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Magnolia High School

Ohio Valley Football 2022 August 4, 2023

NEW MARTINSVILLE — An unexpected infusion of youth has brought a renewed energy to New Martinsville as veteran head coach Dave Chapman is back for another season leading the Blue Eagles. Chapman received a nice surprise for the 2022 season with 22 freshmen coming out for the team, boosting the squad’s numbers to 36 players. Even with a disproportionately young roster and coming off of a 3-6 mark in 2021, the expectations for Magnolia football remain high in New Martinsville. “The bar is always high here, it’s Magnolia football,” Chapman said. “We’ve had a couple of ...

Paden City High School

Ohio Valley Football 2022 August 4, 2023

PADEN CITY — Last year presented plenty of challenges for the Paden City football program. COVID was a major test for the Wildcats, who had one game canceled due to the virus but head coach Robert Price believes the way his kids handled that obstacle shows much more about them than the wins and losses. “Last year was my first year as head coach and we went 2-8,” Price said. “One of those losses came due to a forfeit because of COVID. Judging off of that people might say we didn’t have much success but to overcome the amount of adversity that the kids were faced with, I’d ...

Beallsville High School

Ohio Valley Football 2022 August 4, 2023

BEALLSVILLE - A small roster is something that has become the norm with Beallsville High football. This season will be no different as the Blue Devils will suit up only 17 gridders. Former Beallsville High athletic great Rusty Bondy begins his second season guiding his alma mater. His junior-dominated squad includes just one senior. Despite a lack of numbers, Bondy remains positive and upbeat about the upcoming campaign as well as the program’s future. “I am pretty optimistic about this season. The numbers are not where they need to be but we have become accustomed to that,” ...

Monroe Central High School

Ohio Valley Football 2022 August 4, 2023

WOODSFIELD — There’s a strange twist at practices for Monroe Central head coach Josh Ischy this fall he hadn’t experienced the past two seasons. “We finally can have traditional 11-on-11 practices and work both sides of the ball,” said the former Mount Union defensive back of his 28-man roster, of which 11 lettered a season ago. Coming off back-to-back D7 Region 27 playoff appearances, the Seminoles went 4-5 last fall before being ousted in a playoff loss at River. “Many people don’t know we were down to 16 kids last July and there were safety concerns,” mentioned ...

River High School

Ohio Valley Football 2022 August 4, 2023

HANNIBAL — River High veteran coach Mike Flannery has his eye toward another Pilots’ post-season run for the 2022 version, which kicks off Thursday when he takes his 41-man roster downstream against Division III Marietta. Entering his 20th season at the Hannibal school campus, after previous stops at Paden City and Flagler Palm Coast (FL), the former record-setting quarterback at West Liberty University has 16 lettermen back and an experienced line from an 8-5 squad which reached the third round of the OHSAA Region 27 tournament. “We’re looking forward to playing (at Don ...

Valley High School

Ohio Valley Football 2022 August 4, 2023

PINE GROVE – Coach Logan Miller and his Valley football team have gone through their share of growing pains over the last few years, however, with 20 of 22 starters returning in 2022 optimism is high entering the new campaign. “This is the most experience we have had since 2017 when we finished 6-4,” Miller said. “These kids have really transformed and grown both physically and mentally and the community and the kids are very excited about the opportunity to field a good team.” Leading the way is sophomore quarterback Gavin Derby (5-9, 160). As a 130-pound freshman that ...