Cabell Midlandòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Luke Samuel connects for a hit to the outfield in the third inning of their game against Morgantown in the Class AAA state baseball tournament at GoMart Park in Charleston Thursday, May 30, 2024.
Cabell Midlandòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Luke Samuel connects for a hit to the outfield in the third inning of their game against Morgantown in the Class AAA state baseball tournament at GoMart Park in Charleston Thursday, May 30, 2024.
Jason Bankston might go on vacation, tell no one where, turn off his phone and stay off social media.
The first-year Cabell Midland High School athletic director has experienced a hectic month for which most only can hope.
Knights shot putter Michael Lunsford has been named the Gatorade track and field male athlete of the year in West Virginia.
The announcement of Lunsford, who had committed to football and track at Marshall, has switched his commitment to track only at Ohio State, was just the latest in a stellar few weeks.
Last week, Cabell Midlandòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Luke Samuel was tabbed winner of the Johnny Bench Award as the stateòòò½ÊÓƵ™s premier high school catcher. The Knights also won a state baseball championship for the second time in as many years, a boys state track title, honored retiring longtime pitching coach Rodney May, made the state tournament in softball, hired a girls basketball coach in Cristina Schmidt and a football coach in John Ashworth and saw basketball star Sophi Aldridge commit to Marshall.
òòò½ÊÓƵœNot too shabby,òòò½ÊÓƵ Bankston said, with a chuckle.
CONDOLENCES: Prayers are requested for the family and friends of former Hurricane football coach Reggie Billups.
COACH SPEAK: Fairland hired Holly Rowe as girls soccer coach. Mary Haynes resigned as Fairlandòòò½ÊÓƵ™s volleyball coach to take the head coaching job at the University of Pikeville.
Ironton St. Joe is seeking a volleyball coach. Contact athletic director Greg Bryant at (740) 479-1713 for more information. Former Fairview boys basketball coach Clarence Thompson is the new coach of Expression Prep Academyòòò½ÊÓƵ™s post-graduate team. Shawn Ward, former coach at Wesley Christian, will join Thompson as an assistant.
Mark Hatcher is the new boys basketball coach at Logan. Hatcher coached the Wildcats from 2000 through 2015, going 236-138 and winning two state championships. Marty Vierheller resigned as girls basketball coach at Parkersburg Catholic.
Shawnee State hired as assistant track coaches Randy Smith of South Point, Todd Eastham of Greenup County and Jesse Ruby of Minford.
OFFERS: Spring Valley girls basketballòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Dria Parker and South Point footballòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Kamren Miller (West Virginia State), Ironton footballòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Landon Lewis and Braden Schreck (Rio Grande).
NOTES, QUOTES, ANECDOTES: Lincoln Countyòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Josie Bird won the West Virginia Gatorade player of the year award for softball. Former Ironton kicker Avery Block transferred from Augustana to the University of Akron. Former Fairmont Senior basketball star Jalen Bridges signed with the Phoenix Suns.
Former Wahama softball player Hannah Rose of the University of Charleston was named the Mountain East Conference female athlete of the year.
Tim Stephens is a sports writer with The Herald-Dispatch.
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