HUNTINGTON — Late Herald-Dispatch Executive Editor Bob Gabordi worked many places from New England to Florida and said nowhere produced as much news as our small area of the Tri-State.
An avid sports fan, Gabordi would have been giddy about how much athletic news our region made in 2022. Much of that is reflected in the newspaper’s Top 10 Stories of 2022:
1. Marshall defeats Notre Dame
The Thundering Herd upset the eighth-ranked Irish 26-21 in front of 77,622 spectators in South Bend, Indiana, astonishing the college football world.
“In-house, we expected it,” Marshall coach Charles Huff said. “(It’s) a phenomenal day for everybody who poured into this. Hats off to Notre Dame. They battled, but (I’m) really proud of the way our players competed today.”
The triumph rates behind only the Young Thundering Herd’s 15-13 victory over Xavier, Marshall’s first win after the Nov. 14, 1970 plane crash, in 1971 in program history. Notre Dame wasn’t the highest-ranked team the Herd ever defeated. That was No. 6 Kansas State in 2003. The Irish, though, were the most prestigious.
Trailing 15-12 with 10:32 left to play, Marshall engineered an 11-play, 94-yard touchdown drive to take a 19-14 lead with 5:16 to go. Just 41 seconds later, Steven Gilmore returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown to seal the victory.
“We were going to have to score eventually,” Marshall quarterback Henry Colombi said of the final drive. “We’re a pretty high-powered offense, in my opinion, and we have playmakers all around the field. I believed it. We believed it.”
Colombi’s lone touchdown pass of the day was a 3-yard strike to Devin Miller with 5:16 left that put the Herd ahead to stay. Colombi completed 16 of 21 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown.
The Herd defense forced five turnovers, including four interceptions, as Notre Dame lost its first home opener since 2012.
Marshall’s Khalan Laborn ran for 163 yards and a touchdown. His 42-yard tackle-breaking run to the Irish 6-yard line set up the winning touchdown.
2. Marshall begins play in the Sun Belt
On Oct. 29, 2021, Marshall announced it would leave Conference USA, where it had competed since 2003, for the Sun Belt. On March 29, 2022, the move became official.
The Herd’s first official competition as a member of its new conference was women’s soccer’s 2-2 tie with High Point on Aug 18.
Marshall originally was slated to join the Sun Belt in July of 2023, but the school and C-USA worked out a deal to allow the Herd to leave early, joining James Madison, Old Dominion and Southern Mississippi as new members. The league also features Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, South Alabama, Texas State and Troy as full members.
3. Huntington High wins state football title
Motivated by the phrase “too many weapons,” second-seeded Huntington High defeated top seed Parkersburg South 28-3 in the Class AAA football state championship Dec. 3 in Wheeling.
A sports writer from Parkersburg predicted the Patriots would win because they possessed “too many weapons.” South, indeed, took a 3-0 lead early, but couldn’t contain the Highlanders, who finished 13-1 in winning their first football state championship.
Huntington High stifled a Patriots offense that averaged 52 points per game in the regular season and 65 in the playoffs.
“We read a lot of things this week all about Parkersburg South’s offense,” Huntington High coach Billy Seals said moments after the game. “I challenged our defense this week that our program was built on defense since I’ve been here and it’s going to continue to be that way. Our kids executed the plan, and played fast. South is really good on offense. They scored a bunch on everyone, but our kids played lights out today.”
Gavin Lochow’s 7-yard touchdown pass to D’Edrick Graves just before halftime gave the Highlanders a lead they never relinquished.
Zah Jackson ran for 165 yards and and was named Huntington High’s most outstanding player. Lochow ran for 107 yards and completed 11 of 20 passes for 72 yards.
4. Marshall baseball stadium funded
Marshall’s long-awaited, oft-delayed baseball stadium received full funding on Sept. 29 and site preparation north of the university’s softball complex just off 3rd Avenue near 20th Street began soon after. The school received $13.8 million from the state for the ballpark.
Marshall has not had its own baseball stadium near campus in more than a century. The Herd played at various locations such as high school fields, St. Cloud Commons, Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, Linda K. Epling Stadium in Beckley, University Heights and the YMCA Kennedy Center.
5. Spears hired as Marshall athletic director
On Feb. 25, Marshall announced the hiring of University of Pittsburgh deputy athletic director Christian Spears as it new AD, replacing the retired Mike Hamrick. Spears started at Marshall on March 14.
“This opportunity came up and I found out and met (Marshall President) Brad (Smith),” Spears said. “It inspired me to want to be here and transform this place in a meaningful way with Brad. I have been waiting a long time and I have been super patient trying to find the right fit at the right place with the right people.”
Interim athletic director Jeff O’Malley left to become AD at Lamar University.
6. Marshall wins Myrtle Beach Bowl
Marshall’s football team defeated Connecticut 28-14 Dec. 19 in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The game drew a Myrtle Beach Bowl-record 12,023 fans who watched the Herd (9-4) build a 28-0 lead.
“I’m so proud of these guys,” Marshall coach Charles Huff said. “The players, coaches, staff. It’s been a good year. We had ups and downs and now we can call them champions.”
Rasheen Ali, in his third game since his returning from a preseason knee injury, ran for 92 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown to earn game most valuable player honors. Florida State transfer Khalan Laborn ran for 90 yards on 21 attempts and finished with more than 1,500 yards for the season.
7. Highlanders girls win second straight state title
Huntington High’s girls defeated Morgantown 41-36 to win their second consecutive Class AAAA state basketball championship March 12 at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center. The Highlanders finished 24-1.
The Mohigans pulled within two points with 6:36 to play, but moved no closer as Huntington’s girls won their fifth state championship. Dionna Gray scored 15 points and Imani Hickman 10 to lead the Highlanders.
8. Herd soccer plays in NCAA tournament
Marshall advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and finished 11-4-4.
The Thundering Herd defeated Elon 1-0 on the road in the first round Nov. 17. Three days later, Marshall lost at Virginia when the Cavaliers outscored the Herd 5-3 on penalty kicks after the teams played to a 1-1 tie in regulation.
On Dec. 22, Marshall goalkeeper Oliver Semmle was selected by the Colorado Rapids in the second round of the Major League Soccer Draft.
9. Ironton plays for state championship
Ironton played for the Ohio Division V state championship for the third time in four seasons on Dec. 2, losing 53-27 to Canfield South Range at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
The Fighting Tigers finished 15-1 and the senior class became the winningest in the history of the storied program.
Three players — linebacker Trevor Carter and wide receiver Ty Perkins (Cincinnati) and linebacker Jaquez Keyes (Wake Forest) — signed with college programs. Three others — linebacker Lincoln Barnes (Marshall), safety Amari Felder (Eastern Kentucky) and wide receiver Aiden Young (Dayton) committed to colleges.
10. Hurricane wins state baseball title
Hurricane clobbered George Washington 11-0 June 4 at Appalachian Power Park in Charleston to win the Class AAA state baseball championship. The state title was the Redskins’ fourth in baseball.
One day earlier, Hurricane defeated Bridgeport 3-2 to snap the Indians streak of state championships at seven.
The Redskins were led by pitcher Reece Sutphin, who signed with the University of Akron.
Others
Several other significant sports stories took place in 2022. Among them was Marshall reinstating its men’s track and field program on Oct. 19. The Herd hadn’t fielded men’s track since 2003.
Huntington High’s Gavin Lochow won the House Award as the state’s premier quarterback for the second consecutive year. Lochow, a University of Dayton signee, also was named MaxPreps state player of the year.
Lochow was one of scores of Tri-State student-athletes who signed to play in college and was one of dozens to earn all-state honors.
Coal Grove running back/linebacker Chase Hall was named the Division VI player of the year in Ohio.
Marshall parted ways with baseball coach Jeff Waggoner on Oct. 14. Waggoner went 339-478-3 in 16 seasons, finishing above .500 in 2008, 2016 and 2019. His 820 games are the most coached by anyone in Marshall history.
Semmle was drafted by the Colorado Rapids of MLS and Herd defensive back Nazeeh Johnson was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the seventh round, 259th overall, of the NFL Draft.
Marshall baseball standout catcher Ryan Leitch signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.
