12.23.16
Oh, what a
VALLEY RUN Spring Valley ran all the way to the state title game against Martinsburg
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UP FRONT 12.23.16
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VOLUME 19 NO. 9
compiled by Woody Woodrum, HI senior editor
irginia O’Hanlon, age 8, wrote a letter to the editors of New York’s The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinSun, and the quick response was printed in the fall of 1897, written guished. by Francis P. Church. Not believe in Santa Claus? As is our custom at HI, we proudly present this edited exchange. Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! and Happy New Year! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, DEAR EDITOR: I am 8-years old. Some of my little friends say there but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that is no Santa Claus. Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’ Please tell prove? me the truth; is there a Santa Claus? Virginia O’Hanlon, 115 95th Street, NYC Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor VIRGINIA: Your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by men can see. the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except for what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s by their little minds. no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world … All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and as compared with the boundless world about him … view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding. No Santa Claus? Thank God, he lives, and he lives forever! to your life it’s highest beauty and joy. Alas, how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight.
A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, 10-times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
WHAT WE’VE GOT
December 23, 2016 / HERD INSIDER /
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12.23.16 VOLUME 19 No. 9
On the cover: Spring Valley QB Derek Johnson ran against the Martinsburg defense. photo by Tyson Murray This page: Spirits were high on the Timberwolves’ sideline during the state football championship game, with “Hit A Man” sticker on helmets (HAM) honoring the late Phil Ratliff, SV Coach 20002004. photo by Tyson Murray
COLUMNIST
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SECRET’S OUT
In a 2016 year that left many Huntington-area sports fans disappointed, the Spring Valley Timberwolves arrived just in time to raise spirits.
INDOOR TRACK
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SETTING RECORDS Marshall’s indoor track and field meet provided excitement — in the form of school records being broken and set anew.
555 Fifth Avenue Huntington, WV 25701 (304) 523-8401
General Manager Mike Kirtner
FOOTBALL
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VALLEY RUN
Spring Valley’s 2016 season came about in surprising fashion, and ended in the state championship game against Martinsburg. Publisher Greg Perry
First Subscriber: Geoff Sheils
Associate GM Reeves Kirtner
BASKETBALL
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ALL HANDS
Marshall men’s basketball is gathering all hands on deck for the upcoming Conference USA schedule. It all started against Toledo. Senior Editor Woody Woodrum
Printing: Printograph - Hebron, KY
Web Operations Alex Hackney All contents ©2016 Kindred Communications, Inc
PUBLISHER
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/ December 23, 2016
GREG PERRY
Sholten Singer/Herald-Dispatch
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COLUMNIST
Secret’s Out: Timberwolves Made 2016 Enjoyable
gregkperry@herdinsider.com
o, you’re probably looking at this issue of Herd Insider Magazine and thinking, “Huh? High school football coverage in a magazine that has Herd in the title?”
run of the field at practice. “Go wherever you’d like,” Dingess said. “We’ve got nothing to hide out here.” That symbolizes to me what the Timberwolves’ 2016 Never fear, loyal readers; we haven’t gone completely off season would come to embody. Nothing to hide, everything in the deep end. Rather, we are expanded our coverage here at the plain sight. Just come prepared to play really good football, magazine to encompass local high school sports –and recruitwhile you’re at it. That hot September day, I noticed an air of ing for those sports– in business in the demeanor addition to our focus on of his football players. Marshall sports. Nothing flashy, just get to work. Which brings us to Dingess’s approach Spring Valley, and their to snooping media-types impressive 2016 football like me apparently is his season. approach to just about everybody he meets or My initiation into the knows. “We’ve got an Timberwolves’ program open-door policy for all happened back in Sepcollege coaches who want tember, when we decided to come in and watch us,” to do a story on players he said with regards to his Doug Nester and Riley two prized players, Nester Locklear. On a typicalBack in September, coach Brad Dingess (center, light blue) was concentrating on his and Locklear. teams’ early-season games. Marshall fans might recognize the guy on the left: ly-humid early September That open-door policy Billy Malashevich is the Timberwolves’ kicking coach. afternoon, I made my way endears fans, coaches, out to Spring Valley High School and sought out coach Brad and media. By the time Dingess said those words to me in Dingess. September, his team had already shot out to a 2-1 record, and “He’s in his truck,” a player answered when I asked Dingwere fresh off a 70-14 drubbing of this writer’s high school, St. ess’s whereabouts. Albans. From that week forward, the Timberwolves would go And sure enough, a few minutes later, Dingess emerged on to reel off ten consecutive wins en route to the state champiand immediately made me feel like we were old friends, deonship matchup with Martinsburg. spite this being literally my first visit to Spring Valley. Always What really stands out is the margin of victory in most of cautious to stay the heck out of the way of football players Spring Valley’s 2016 games. 54-21 over GW…36-0 over Hurricontinued on page 5 wearing pads that I don’t, Dingess nonetheless gave me full-
COLUMNIST
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cane…49-0 over Riverside…58-14 over Greenbrier East. You get the picture. In a fall that was notably lacking for those of us who follow the Marshall Thundering Herd football program, the rise of the Spring Valley Timberwolves was a breath of fresh air. There was buzz in Huntington about the Timberwolves, growing louder as the weeks went by in September, October, and November. A strange pattern evolved in water-cooler talk: at first, all conversation was about Marshall football. But inevitably, that very same conversation morphed into one about the season Spring Valley was having. As one program stumbled, the other succeeded. When you consider that Spring Valley High School has existed for only 18 short years, this 2016 season stands as nothing short of amazing. Which brings us full-circle to this issue of Herd Insider Magazine. You know,
In the third issue of our new magazine format, Herd Insider broke the “secret” that was Spring Valley, featuring Doug Nester and Riley Locklear, in a story about recruiting.
the one with Spring Valley on the cover. We’re slowly branching out, hoping to show our readers all the great sports teams from here in the area on our pages. And, as if on cue, the 2016 Spring Valley High School Timberwolves stepped up
to the plate and provided a season to remember. We are proud to have them on our cover, and hope that you enjoy reading about them.
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Hasana Clark was all smiles after setting the Marshall weight-throw school record at 18.42 meters. photos by Greg Perry/HI staff
RECORD-SETTING MEET
MARSHALL RE-SET THE RECORD BOOKS IN ROLLING OVER OHIO DURING INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MEET
Marshall Sports Information release The Marshall women’s track and field team opened its season with a dual meet victory over Ohio University in the Marshall Opener in early December at the Chris Cline Indoor Athletic Complex. With 12 events taking place over the course of the evening, Marshall athletes won 11 of the events. The Herd won the meet
with a score of 83.5 to 44.5. It was also a good night for Marshall throwers, as two school records were broken in both throwing events. Sophomore Hasana Clark went first as she won the weight throw with a toss of 18.42 meters. Fellow sophomore Elena Marchand also broke a school record in the shot put, as her longest mark came continued on page 7
at 14.53m. Junior Naja Greer also had a very successful night as she won two individual events. Greer first won the 400-meter dash
Clark’s record throw eclipsed the mark set by Marshall’s first All-American discus thrower, Erin Compton. photo by Greg Perry/HI staff
with a time of 58.56. She followed that up less than an hour later with a victory in the 200m dash with a time of 25.61, which was a new meet record. Sophomore Lauren George was the first Marshall athlete to officially take a win in an event, as she won the long jump with a best jump of 5.35m. Coming off a season in which she qualified for the NCAA
/ December 23, 2016 / HERD INSIDER / 7 regionals, senior Antonique Butler started her season off strong with a win in the triple jump. Her longest jump of 11.93 set a new meet record. In the triple jump, Marshall jumpers placed one through five, as Denisha West, Melany Belot, Danielle Wright, and Lauren George all finished next respectively. The 60m dash saw the top-3 spots all go to Marshall. Senior Kametra Byrd won the event with a time of 7.66 (new meet record), followed by senior Hope Julmiste (7.77) and sophomore Kayla Haywood (7.91). In the 60m hurdles, Marshall runners took the top five spots, as freshman Safiyyah Mitchell won with a time of 8.78. Torrie Derrow, Melany Belot, Danielle Wright, and Sarah Bever followed her respectively. Sophomore Makaylah Downour won the 600m run with a time of 1:37.34. She was followed in second place by freshman Christianna Dougan who ran in 1:42.34. Junior Madeline Armstrong won the final individual event of the evening in the 800m run. She finished with a time of 2:22.73. Lastly, in the final event of the evening, the Marshall 4x400m relay consisting of freshman Safiyyah Mitchell, junior Breanna Hargrove, and freshmen Hannah Carreon and Danere’a White won with a time of 4:07.45. Marshall coach Jeff Small was ecstatic with his team’s performance in the meet. “Getting those two school records this early was awesome. The weight throw record was held by our first All-American discus thrower Erin Compton, and the shot record was held by Rachel Blankenship who was a national qualifier.” After a successful start to the season, the team will not compete again until after Christmas break on January 13, 2017 when they travel to Lexington, Kentucky for the Kentucky Indoor Invitational.
All these local businesses are proud of the TIMBERWOLVES!
All these local businesses are proud of the TIMBERWOLVES!
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photographs by Tyson Murray for Herd Insider
December 23, 2016 / HERD INSIDER /
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Oh, what a
VALLEY RUN W
by Bill Cornwell, HI contributing writer
hen the Spring Valley Timberwolves football team left the field at Wheeling Island Stadium after a 49-7 loss to Martinsburg in the West Virginia Class AAA title game, you might think that the work of an entire year ended in failure. If you think that way, you don’t know the Timberwolves’ football story in 2016. Spring Valley football went into uncharted waters this year with a league title, multiple playoff wins and a trip to compete for a state title. It was also a year when players and coaches dealt with a few disappointments —and the ability to make needed personnel adjustments which paid off with multiple playoff wins for the first time in school history— and, at one point, an eleven-game winning streak. The 2016 season actually started with a bang for Spring Valley as the Timberwolves overcame a long-time nemesis by winning at Cabell Midland, 55-26. The Knights had been dominant in matchups with the Timerberwolves since Spring Valley’s fall 1998 opening including a playoff win, but this year’s game showed that this was a new-type of Timberwolves team. One with a hard-hitting, dominant defense and an offense that could attack from multiple formations using several weapons. One of the key moments of the season for Spring Valley took place in the Cabell Midland contest, as Timberwolves head coach Brad Dingess made an in-game quarterback change after a slow start, subbing Austin Stambaugh with Derek Johnson. The junior never gave up the job on the way to an all-state-caliber season. Week 2 brought the biggest disappointment of the season, as the Timberwolves opened the home portion of their schedule with a 17-13 loss continued on page 16
December 23, 2016 / HERD INSIDER /
Locked-In
The Spring Valley Timberwolves approached their state title game against Martinsburg with arms locked together. photo by Tyson Murray
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Spring Valley continued from page 11 to another rival, Huntington High. The Highlanders took advantage of a surprisingly mistake-prone Spring Valley team to take away what would later be seen as an upset victory. After playing its biggest rivals in the opening wesks of the season and coming away with a 1-1 record, it was a time of decision for the Timberwolves program: would it be another simple run for any playoff spot, or did this team have what it takes to boost its performances to a higher level? That question was emphatically answered over the next two weeks, as Spring Valley racked up 124 points in routs of St. Albans and George Washington. One of the more telling contests came in week five as the Timberwolves made a second consecutive trip to the Kanawha Valley for a face-off with another team which Spring Valley had struggled in
beating over the years, the South Charleston Black Eagles. The doubts about the Timberwolves were falling away as they walked away with a 29-15 win over the Black Eagles. Three more lopsided wins over Hurricane (36-0), Riverside (49-0) and Ripley (47-6) led up to the game which truly caught the state’s attention as to the quality of the Spring Valley program, a home meeting with the Capital Cougars. On a rainy late October Wayne County night, Spring Valley walked away with a convincing 21-0 victory over the perennial state power. After a much needed off-week, the Timberwolves wrapped up the regular season on the road with a 58-14 win at Greenbrier East. With that victory, the Timberwolves clinched the No. 2 seed in the Class AAA playoffs, meaning they could host as many as three postseason games. continued on page 17
December 23, 2016 / HERD INSIDER / 17 Spring Valley continued from page 16 That homefield advantage was kind to Spring Valley, with dominat- and that’s special.” ing wins over Buckhannon-Upshur and South Charleston, all leading Even after the big championship game loss to Martinsburg, to a semifinal showdown on November 26th with Capital. In one of the Dingess was thinking big picture when putting the 19th Spring Valley most exciting games in WV High School football this year, Timberfootball season in a historical context. wolves quarterback Derek Johnson scored on a 49-yard keeper to give “These kids accomplished a lot and they have nothing to hang their Spring Valley a 20-14 win over the heads about,” Dingess summed Cougars and the trip to Wheeling up. “I love every one of those guys for the title game matchup with and what they did. Making the Martinsburg. run they did, it brought life back Ending with a 12-2 record and to our community and you can’t a Mountain State Athletic Conferput a price on that. So, this team ence title brings lots of honors. will truly be remembered.” Dingess was named the league’s There is truth in Dingess’s Coach of the Year and seven players statement about establishing a were named first-or-second team Timberwolves identity in the feedall-league. Timberwolves’ lineer areas of Spring Valley, domiman Riley Locklear, quarterback nated in the past by now closed Derek Johnson, running back MaCeredo-Kenova, Buffalo and Vinson Brubeck and lineman Doug son high schools. It is no secret Nestor were named first-team that some of the alumni of the old all state, with Locklear —who schools have been slow to adapt to is headed to Tennessee to play supporting the Timberwolves, but football next fall— captaining the the football success this fall may all-state offensive team. have changed that forever. You Looking back on the accomsimply saw less Wonders green, In the end, Martinsburg took home the state championship trophy. How- Bison black and Tigers orange plishments of the year, Timberever, Spring Valley had a season that put them on the WV football map. wolves coach Brad Dingess showed in the stands at Spring Valley this that he led a group of hard-workfall, especially during playoff time. ing overachievers who played as if they were on a mission. Dark blue and Carolina blue are now the fashionable colors to wear in “It’s a great group of kids and these kids have played together and northern Wayne County. against each other a lot, since they were seven years old,” Dingess said. “Regardless of the number of youth league championships and middle And, they will remain so for quite some time. school championships, these guys got to play for a state championship,
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All
HANDS on DECK
NOW FULLY INTO THE EARLY 2016-17 BASKETBALL SEASON, MARSHALL’S MEN’S TEAM IS NEEDING ALL HANDS ON DECK TO FACE THE COMING CONFERENCE USA SCHEDULE
Ajdin Penava hit the floor for a loose ball during Marshall’s exciting 111-105 overtime thriller against Toledo in mid-December.
photographs by Greg Perry/HI staff
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by Woody Woodrum, HI senior editor
he Marshall men’s basketball program had not played the Toledo Rockets since leaving the Mid-American Conference after the 200405 season, and hadn’t beaten the Rockets since 2003. But in the first meeting in over a decade, it took overtime for the Thundering Herd to top Toledo, 111-105, in Marshall’s sixth-straight win in the Cam Henderson Center this season. The Herd bumped up to 6-3, tied for the third best record in Conference USA, and won six in a row at home to open the season for the first time since the 2009-10 season. The mid-December matchup was the first overtime game for the Herd this season. And, Marshall also scored 100-plus points for the first time this season, after having 100-or-more points three times last season. The last time Marshall scored 100 points in a non-conference game was Nov. 12, 2013 against the Red Storm of the University of Rio Grande (Ohio) when the Herd scored 119. Marshall coach Danny D’Antoni was happy with his team’s recovery from back-to-back losses at EKU and Chattanooga in the week prior. “This was an early Christmas present for Herd fans and for people around the state,” D’Antoni said. “That was a heck of a ball game. Great job by Toledo. They are well coached and they are senior-laden. They were picked to win the upper half of the MAC. I owed them one for many years ago. I was happy for our team. I think we gave the fans around here a good show and I’m happy we can be a part of celebrations around here.” And the Herd’s coach was more concerned over the team not having topped 100 points yet this season, and thinks they will eventually do that more than continued on page 21
Basketball continued from page 19 not. “We are capable of doing this every night. We lost our ball movement against Eastern Kentucky. This game was competitive all the way through and it was at a really high level. It’s a much better game to watch, and you’re not going to beat the end of it. That was a great ending to a great game.” The Rockets had tied the game at 102 with 2:06 to go, the 13th tie of the night, and then Austin Loop drilled a big three with 1:45 on the clock to give the Herd a 105-102 lead. From then on, Marshall expanded that lead to as much as eight points with nine seconds left. For Loop, that three was the 211th of his career, allowing him to pass former Herd guard Joda Burgess (1997-2001) at 210 for third place all time. Elmore and fellow guard Stevie Browning (left) each played 41 of 45 minutes, and combined for 62 points, 15 assists, nine rebounds, one block and two steals, and only had five turnovers, all of those by Elmore. The junior guard from Charleston had 35 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds and a steal for his ninth straight game with 17 or more points scored. Elmore also shot lights out, hitting 11-of-19 from the field, 1-of-4 from three and 12-of-13 at the line. Stevie Browning But was Elmore tired? Not exactly. “I’m ready to go again. We could line it up again and I’d be ready,” Elmore said. “Coach D’Antoni talks to us about wanting to average 100 points a game, which is tough. I think we were clicking on all cylinders, we were playing Marshall basketball and we were rolling. Browning had 27 points, and hit 11-of-16, 1-of-2 from three and 4-for-4 at the line. He had five rebounds, five assists, no turnovers, a block and a steal. The senior from Logan, W.Va. loved the energy the crowd of 5,696 gave the Herd. “The crowd was into it,” Browning said. “Those are the best wins.” “Jon and Stevie were awesome, Ryan [Taylor] made plays when we had to have them. [Ajdin] Penava was very effective when he was in the ball game. We have to enjoy this. This is fun. This program is on the rise and we are going to get it where it needs to go.”
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In overtime, instead of jumping for the tip with 6-11 center Luke Knapke, Ryan Taylor broke in the direction of the Rockets’ point guard, stealing the tip by Knapke and laying it in for a 95-93 lead just seconds into the overtime. Penava, making his fourth start in a row for Thompson, played just 16 minutes but scored six points with five rebounds, and a block, steal and assist. Marshall will play on December 19 for the 500th game in the history of the Henderson Center, at Cincinnati Dec. 22 and at Pitt on Dec. 28 before heading to south Florida to start the C-USA season.