slideshow

Anyone who doubted that recently-downsized Tug Valley would dominate Class A boys basketball had their doubts removed last week.

The defending Class AA champion Panthers simply ran over the second-ranked team in Single A this year, Charleston Catholic. The 30-point drubbing solidified Tug Valley’s hold on the top spot in Class A this season.

It is pretty obvious they raise some real basketball talent in the portion of Mingo County served by TVHS.

* * * * * *

The Panthers might well erase the long-standing belief that public Single A teams cannot possibly compete with Catholic schools in sports. In fact, pathetic public school coaches often publicly yearn for a divisional system within the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (SSAC) that either puts parochial schools in a class by themselves or aligns them in Double A, regardless of the fact that they have fewer students than almost any A school.

I have long held that there are more reasons for this determination to segregate the schools than initially meet the eye. One will note, if he or she is really observant (like ye olde sports columnist here), that the rural Single A coaches who rail against parochial schools direct nearly all of their attention at Catholic-related schools. If a private school is aligned with Baptists or Presbyterians they do not seem to be nearly the villains the Catholic schools are to these fine, deeply religious folks.

My guess is that long-held prejudices against Catholics in these here hills contribute to the insistence by some that Catholic schools have an unfair advantage in terms of “recruiting.”

Perhaps we should note here that recruiting is not permitted at any SSAC-regulated school. It is true, however, that Catholic schools generally have a larger, less clearly defined attendance area than public schools.

Still, it is my contention that weak coaches “blame” Catholic schools for their woes when such coaches simply lack the ability to lead a team to the state tournament title. I’ve noted earlier that some coaches stick at a school for 30 years and never even win a regional championship.

My position is that, if a coach is a failure after ten years or so, it is time for him or her to find another profession. Winning certainly is not everything but you can be assured it is something. School pride, community spirit and standing often rise and fall with the local sports team. The best athletes do not go out for a team they know is going to be a loser and fans don’t pack the stadium or gym to watch them, either.

A person can be a great human being and not be destined to be any good at coaching. The intangibles in that profession are apparent when one watches teams rise and fall with the level of coaching they receive.

Honestly (which I have to be in this sports column), I will not be rooting for Tug to defeat Charleston Catholic. I have long been a fan of the Fighting Irish but would cheer on Van if they were pitted against them. Not so with TVHS. Still, I don’t expect the Irish to do much better against the Panthers if they meet in the state tournament.

* * * * * *

The halls of the state capitol were abuzz last week after word that legendary Logan High Boys Basketball Coach Willie Akers had fallen while watching a game at the Charleston Civic Center.

The fall landed Akers not only head-first on the floor but eventually in Charleston Area Medical Center’s General Division.

Although details of the fall varied some in the rendition, it was clear by week’s end that Akers had suffered quite a tumble and was fortunate to be doing as well as he was. According to some witnesses, Akers, who won more than 700 games at Logan, had his hands in his pockets and, therefore, could do nothing to break his fall.

It appears to be factual that there were some broken bones and Akers was on a ventilator for a period of time. Everyone familiar with the situation said Akers had improved greatly by week’s end and is expected to be on his feet before long.

* * * * * *

Hopefully, that “before long” will come before the boys state basketball tournament celebrates its 100th birthday a month from now. Akers is among those listed to honor the history of the event at the Charleston Civic Center.

* * * * * *

Others expected to participate, by the way, include two former coaches — Charles Elkins and Damon West. Elkins has attended more consecutive state tournaments than any other man while West has actually attended the most tourneys overall although he missed some during his military duties.

Elkins earned his title as a legendary coach at the late Hamlin High School and West did his basketball mentoring at the former Troy High School in Gilmer County.

West’s well-earned title as a real patriot in Gilmer comes from his leadership among veterans of foreign wars. West can still proudly deck out in his veteran uniform for parades, etc. at past the age of 90.

* * * * * *

Over in my former digs, Lincoln County High’s loss to Point Pleasant late last week assured the Panthers of a non-winning regular season once more, according to the SSAC Website. The loss dropped Coach Rodney Plumley’s crew to 9-11 with two games left on the regular slate.

It would be some sort of victory for an LCHS team to at least finish even for the year if the Panthers had not so drastically downgraded their slate.

Having suffered though double-digit losing seasons while in the powerful Mountain State Athletic Conference (MSAC), the Panthers dropped out this year and basically got their wins against Double A opponents. That might be nice if LCHS was not an AAA team.

Unfortunately for the Panther coaches, they have not managed to chase off enough student/athletes to dip to the AA level in the SSAC rankings. Winning games over smaller opponents may give Plumley and his boys a swagger in Hamlin, but it does nothing to prepare them for the post-season AAA tournament.

* * * * * *

Scott, meanwhile, continues to puzzle observers and make us all wonder which team will show up at tournament time. Suffice it to say that if the team that was blown out two weeks ago by Chapmanville Regional High turns up in Logan, it will be a short tournament run for the Skyhawks.

Last week, the Hawks continued to prove they were not impressed by Coach Nick Cabell’s “challenge” to them to prove they were tournament-worthy. Having said that, there is no doubt they were meeting tough opponents such as Mingo Central. Central defeated a feisty CRHS team a bit earlier, so everyone knows they are tough.

With Herbert Hoover having defeated high-flying Poca last week, it is obvious that the upcoming tournament is anybody’s to win on any given night. There’s no reason at all to count the Hawks out, but they have attained little confidence to make them anything like post-season favorites.

When the Skyhawks are clicking on all cylinders, there are few teams that can handle them. When they decide to snooze through the contest, they might have trouble with Lincoln County.

None of this should be viewed as critical of our young athletes. There is no doubt in my mind that they want to win and give 100 percent on the floor. But, it is all back to those intangibles that are difficult to measure. Something is missing on some nights for Scott and it is up to Cabell to find it — and soon.

* * * * * *

Speaking of Chapmanville, my return to Tiger Town two weeks ago was much more pleasant than my return to Hamlin. Wait a minute, I haven’t returned to Hamlin, thank goodness.

Anyway, the folks in Chapmanville are about like their Boone County counterparts: most are the salt of the earth. In fact, I loved covering Tiger athletics and felt confident every coach on that staff was as good as a high school can hire.

Comically, I enjoyed sitting in what former Coach Harry Kirk has dubbed the “amen corner” at CRHS. Between halves, I spent time there with the likes of former Coach/Athletic Director Danny Godby, Baseball Coaches Eric and Ted Ellis, and Danny Ellis. When I let an expletive fly, I was briefly concerned that one of these fellows would literally wash my mouth out with soap. That explains why Kirk calls it the “amen corner.”

* * * * * *

Of course I also got to visit with Kirk and his wife, Phyllis, two of the finest people ever to walk the earth.

* * * * * *

Folks at state tournaments often ask me exactly where the remote and geographically highway-challenged Hamlin is located. I used to give them a snide answer asking if they are familiar with Hell and telling them the two are synonyms. I stopped that, however, when I changed into my nicer, more politically proper mode.

* * * * * *

If they are ever forced to go there to see some team play, they always tell me, “I saw what you meant” the next time they see me.

* * * * * *

It’s not just that Hamlin is my least favorite spot on earth, it’s that … oh yeah, Hamlin IS my least favorite spot on earth. Not Lincoln County, mind you. Not Harts, West Hamlin, Ranger, Pleasant View, Alum Creek, Sumerco, Sod, Alkol, Woodville or McCorkle — just Hamlin.

* * * * * *

Is that prejudice clear now? Oh by the way, I wrote the same thing in The Lincoln Journal. But I do love Madison, Danville, Van, Seth and all of Boone County.