What is the future of the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission?
Besides shortening its name, I mean.
The so-called òòò½ÊÓƵœSuper Six,òòò½ÊÓƵ which pitted the top two rated teams in each class òòò½ÊÓƵ” Class AAA, Class AA and Class A òòò½ÊÓƵ” is making some wholesale changes. And, yes, they are necessary changes.
Wheeling has been a quality home for years, but its most recent contract to host the championship games has expired. So, thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s one potential change right there.
Another significant change is expanding the championship field from three classes to four. That is a huge move, but since the SSAC decided to expand to four classes, it became necessary.
Does a state the size of West Virginia actually need four classes? Well, no. To be bluntly honest, moving down to two classes would be a much better decision. That appears to be pie-in-the-sky thinking by a columnist, but it does indeed make perfect sense.
Be that as it may, the sites that have bid on hosting the four high school state championship games include incumbent Wheeling, Charleston and Bluefield. There is, however, a particularly intriguing combination proposal from West Virginia University and Marshall University, which would feature the only two major college football programs in the Mountain State as alternating hosts for the event.
The latter is very appealing at several levels.
But letòòò½ÊÓƵ™s examine the three separate bids first.
- Wheeling: If it seems like the Super Six has been stationed in Wheeling just this side of forever, itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s because it has. Simply put, it is time for a change of scenery.
- Charleston: For years, Laidley Field (now University of Charleston Stadium) was the forerunner of Wheeling. The playoffs were routinely held there yearly, much like the state basketball tournament for boys and girls is held annually in the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center.
Is there anything wrong with holding the football state championships there? No. It is tried and true. Like the annual state high school softball and baseball tournaments in South Charleston and Charleston, respectively, those sites are virtually foolproof.
- Bluefield: Mitchell Stadium is located just about as deep in southern West Virginia as anyone could go. It is virtually a stoneòòò½ÊÓƵ™s throw òòò½ÊÓƵ” three miles, to be exact òòò½ÊÓƵ” from the Virginia state line. Some people might consider that a hindrance. Others might see it as an advantage.
But in the final analysis, is it any further south than Wheeling is north?
It certainly doesnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t seem so.
- WVU/Marshall: This is, perhaps, the most intriguing option on the table. What starry-eyed high school player wouldnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t want to play in a major college football stadium at least once in his life? Were there any hands that werenòòò½ÊÓƵ™t raised? Itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s highly doubtful.
Imagine a high school player getting perhaps the only chance in their life to play in Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium and its 60,000-seat capacity. Talk about a dream come true.
Then, thereòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Marshall Universityòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Joan C. Edwards Stadium, with its magnificent scoreboard and 30,475-seat capacity.
The idea of playing in a major college stadium is very, very enticing to any high school football player.
Thatòòò½ÊÓƵ™s why, to be honest, I donòòò½ÊÓƵ™t believe Wheeling, Charleston or Bluefield hold a candle to the WVU-Marshall joint proposal.
It is the Mountain Stateòòò½ÊÓƵ™s football version of a slam dunk.