Football Preview 2017

Clay-Battelle Eyes Playoffs

By KYLE LUTZ BLACKSVILLE — Since coming into the OVAC in 2011, Clay-Battelle has put on an impressive showing during the regular season. Last year was no exception as coach Ryan Wilson’s Cee-Bees ended the year with a 7-3 record. The season concluded on a bittersweet note, however. While Wilson said it was a successful season, Clay-Battelle missed out on the playoffs by one position as it was ranked No. 17. A loss to Madonna in the final game of the regular season ended all hope of a playoff push. “We had a great year,” Wilson said. “A 7-3 is an awesome year and our ...

Indians Strong at Skill Positions

By CODY TOMER SALINEVILLE—Southern Local increased its win total last year from the year before, but head coach Rich Wright knows there is still room for improvement. Two years ago, the Indians turned in a 2-8 record and last season, they finished at a much-improved 4-6 mark, leaving the Southern Local faithful hopeful for the things to come. “We have all of those kids from the last couple years still in the program,” Wright said. “We have 39 kids on the roster and eight starters back on both sides of the ball, so we should be OK.” The Indians did lose 12 players to ...

Nittany Lions Still Climbing

By JOSH STROPE UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — After years of trying to rebuild from the Jerry Sandusky scandal, Penn State finally looks to be back among the nation’s elite programs. The Nittany Lions won the Big Ten and went to the Rose Bowl last season and enter 2017 ranked No. 6 in the preseason Amway Coaches Top 25 Poll. That doesn’t mean things will go smooth for Coach James Franklin and his squad. Penn State is one of four Big Ten teams ranked in the top 10 as well as Ohio State (2), Michigan (9) and Wisconsin (10). The road to the College Football Playoff will definitely ...

South Will Be Depending on Youth This Season

By JOE ALBRIGHT PARKERSBURG — A battle to be the next Parkersburg South quarterback raged on throughout flex days, the three-week period, 7-on-7s, and into fall practice these past three months. Junior Brayden Mooney and sophomore Brandon Penn competed neck-and-neck to determine Brandon Hall’s successor at signalcaller. Both brought different skill sets to the table and presented a difficult job to the Patriots’ coaching staff and, in the end, experience in the system won out. “As of right now Mooney’s got a foot up,” Parkersburg South coach Mike Eddy said. “He is ...

Narduzzi Vows Pitt Will Be Disciplined Program

By TRACY WATSON PITTSBURGH — Having players run out of eligibility to play happens every year in college football, and third-year Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi has definitely seen his share of it. However, coming off of back-to-back 8-5 campaigns that each ended with bowl losses, Narduzzi wasn’t expecting to be hit as hard as his Panthers have been heading into the 2017 campaign. Among the normal losses are former Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year James Conner, who accounted for more than 1,400 yards and 20 touchdowns last year, and two-year starting quarterback Nathan ...

Marshall Seeks Rebound After Sloppy Season

By KYLE LUTZ HUNTINGTON — Going into the 2016 season, Marshall had secured five consecutive bowl victories. Unfortunately, for the Thundering Herd, that streak came to a bitter end after a disappointing 3-9 season. After a 62-0 victory over Morgan State to start the season, Marshall dropped seven of its next eight games. After defeating Middle Tennessee, Marshall fell in the final two games of the season. The Thundering Herd were tied for last in their conference division. Coach Doc Holliday and Marshall will look to put a disappointing season behind them as it opens against Miami ...