Onward to Winter

I think they exceeded everyone’s expectations but their own, and I’m including my own in there. I’m not proud to say it, but I doubted their ability to win close games when the season began.

They proved me very, very wrong. They were in close games with Lincoln, B-U, Philip Barbour, and East Fairmont, and only lost one of those games, and then only by a point.

I’d also like to take this chance to remind the football players who also play baseball that they could get a chance to serve up some double-dipped revenge come State Baseball Tournament time next spring. (Winfield also eliminated the Minuteman baseball team and went on the win the 2023 Class AA baseball championship).

Now we turn out eyes to winter, when one of those state competitions will be decided with the state cheerleading competition. The Lewis County ladies added a 3rd place in a very tough Big 10 Conference to their 2nd place Region II finish last week, and look like they have a real shot at bringing home a state title.

Excitement also builds for basketball, with the ‘Maids poised to make another run at states with a hyper-talented team and a community that is practically humming with anticipation. The Minutemen will return a talented squad as well and will hope to make some noise in the region.

Wrestling will also hit the mat soon, and with a lot of the top wrestlers graduating last year, we are going to see some new faces rise to take their place. Of course the team will return a core of experienced veterans as well who are always hard at work on and off the mat, thanks to Coach Larry J. Bush’s focus on giving back to the community.

Of course the winter will also bring the Legislative session in Charleston, and the eyes of sports fans will be watching what legislators do about the new transfer rule, with many calling for the repeal of the rule.

The rule was shoehorned into a more popular bill last session at the last hour ensuring it’s passage, though without Gov. Jim Justice’s signature as he opted to let it become law without signature as a kind of protest.

They need to readdress it and either add some restrictions to things like recruiting and offering other enticements (low or no cost places to live for parents or students, low or no cost transportation for example), or just scrap it outright.

I just don’t hope they spend too much time on it, it’s embarrassing to see lawmakers put that much time and energy into high school sports when West Virginia has much more pressing issues that need addressed.