HeƵs Bock!
The best performance of the first week of high school sports in the 2024 belong to Cabell Midland assistant boys soccer coach Paul Bock, who was on the sideline for the KnightsƵ 2-0 victory over Ƶhland Thursday in Ona. Bock underwent treatment for a brain tumor in the offseason.
Not only was Bock back, he actively coached, to the delight of players and fans.
More observations from the world of Tri-State high school sports opening week:
The most stunning performance in football belonged to Fairland, which defeated Portsmouth West 34-0. The 34 wasnƵt necessarily a surprise. The zero was. The last three games the Dragons and Senators played before Friday night had been decided by a total of five points, all Fairland victories.
Cabell MidlandƵs boys and girls cross country teams won the Dutch Miller Invitational Saturday at the YMCA Kennedy Center. Both figure to contend for a state championship, with the girls particularly strong and deep.
Because of the ƵSSACƵs realignment, all 16 Class AAAA football teams will make the playoffs. That means some poor squad could go 0-10 and get in. Its reward, of course, would be a trip to Martinsburg, Huntington High or another such power for a first-round clobbering.
AMAZING STATS OF THE WEEK: Jasmyn Jones broke the South Point girls soccer career record of 81 goals.
Russell volleyball player Sydney Sizemore produced a triple-double of 19 kills, 19 digs and 17 assists in a 3-1 victory over Raceland. MinfordƵs Lexi Conkel set a program record with her 109th career goal. Rock Hill girls soccerƵs Bailey Wilds scored six goals in a 12-1 triumph over Chesapeake.
Russell beat Chesapeake 17-0 in girls soccer. Fairfield (Ohio) UnionƵ volleyballƵs Payton Rhymer broke a school record with 62 assists in a 3-2 win over Zane Trace. Teammate Christian Thompson had 44 kills in the match. Mason Sammons broke Greenup County footballƵs career rushing record Friday in a 37-14 win over Coal Grove.
Ohio Valley Conference teams went 4-0 against Southern Ohio Conference opponents Friday in football, with Chesapeake beating Symmes Valley 37-28, Fairland blanking Portsmouth West 34-0, Ironton defeating Wheelersburg 37-7, and Rock Hill topping Minford 28-6. Meigs broke a five-game losing streak against Gallia Academy, winning 26-19 Friday.
CONDOLENCES: Prayer is requested for the family and friends of Madison Middle School football player Cohen Craddock.
Craddock, 13, was injured at practice Friday. He died Saturday.
COACH SPEAK: Former Fairland football star Keedrick Cunningham was hired as an assistant at St. Albans. South Point girls soccer coach Summer Collins earned her first win with the Pointers 4-0 over Rock Hill, her former team.
Football coaches Tony Love of Rock Hill, Larry Hall of Green, Nolan Yates of Meigs and Alex Roy of Fairview won their debuts at their new schools Friday.
Recruiting roundup
OFFERS: Huntington St. Joe basketballƵs Ava Gallion (Shepherd). South Gallia girls basketballƵs Madison Summers (Carlow, Bethany). Portsmouth girls basketballƵs Daysha Reid (Fort Lauderdale West Virginia State). Ironton footballƵs Tyler Roach, Zayne Williams and Aiden Layne (Rio Grande). Ƶhland basketballƵs Caleb Clarke (Kentucky Christian). Cabell Midland footballƵs Matthew Edwards (Wooster).
NOTES, QUOTES, ANECDOTES: Huntington High offensive lineman Aryn McPherson while the student body was evacuated because of a bomb threat last week: ƵWe should go ahead and practice since weƵre already on the football field.Ƶ
