Sports News

Kanawha Valley prep softball leaders, April 16

By: Ryan Pritt | Posted: April 16, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

TEAM RECORDS

Team W L Pct.
 Herbert Hoover 16 0 1.000
 Hurricane 12 0 1.000
 Nitro 14 3 .824
 George Washington 10 3 .769
 Poca 12 5 .706
 St. Albans 11 6 .647
 Buffalo 12 7 .632
 Cross Lanes Christian 12 8 .600
 Riverside 8 6 .571
 Winfield 8 10 .444
 Sissonville 6 12 .333
 South Charleston 3 10 .231
 Capital 4 15 .211
 Charleston Catholic 1 10 .091

BATTING AVERAGE

(Minimum 2 plate appearances per team game)

Player, school AB H Avg.
 Caiti Mathes, Hurr. 28 17 .607
 Kalissa Lacy, GW 31 18 .581
 Kirsten Belcher, Hoover 38 22 .579
 Lydia Sweat, Nitro 45 25 .556
 Jayme Bailey, Hurr. 24 13 .542
 Rebekah Woody, Hoover 50 26 .520
 Kiersten Landers, Hurr. 35 18 .514
 Jenna Thomas, Siss. 55 28 .509
 Hannah McDermitt, Riv. 41 20 .488
 Kiersten Witters, CLC 39 19 .487
 Emma Groe, GW 35 17 .486
 Hannah Pullen, Riv. 39 17 .483
 Madison Ramirez, Riv. 42 20 .476
 Grace Smith, GW 40 19 .475
 Cortney Fizer, Hoover 36 17 .472
 Gracie Donato, Riv. 36 17 .472
 Kinsey Hudson, SA 53 25 .472
 Taylor McCray, Hurr. 30 14 .467
 Lindsey Phares, Hurr. 28 13 .464
 Bella Savilla, Nitro 50 23 .460
 Jess Canterbury, Hoover 37 17 .459
 Charity Stepp, CLC 46 21 .457
 Katlyn Rasnake, Buffalo 55 25 .455
 Sara Stepp, CLC 56 25 .446
 Sydney Houck, Winfield 54 24 .444
 Megan Seafler, Hoover 52 23 .442
 Hailey Harr, Nitro 43 19 .442
 Lauren Pauley, Riv. 52 23 .442
 Jillian Holley, SA 46 20 .435
 Jasmine Symns, Riv. 42 18 .429
 Elyssa Medley, Winfield 42 18 .429
 Haley Stepp, CLC 33 14 .424
 Kelsie Lanham, Riv. 33 14 .424
 Delani Buckner, Hoover 38 16 .421
 Brianna McCown, GW 36 15 .417
 Morgan Jennings, Siss. 48 20 .417
 Lindsey Russell, Buffalo 53 22 .415
 Presley McGee, Hoover 41 17 .415
 Kenzie Hale, Winfield 56 23 .411
 Aly Soblit, Siss. 49 20 .408
 Gracie Payne, SA 47 19 .404
 Fran George, Catholic 20 8 .400
 Lauren Price, GW 35 14 .400
 Harlie Vannatter, Hurr. 25 10 .400
 Jaylyn Beane, Siss. 40 16 .400
 Taylor Bonnett, Poca 46 18 .391
 Emily Taylor, Siss. 49 19 .388
 Taylor Long, Siss. 52 20 .385
 Mercedes Bush, Poca 50 19 .380
 Zoey Dunlap, Hurr. 29 11 .379
 Brooke Persinger, Buffalo 45 17 .378
 Mallori Chapman, Hoover 43 16 .372
 Tori Green, Hurr. 27 10 .370
 Grace McCallister, CLC 38 14 .368
 K.K. Short, Winfield 57 21 .368
 Morgan Larch, SC 30 11 .367
 Grace Denison, Winfield 52 19 .365
 Olivia Corbett, Catholic 22 8 .364
 Molly Collins, Poca 58 21 .362
 Kayla Letart, SA 50 18 .360
 Rachel Walton, SC 25 9 .360
 Karlie Hill, Poca 51 18 .353
 Anna Falbo, SC 34 12 .352
 Katy Darnell, GW 37 13 .351

HOME RUNS

8: Thomas, Sissonville

6: Mathes, Hurricane

4: Pullen, Riverside; Ramirez, Riverside; Payne, SA

3: Donato, Riverside; Soblit, Sissonville; Medley, Winfield; Hale, Winfield

2: C. Stepp, CLC; Groe, GW; Smith, GW; Belcher, Hoover; Fizer, Hoover; Woody, Hoover; McGee, Hoover; Bailey, Hurricane; Tori Gibeaut, Poca; Holley, SA; Houck, Winfield

RBI

31: Mathes, Hurricane; Sweat, Nitro

29: Belcher, Hoover

25: C. Stepp, CLC; Payne, SA; Thomas, Sissonville

22: Holley, SA

20: H. Stepp, CLC; Savilla, Nitro

18: Fizer, Hoover; Woody, Hoover; Groe, GW; Pullen, Riverside

17: Elizabeth Witzke, CLC; Witters, CLC; Hale, Winfield

16: McCown, GW; Ramirez, Riverside

15: Russell, Buffalo; Smith, GW; McCray, Hurricane; Donato, Riverside; Honesty Bragg, Sissonville

Triples

4: H. Stepp, CLC

3: C. Stepp, CLC

2: Fizer, Hoover; Chapman, Hoover; Pauley, Riverside; McDermitt, Riverside; Kennedy Buckley, Riverside; Medley, Winfield

Doubles

9: Sweat, Nitro

8: S. Stepp, CLC; Medley, Winfield; Houck, Winfield

7: Chapman, Hoover; Savilla, Nitro; Bonnett, Poca; Hudson, SA; Hale, Winfield

6: McCray, Hurricane; Vannatter, Hurricane; Collins, Poca; Donato, Riverside

5: Fizer, Hoover; Groe, GW; Belcher, Hoover; Woody, Hoover; Bailey, Hurricane; Walton, SC; Taylor, Sissonville; Short, Winfield

Stolen bases

28: Kerigan Moore, Nitro

23: Morgan Burdette, Nitro

20: Rasnake, Buffalo

14: Landers, Hurricane

13: Symns, Riverside

12: Gibeaut, Poca

10: Bush, Poca

8: S. Stepp, CLC; C. Stepp, CLC; Bailey, Hurricane

7: Witters, CLC; Seafler, Hoover; Jennings, Sissonville

6: Canterbury, Hoover; Soblit, Sissonville

5: Woody, Hoover; Phares, Hurricane; Pauley, Riverside; Haley Carroll, Riverside; Short, Winfield

Pitching wins

14-3: Savilla, Nitro

9-0: Buckner, Hoover; Vannatter, Hurricane

9-2: Bonnett, Poca

9-5: Hudson, SA

8-4: Russell, Buffalo

7-0: McGee, Hoover

6-2: C. Stepp, CLC; McCown, GW

5-2: Pauley, Riverside

5-5: Witzke, CLC

4-1: Smith, GW

4-3: Maggie Bird, Buffalo

ERA

0.30: Buckner, Hoover

0.33: Vannatter, Hurricane

1.33: McCown, GW

1.69: Bonnett, Poca

1.73: McGee, Hoover

1.99: Savilla, Nitro

3.13: Hudson, SA

3.56: Pauley, Riverside

3.66: Collins, Poca

3.84: Smith, GW

4.02: C. Stepp, CLC

4.45: Aly Grover, SC

4.94: Medley, Winfield

4.99: Faith Gaylor, Winfield

Strikeouts

118: Savilla, Nitro

104: Hudson, SA

99: Bonnett, Poca

98: Buckner, Hoover

78: Witzke, CLC

75: Russell, Buffalo

74: Vannatter, Hurricane

62: McCown, GW

61: Corbett, Catholic

55: McGee, Hoover

40: Bird, Buffalo

36: Gaylor, Winfield

32: Alexis Bailey, Sissonville

31: Pauley, Riverside

Note: Statistics not provided for Capital

Reach Ryan Pritt at 304-348-7948, ryan.pritt@wvgazettemail.com or follow him @RPritt on Twitter

April 16, 2018 in Herbert Hoover High School Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News

Marshall basketball legend Hal Greer dies at 81

In this Feb. 10, 2012, file photo, former Marshall basketball and NBA star Hal Greer receives a standing ovation during the Veterans Memorial Field House Finale in Huntington. Greer, a Hall of Fame guard and the Philadelphia 76ers’ career leading scorer, died Saturday at 81 following a brief illness. Mark Webb, Herald-Dispatch via AP

By: Rick McCann, The Herald Dispatch | Posted: April 16, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

HUNTINGTON — Huntington native Hal Greer, a Marshall Thundering Herd basketball legend, NBA champion and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member, died Saturday in Arizona after a brief illness. He was 81.

Greer was residing in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his wife, Mayme. The couple’s three children are daughters Kelly and Sherry and a son, Hal Jr.

“For many of us, Hal Greer was a hero who helped us dream that we could conquer the world,” said Huntington Mayor Steve Williams, a city native and former Marshall football player. “He proved that a person of exceptional skill, a strong work ethic, and unbridled determination could set standards that the world would seek to emulate. It’s a sad day for all Huntingtonians.”

Harold Everett Greer was born June 26, 1936, and grew up on Doulton Avenue just off the former 16th Street that was renamed Hal Greer Boulevard in 1978.

“Hal was a fantastic ambassador for Marshall and a great basketball player,” Marshall men’s basketball head coach Dan D’Antoni said. “He will forever be remembered by Herd fans and will be enshrined forever with the boulevard that is named after him.”

Greer was a basketball star at the old Douglass High School and caught the eye of Marshall College head coach Cam Henderson, who recruited him for the Thundering Herd. In 1955, playing for head coach Jule Rivlin, Greer became the first African-American scholarship athlete at Marshall and at a traditionally white college in West Virginia.

He was one of Marshall’s all-time greats (1955-58) with career totals of 1,377 points, 765 rebounds and 54.5 percent shooting. He was part of the 1956 Mid-American Conference championship team that was Marshall’s first NCAA tournament participant. He was an All-Mid-American Conference performer in 1957 and 1958 whose No. 16 jersey was retired by Marshall.

“Hal was a great player and a great person,” said former teammate Sonny Allen. “He got better each year. His sophomore year Jack Freeman would have been a a starter, but Jack broke his wrist. Hal got in there and never got out. He was a forward, then he played guard. As a junior he played the pivot. His senior year he moved back to guard.

“He also played [Marshall] baseball. He was a first baseman.”

Allen, a retired coach living in Reno, Nevada, who led Old Dominion University to the 1975 NCAA Division II national championship, said his last contact with Greer was at a “Farewell to Veterans Memorial Field House” event in 2012.

The event was attended by nearly 100 former Herd players and coaches before the building on Fifth Avenue at 26th Street was torn down to make way for Marshall’s soccer complex.

“He kept to himself,” Allen said. “A lot of former players and teammates reached out to him.”

Allen’s memories of playing with Greer produced only two racial incidents.

One of them was in Charleston before a game against Morris Harvey College. The Marshall team went into a downtown Charleston restaurant and after about five minutes Rivlin said it was time to leave. Rivlin said the restaurant refused to serve the Herd because Greer was black.

Another time the Herd was in Johnson City, Tennessee, to play and there were two hotels in town.

“One normal hotel and one fleabag hotel,” Allen said. “We stayed at the fleabag and didn’t know why. We found out one hotel was for white people and one was for black people.”

Otherwise, Allen said he never felt any problems with other players, the students or the fans.

Greer was a 1985 inductee of the Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame.

The Philadelphia 76ers honored Greer during their Monday night playoff game against the Miami Heat. The tribute included players wearing black patches with Greer’s No. 15 on their jerseys.

Greer was drafted in 1958 by the Syracuse Nationals, who became the Philadelphia 76ers in 1963, and played all 15 of his NBA seasons with the franchise. He is the 76ers all-time leader in points (21,586), games played (1,122) and field goals (8,504). His career averages were 19.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound guard was an important cog on Philadelphia’s 1966-67 team led by center Wilt Chamberlain that won the NBA championship. Greer averaged 22.1 points that season.

Greer had such a good jump shot that he became known for shooting jumpers on free throw attempts.

He was a 10-time all-star and was named in 1996 as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

The team retired his jersey No. 15 in 1976 and his death came 14 months after the 76ers unveiled a statue in his honor at their Camden, New Jersey, practice facility.

“In addition to his historic contributions on the court, Greer will forever be remembered as a true gentleman who used the tremendous platform of basketball to uplift and inspire others,” the 76ers said in a statement.

Greer was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1982.

Reporter Taylor Stuck contributed to this report.

April 16, 2018 in Local News, NEWS, Sports News

Softball Drops Two Road Games at West Liberty

Posted: April 14, 2018 | Source: Glenville State Pioneers

Glenville, W.Va. – The GSC Lady Pioneer softball team dropped a two-game series on the road Saturday to the Hilltoppers of West Liberty.

Game one went to the Hilltoppers by a final of 3-1.

The Lady Pioneers recorded just one hit while West Liberty finished with nine hits.

The Hilltoppers jumped out to a 3-0 lead as they scored a run in the fourth and two runs in the fifth.

Glenville State’s lone run came in the top of the seventh Cassidy Taylor doubled down the left field line as she scored Makenna Nickell but GSC fell 3-1.

Ally Brown pitched all 6.0 innings giving up three runs on nine hits with two strike outs.

Cassidy Taylor went 1-for-3 and had the only RBI for the Lady Pioneers.

Game two, also belonged to the Hilltoppers as GSC fell 3-2.

Glenville State out hit West Liberty in game two; the Lady Pioneers finished with six hit but committed four errors while the Hilltoppers had four hits and no errors.

The Lady Pioneers jumped out to a 2-0 lead as they scored two runs Taylor Brumfield singled to right field as Cassidy Taylor and Paranda Uber both crossed the plate.

However, West Liberty would take the lead in the sixth as they scored three runs on three hits as they went to beat GSC, 3-2.

Tori Ward pitched 6.0 innings giving up three runs on four hits with just one strike out.

Taylor Brumfiled went 1-for-3 with two RBI while Kim Ellis and McKenzie Edmonds both finished the game going 2-for-3.

Glenville State (18-24, 6-16) will host Salem University on Monday, April 16 at 2:00 p.m. from the Sue Morris Sports Complex.

April 14, 2018 in Local Collegiate Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News

Rager’s First No-Hitter Highlights Eagles’ Day In Nashville

By: Ted McCoart | Posted: April 13, 2018 | Source: Morehead State Athletic Media Relations

BOX SCORES: (GM 1) (GM 2) | ARCHIVED VIDEO: (GM 1) (GM 2)

NASHVILLE – Junior right-handed pitcher Allison Rager tossed her first career no-hitter and helped the Morehead State softball Eagles take one of two games against Belmont Friday afternoon. The memory of a tough 3-2 defeat in the day’s first game was soon forgotten as Rager’s gem in game two resulted in a 3-0 win for Morehead State at E.S. Rose Park.

“Allison threw a great game, and the defense made plays behind her,” said head coach David Williams about his pitcher’s career day.

The head coach was pleased with his team’s total body of work for the day, adding “We hit the ball well all day and just couldn’t get enough runs across in game one. I am extremely proud of the way our team performed and approached today’s games as Belmont is a quality program with quality pitchers.”

Morehead State now sports a record of 20-12 and sits at 3-5 in Ohio Valley Conference play. The Bruins are 22-14 overall and 3-7 in the OVC.

MOREHEAD STATE 3, BELMONT 0

After walking two and hitting one batter to load the bases in the first inning Ragersettled in, got out of the jam, and rode that momentum on her way to complete the historical no-hit performance. Rager, now 6-6 on the season, threw 98 pitches and gave up three walks one free base on the hit batter while striking out three Bruins.

The Eagles got on the board in the sixth inning when Senior Robyn Leighton reached base after being hit by a pitch and senior Kylie Holton got on thanks to an error by the Belmont catcher. That brought senior Hannah Murphy to the plate, and she came up clutch with a two-out, three-run blast over the left-center field fence. The three runs proved to be all the Eagles needed as Rager was untouchable.

Morehead State collected 10 hits in the victory. Senior Taylor Wheeler and junior Aubrey Bennett went 2-for-4 while freshman Paige Scruggs, sophomore Allison Davis, Rager, Leighton, Holton, and Murphy all had single hits.

Belmont pitcher Alicia Veltri was hung with the loss and dropped to 4-7 this season.

BELMONT 3, MOREHEAD STATE 2

The Eagles dropped game one in walk-off fashion after a pair of Bruins reached base on a walk and a hit by pitch, giving Belmont sophomore Bailey Sims the opportunity to belt a single into the left-center field gap that scored the game’s winning run.

Both teams remained scoreless after the first two innings before the Bruins got three hits and put two runs on the scoreboard in the third. The Eagles answered back though and scored in the fourth and fifth frames on RBI singles by Murphy and senior Ellen Barrett.

Despite picking up the loss and falling to 13-5 on the year, senior left-handed pitcher Chelsea McManaway had a good outing as she allowed only four hits, walked two batters, and struck out six Bruins. Belmont’s ace pitcher Brooklin Lee was awarded with the win and improved her record in the pitcher’s circle to 12-6.

Morehead State finished the day with eight hits against one of the OVC’s best pitchers in Lee. Six Eagles got into the hit column, including 2-for-3 performances by Barrett and Leighton.

NEXT UP

The Eagles step away from OVC play and travel to Dayton, Ohio, for midweek games Wednesday at Wright State.

April 14, 2018 in Local Collegiate Athletics, Local News, Sports News

Herbert Hoover sweeps softball doubleheader from upstart Nitro

Herbert Hoover’s Jessica Canterbury lays down a sacrifice bunt against Nitro. F. Brian Ferguson | Gazette-Mail

By: Ryan Pritt, Staff Writer | Posted: April 12, 2018 | Source: WV Gazette-Mail

Over the course of three games in two days against both Class AA state title game combatants from a year ago, Nitro coach Greg Garber learned a lot about just how far his team had come.

(more…)

April 12, 2018 in Herbert Hoover High School Athletics, Local News, Sports News

Herbert Hoover marching band performs in Disney’s Performing Arts Parade

The Herbert Hoover High School Marching Huskies take to the streets on the magic kingdom during Disney’s Performing Arts Parade. (Photo: Hoover High)

By: Jessi Starkey | Posted: April 12, 2018 | Source: WVAH

ELKVIEW, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — For the Herbert Hoover High School Marching Huskies, the road to Disney World has not been magical.

This June will mark two years since the band members lost everything in the 2016 flood. Senior Shelby Bowles said she will never forget the feeling of that summer afternoon.

“I just thought it was going to be a normal marching band year,” Bowles said. “All of a sudden we had no instruments, no uniforms and we had nowhere to practice. We didn’t even know if we were going to be able to stay together as a school. We didn’t think we would be able to have a band on the field that year.”

The days that followed were filled with hard work and perseverance. The students started practicing in church parking lots, open fields and the outside hallways of their portable classrooms. If there was a space large enough, they were determined to march.

“We had to find a way,” Band Director Maleah Fisher said. “They are good kids. They have a good work ethic. We just had to be resourceful.”

After submitting an audition tape, the marching huskies were hand selected to march in the Disney Performing Arts Parade. Fisher said at the time of the submission the band still didn’t have uniforms. Fisher submitted a photo of what the uniforms would look like, and reassured the parade staff they would be ready to march.

“When we found out we had been selected the celebration just spread,” Fisher said. “We announced it at the football game and everyone in the stand just got so excited. We knew at that time, it was game on. We formed a fundraising committee just for this trip.”

The students got to work fundraising by group and individually. Band members raised thousands of dollars to make the trip possible. Their story even reached people across the country, and Fisher said they received donations from people out of state who wanted to help.

“It was a great opportunity,” Morgan Henry said. “Looking back we were horrified after the flood. Once we started helping each other and cleaning up, the community came together. It’s hard to put into words what it was like performing at Disney. I know everyone’s adrenaline was up.”

The marching huskies’ story even started to spread around the magic kingdom. Fisher said many people reached out to them to ask more about their journey.

“I had a talk with them before we performed,” Fisher said. “I reminded them, you’re representing a small town that has been through a hard situation. You can show these people there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”

April 12, 2018 in Education News, Herbert Hoover High School Athletics, Local News, NEWS, Sports News, Students

Super Saturday Cancelled Due To Cold Temperatures

We all will have to wait just a little longer for the start of Little League this year.

According to Tabitha Clendenin with the Clendenin Little League, Super Saturday has been cancelled.

Due to cold temperatures all games have been cancelled including the opening ceremony.

Pictures are still scheduled and will be moved to the Clendenin Fire Department.

A new schedule will be available soon.

April 7, 2018 in Local News, NEWS, Sports News, Weather, Youth Sports