By JOSH STROPE WHEELING — After three straight appearances in the state baseball tournament, Wheeling Park knows it will be the hunted. And that is a role Coach Mike McLeod relishes. The Patriots won’t be as senior-laden as in years past, but the goal is still the same — Appalachian ...

By KYLE LUTZ WHEELING — For both the Wheeling Park boys’ and girls’ track teams, there are going to be plenty of new faces and the amount of upperclassmen is limited on each side. The boys graduated seven of the nine state qualifiers from last year’s squad including Richard ...

By JOSH STROPE WHEELING — Pat Durkin is still basking in the excitement of capturing Wheeling Park’s first swimming title. He’d like to add another new trophy to the case. Entering his third season as the softball coach, Durkin has taken the Patriots to the state tournament every ...

By JOSH STROPE WHEELING — Both Wheeling Park boys’ tennis coach Tim Ickes and girls’ coach Stephanie Sada said their rosters are wide open as the regular season approaches. But they both are pretty confident on their top spots. Jared Jorden is the only returning player on the ...

By KYLE LUTZ WHEELING — New Wheeling Central baseball coach Bo McConnaughy knows a thing or two about the sport. He was at the helm for 30 years at West Liberty, posting 580 wins including six conference championships. He takes over at Wheeling Central a year after the Maroon Knights had a ...

By KYLE LUTZ WHEELING — If one could describe the Wheeling Central softball team’s 2016 campaign in one word, it should be pretty easy come up with it. Perfect. The Maroon Knights have their rings and are ready to get back on the diamond. Wheeling Central secured a 33-0 season and a Class ...

By KYLE LUTZ WHEELING — Entering her 27th year as the tennis coach at Wheeling Central, Peggy Dailer is excited as she returns several key players from last year’s squad. With three players returning looking to get back to Charleston for the state tournament, Gus Schmidt was the lone ...

By BUBBA KAPRAL WHEELING — Linsly has a rich baseball tradition. That tradition took on a little more luster thanks to a successful 2016 season. Coach Jay Cartwright’s squad rang up an impressive 20-4 record en route to capturing the OVAC 3A title via an 8-2 win over Fort Frye in the ...

By BUBBA KAPRAL WHEELING — Amanda Crews embarks on her fifth season as Linsly softball coach with a veteran cast in the fold. Crews welcomes back eight letter-winners. Heading the list is hurler Taylor Wisvari-Weir. The talented senior fanned 162 batters last spring. America ...

By BUBBA KAPRAL WHEELING — Dave Riethmiller has built a girls’ tennis juggernaut at Linsly School. Riethmiller guided the Cadet ladies to their sixth straight OVAC championship last spring. The Cadet girls won 12 of 13 matches a year ago. All told, Linsly has captured 11 OVAC titles ...

By TRACY WATSON MOUNDSVILLE — It is a new era for girls track and field at John Marshall High School as one Derrow has moved on and another taken over the Monarchs’ program. With Brett Wysocki turning over the reins to the program first-year coach Lisa Derrow, however, her tenure begins ...

By CODY TOMER GLEN DALE — Spring has not gone according to plan for long-time baseball coach Bob Montgomery and his Monarchs. On March 1, the beautiful baseball field at John Marshall was flooded and the work to fix it up for the season is still ongoing, but Montgomery knows that the ...

By CODY TOMER MOUNDSVILLE — Six-year head coach Brad Howard lost two players to graduation from both the boys’ and girls’ teams and will be looking to fill those shoes during the 2017 season. Tyler Keller and Tyler Danahey graduated from the boys squad, after both went to state a ...

By TRACY WATSON After a stellar track and field career at Wheeling Central High School, Head Coach Eric Belancic has continued to keep the Maroon Knights’ boys’ and girls’ programs competing at a high level since taking over. The 2017 season should be no different on either side. ...

By CODY TOMER Staff Writer MOUNDSVILLE — A year removed from a regional final appearance, John Marshall softball coach Ed West believes his Monarchs have the talent and experience to reach that point again. “We have pretty much the same goals as last year,” West said. “We have a ...

By CODY TOMER Staff Writer NEW MARTINSVILLE — The Blue Eagles lost seven seniors from last year’s team to graduation but if any coach can lead a young Magnolia squad to a winning season, it is the veteran Dave Cisar. Cisar is entering into his 44th season at the helm and has collected ...

By CODY TOMER NEW MARTINSVILLE — Angela Johnson is entering into her first season as the head coach of the Magnolia softball team and she is doing so with 15 returning letterwinners. Johnson spent time on the West Liberty softball team and is ecstatic to be leading the Blue Eagles into ...

By JOSH STROPE CAMERON — Cameron coach Eric James has been doing this a long time — 16 years with the Dragons, 20 overall — so he knows a rebuild when he sees one. Freshmen will see playing time and guys that played sparingly last season will see their roles increase this ...

By JOSH STROPE CAMERON — While many softball teams around the valley will have one dominant pitcher, Cameron will look to four girls to pace the Dragons. Injuries forced Julia Yocum into the circle last season despite not a lot of experience. She will counted on for a lot of innings this ...

By TRACY WATSON With a huge roster, consisting of 35 athletes, and the return of senior speedster Donavan Spencer, Weir High track and field Coach Tom Taylor is anxiously looking forward to the start of another season. Spencer was a W.Va. Class AA state champion in both the 100 and ...