region III, which consists of several teams that have been basketball powerhouses in the last decade.
But it isn't loading the powerhouses in one region that has everyone buzzing. It is the amount of gas that will be used to see the powerhouse region that is the main point of contention.
The region stretches from Parkersburg and runs down to Princeton and also spans as far east as Nicholas County. To say that it encompasses more than one-fourth of the state.
In comparison, Class AAA, Region IV spans as east as South Charleston, as south as Logan and as far west as Spring Valley, but encompasses a two-hour driving radius -- not five hours like the drive from Parkersburg to Princeton on a school bus.
And it can be understood that there is a need for an even number of teams in each region for fairness, but in a geographical sense, the realignment makes none.
For example, Region IV of Class AAA has the aforementioned schools (South Charleston down to Logan and west to Spring Valley), but the Class AA version reaches as far east as Clay County High School.
Geographically if the WVSSAC was going to stay consistent, the inclusion of Clay County in Region IV would have meant the inclusion of three other Class AAA schools -- George Washington, Capital and Riverside.
And possibly the worst travesty happens to Ravenswood, who is 40 miles of Parkersburg, but with the Class AA alignment, the Red Devils mingle with the likes of Oak Glen and Weir, the state's northernmost schools.
With the new changes, it could make for an extremely long year of basketball with most of the length being measured in hours driven.
PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS NIGHT: The Ohio High School Athletic Association and Ohio High School Football Coaches Association teamed up to use games played Friday and Saturday as Prostate Cancer Awareness Night.
Ironton coach Bob Lutz and Gallipolis coach Mike Bokovitz joined with officials and captains at midfield prior to kickoff Friday night at Tanks Memorial Stadium to enhance the promotion. Coaches and officials wore blue First Friday prostate awareness bands. The promotion is called "Tackle Prostate Cancer One Play At A Time."
First Friday was organized by Mike Sammons, veteran football coach/official from Reynoldsburg. He was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in March of 2006. He died on March 2, 2007. The First Friday Foundation was established to bring awareness and funding to Advanced Prostate Cancer Research. It helps men understand the steps they can take to help catch the disease in its early stages. September is prostate cancer awareness month. Donations can be made to First Friday Foundation, 7420 Daugherty Dr., Reynoldsburg, OH, 43068.
PLENTY OF LEG: Since so many things went well on Friday night for Spring Valley, some did not get the mention they deserved.
However, one play that cannot go unmentioned was a 47-yard field goal by kicker George Brody. Brody's kick sailed through the uprights with plenty of distance and put three of the Timberwolves' 44 points on the board.
GOOD DAY TO BE A MOLINA: On Thursday, the brother-sister tandem of Alex and Sami Molina led the Cabell Midland boys' and girls' soccer teams to a pair of victories.
Alex had a hand in all four goals with two goals and two assists as the Knights' boys defeated South Charleston 4-1 at Cabell Midland High School.
Sami also had a part in each of Cabell Midland's three goals with a pair of goals and an assists in a 3-0 win at South Charleston to keep the Cabell Midland girls undefeated.
INJURY UPDATE FROM IRONTON-GALLIPOLIS: Gallipolis quarterback Kruize Wandling left Friday's game against Ironton following an injury that ended up to be very serious.
Wandling suffered a torn kidney in the Blue Devils' 42-6 loss to Ironton and is currently at Children's Hospital in Columbus. He is expected to be there for a few days and then on bed rest for two weeks.
HONOR ROLL: Wayne's Corey Damron rushed for 215 yards and three touchdowns to headline this week's honor roll for local prep standout performances on the gridiron.
Here's a look at some other great achievements from the past week:
-N- Frank Delawder, Coal Grove -- 32 rushes, 145 yards, four touchdowns in Coal Grove's 31-8 win over Lucasville Valley.
-N- Chance Freeman, Ironton -- 135 yards rushing, two touchdowns in Ironton's 42-6 win over Gallipolis.
-N- Kevin Lawrence, Spring Valley -- 103 yards, four total touchdowns (three rushing, one passing) in Timberwolves' 44-14 victory over St. Albans.
-N- Allen Wasonga, Point Pleasant -- 184 yards, three touchdowns in Point Pleasant's 42-10 victory over Sissonville.
-N- Chad Fisher, Fairland -- 101 yards, two touchdowns in Fairland's 29-28 loss to Sheldon Clark (Ky.)
-N- Keith Wetzel, Ironton -- seven carries, 67 yards, three touchdowns in Ironton's 42-6 win over Gallipolis.
-N- C.J. Crawford, Huntington -- 21 carries, 169 yards in Huntington's 26-23 loss to Riverside.
-N- Aaron Donahoe, Chesapeake -- 111 yards and two touchdowns rushing in Chesapeake's 48-6 over Symmes Valley.
