Logan Timberwolves baseball season going strong

The Logan Middle School Timberwolves baseball team (6-2) is having a fantastic season and looks to end it on a winning streak.

         The Timberwolves started the season on a four-game win streak, taking their first loss to the Ripley Middle School Vikings 4-9. The team would then go 2-1 over their next three games, defeating the Kermit Middle School Blue Devils 10-0, losing against the Winfield Middle School Generals 2-5, and winning their most recent game Thursday vs. Hurricane Middle School Redskins 4-1.

 

         UP NEXT FOR THE TIMBERWOLVES

         

Timberwolves Schedule

        After the team defeated the Redskins on Thursday, The Timberwolves varsity will take an off day before heading to Kentucky on Saturday to Face off against the Johnson Central Middle School Eagles at 1:00 p.m. The Timberwolves junior varsity squad will take on the Ravenswood Middle School Red Devils junior varsity Friday at home.

Logan Wildcats and Lady Wildcats, remain positive going into the latter half of regular season.

        The Logan High School Wildcats baseball team (8-7), and Lady Wildcats softball team (12-4), are prepared to make their runs toward the end of the regular season after having success in the first half. 

 

         The Lady Wildcats are running strong after going 9-2 in their last 11 games. After beating the Wayne High School Lady Pioneers on March 27, the team would go on a six-game winning streak before losing to the Lincoln High School Lady Panthers 2-7 on April 8. They have since won two games against the Ripley High School Lady Vikings 6-3 and the Sherman High School Lady Tide 14-6, lost to the Winfield High School Lady Generals 3-6, and in their last game, defeated the Poca High School Lady Dots 13-1.

 

         As for the baseball, the Wildcats went on a trip to Myrtle Beach during spring break to play in the Mingo Bay Classic, where the team went 3-2, losing their first three games and winning their last two. The team has since returned to West Virginia with a rough start, losing their previous two games against the Winfield High School Generals 3-4 and Chapmanville High School Tigers 3-9.

UP NEXT FOR THE LADY WILDCATS

 

         Logan High Softball is set for Friday in an away game vs. the Pike County Central High School Lady Hawks at 6 p.m. After the game, the team will get to rest for the weekend before their six-day stretch of seven games, starting with a doubleheader Monday in back-to-back games against the Nitro High School Lady Wildcats at home, and then playing six away games throughout the rest of the week.

 

Logan Lady Wildcats game day/times for next week:

Mon: vs. Nitro Lady Wildcats 6 p.m.

Mon: vs. Nitro Lady Wildcats 8 p.m.

Tue: @ Chapmanville Regional Lady Tigers 5:30 p.m.

Wed: @ Wayne Lady Pioneers 6 p.m.

Thu: @ Hoover Lady Huskies 6 p.m.

Fri: @ Pikeville Lady Panthers 6 p.m.

Sat: @ Pikeville Lady Panthers 12 p.m.

 

 

UP NEXT FOR THE WILDCATS

 

The Wildcats are looking to start a winning streak as the team is closing in on the end of the season. Logan High Baseball has five games over the next week, three being home and two being away, beginning with a home game against the Man High School Hillbillies.

 

Logan Wildcats game day/times over next week:

Sat: vs. Man Hillbillies 1 p.m.

Mon: @ Poca Dots 6 p.m.

Tue: vs. Herbert Hoover Huskies 7 p.m.

Thu: vs. Nitro Wildcats 7 p.m.

Fri: @ Nitro Wildcats 7 p.m.

LIVE STREAMINg

As always, every Logan home game will be live streamed on Mountains Dreams Media’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

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Logan Wildcats baseball is starting this season out hot!

The back-to-back Class AA State Champion Logan High School Wildcats baseball team is starting this season off hot with a 6-2 record.

             The Wildcats dominated throughout their first four games of the season, winning the first three games by 10 or more runs and the fourth game by three before suffering its first loss Monday to the Sissonville High School Indians. The Wildcats then proceeded to go 2-1 after the loss, beating the Winfield High School Generals on Tuesday, losing Wednesday to the Scott High School Skyhawks, and Defeating the Man High School Hillbillies on Thursday.

 

LOGAN VS. POCA

 

            In the team’s first game of the season, The Wildcats defeated the Dots on Mar. 21 at home. The Wildcats ended the first inning up 5-0 and kept the pressure on for the rest of the game, winning 16-0.

Key Performances:

Ryan Roberts: 4 RBI, 2 Hits, 3 Runs

Drew Berry: 3 RBI, 1 Hit, 1 Run

Konnor Lowe: 2 RBI, 1 Hit, 2 Runs

Garrett Williamson: 2 RBI, 2 Hits, 1 Run

Jarron Glick: 2 RBI, 1 Hit, 1 Run, 2 K’s

LOGAN VS. RIPLEY

         The Wildcats beat the Vikings on Mar. 22 with a final score of 12-2. Logan got off to a hot start again, leading 3-0 at the end of the first inning. The Vikings scored two runs in the top of the third, making it a one-run game, but the Wildcats answered quickly in the bottom of the third, scoring four runs. Logan would go on to win the game 12-2

 

Key Performances:

Dawson Maynard: 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2 Hits, 3 Runs, 6 K’s

Garrett Williamson: 4 RBI, 3 Hits, 1 Run

Cole Blankenship: 3 RBI, 3 Hits

Konnor Lowe: 1 RBI, 1 Hit, 7 K’s, 0 hits/runs allowed

LOGAN VS. TUG VALLEY

           The Wildcats dominated the Panthers on Mar. 23, winning 14-0. The Wildcats combined three pitchers for a shutout and only allowed two hits.

Key Performances:

Konner Lowe: 1 HR, 5 RBI, 2 Hits, 2 Runs

Dawson Maynard: 4 RBI, 3 Hits, 4 Runs, 3 Stolen Bases

        

Aiden Slack: 2 Hits, 4 Runs

Garrett Williamson: 1 RBI, 1 Run, 5K’s

LOGAN VS. ROBERT C. BYRD

            The Wildcats were victorious Saturday against the Flying Eagles in a close scoring game that ended 4-1. Logan led the entirety of the game, with the Flying Eagles' only run coming in the third inning.

Key Performances:

Dawson Maynard: 4 K’s, 1 Run, 1 Stolen Base

McCormick Ilderton: 4 Stolen Bases

Jake Ramey: 1 RBI, 1 Run, 1 Stolen Base

 

LOGAN VS. SISSONVILLE

         The Wildcats suffered their first loss Monday to the Indians 4-5. The Wildcats led the Indians 4-2 going into the bottom of the seventh. The Indians scored three runs in the seventh, winning with a walk-off single from Wyatt Lester.

Key Performances:

Dawson Maynard: 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 Hits, 2 Runs, 1 Stolen Base

Aiden Slack: 1 RBI, 1 Hit, 1 Run

Ivan Miller: 5 K’s

LOGAN VS. WINFIELD

         The Pioneers were off to a hot start Tuesday, scoring five runs in the top of the first, but the Wildcats crawled back, scoring two runs in the first inning, two more in the second, and five in during the third to give them the lead. The Wildcats controlled their lead until the end, winning 11-6.

Key Performances:

Garrett Williamson: 3 RBI, 2 Hits, 2 K’s

Aiden Slack: 2 RBI, 1 Hit, 1 Run, 1 Stolen Base, 3 K’s

Dawson Maynard: 1 RBI, 2 Hits, 3 Runs, 1 Stolen Base

Jarron Glick: 1 Hit, 7 K’s

LOGAN VS. SCOTT

         The Wildcats came up short Wednesday in a low-scoring loss to the Skyhawks. The final score was 0-1, with the Skyhawks' only run coming in the fourth inning. Dawson Maynard pitched all seven innings for the Wildcats, finishing with seven strikeouts and recording 21 outs. The Wildcats recorded three hits during the game, two coming from Garrett Williamson and one from Aiden Slack.

LOGAN VS MAN

            The Wildcats controlled the game on Thursday, going up 8-0 on the Hillbillies by the top of the sixth inning. Man scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth and held Logan to one run in the top of the seventh, but only scored two more runs in the bottom of the final inning, giving the Wildcats the win 9-5.

Key Performances:

Garrett Williamson: 2 RBI, 2 Hits, 7 K's

Dawson Maynard: 2 RBI, 2 Hits, 2 Runs

Konner Lowe: 2 RBI, 1 Hit, 1 Run

Adam Baisden: 1 RBI, 1 Hit, 1 Run

UP NEXT FOR THE WILDCATS

            Logan’s next two games will be on the road as they travel Friday to Herbert Hoover High School to take on the Huskies at 7:00 pm. The Wildcats will then head back home to rest up for their trip next week to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to play in the Mingo Bay Classic. The team will start with a three-day stretch from Monday to Wednesday, where the team will face Heritage Pride, the Riverside High School Panthers, and the Robinson High School Rams with all three games being played at 2:00 pm. The Wildcats' games for the rest of the Classic are to be decided.

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The Logan Wildcats basketball season has come to an end

            The Logan High School Wildcats Boys’ Basketball team’s (13-11) season has come to an end after losing on Mar. 3 to the Scott High School Skyhawks (17-10) in the sectional Championship, followed by a loss on Mar. 8 to the Ripley High School Vikings (23-3) during regionals.

 

SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

The Wildcats suffered a tough overtime loss during the championship to the Skyhawks. The game was close throughout the entire contest until it was tied in overtime, and the Skyhawks senior guard Isaac Setser threw up a halfcourt prayer at the buzzer banked in, giving the Skyhawks the win with a final score of 62-59.

 

            Both teams had four players reach double-digit points during the championship. 

 

For the Skyhawks: junior guard Owen Adkins with 10 points, senior guard Jayden Sharps with 11 points, senior guard Isaac Setser with 10 points and 6 assists, and senior forward Reece Carden leading the team with 17 points.

 

For the Wildcats: junior guard Cole Blankenship with 11 points, senior forward Aiden Slack with 10 points and 9 rebounds, junior guard Julius Clancy finishing with a double-double scoring 10 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, and senior guard Scotty Browning leading all scorers with 20 points.

 

REGIONAL CO-FINAL

            The Wildcats lost their final game of the season during regionals to the Vikings 78-66 in what was a close game through most of the contest until the fourth quarter when foul shots took over the game for Ripley. This will be the Vikings' first trip back to the State tournament in 27 years.

            

The Vikings shot 30/37 from the free-throw line throughout the contest. In the fourth quarter alone, Ripley shot 25/28 from the line. Many spectators believe this is the highest number of free throws seen attempted in a quarter of high school basketball, let alone the state of West Virginia. The Wildcats also had three players foul during the quarter: Cole Blankenship, Aiden Slack, and Garrett Williamson. 

 

            The Vikings had four players reach double digits in scoring, while the Wildcats only had three.

            For the Vikings: senior guard Isaiah Casto with 10 points, junior guard Dylan Casto with 14 points, junior forward Brady Anderson with 18 points and 9 rebounds, and senior center Luke Anderson leading all scorers with 25 points and 9 rebounds.

 

For the Wildcats: junior guard Julius Clancy with 13 points, senior guard Garrett Williamson with 16 points and 6 rebounds, and senior guard Scotty Browning leading the team with 22 points.

 

WILDCATS SEASON RECAP

         Even though the Wildcats' season did not end the way the team wanted, the players and coaches can still hold their heads high, knowing everything they accomplished, with so many players suffering injuries before and throughout the season.  

            

So many people doubted this Wildcats team after losing two starters to injuries before the season started: senior Jaxson Cogar for the entire season and senior Aiden Slack for most of the season, both due to knee injuries. Senior Scotty Browning missed a few games due to a concussion; senior Garrett Williamson missed the latter part of the season due to a knee injury, and junior guards Cole Blankenship and Julius Clancy missed multiple games for ankle Injuries.

 

            With so many injuries during the season and having to switch the starting lineup constantly, this team gave their all and more during every game they played. Many of the younger players on the roster stepped up big in their roles. This team persevered in the face of adversity, finished the season with a positive record, and should be more than proud of everything they have achieved.

 

            Many Logan players received awards for their performance throughout the season as well as the Wildcat's head coach Zach Green.

            

               Cole Blankenship - Cardinal Conference Honorable Mention

 

               Derek Browning, Julius Clancy, and Jarron Glick - Cardinal Conference Second Team

 

         Scotty Browning - Class AAA All-State Second Team, Cardinal Conference First Team, and Cardinal Conference Player of the Year

 

 Zach Green – Cardinal Conference Coach of the Year

 

The Wildcats will lose four seniors who all started this year when healthy: Scotty Browning, Jarron Glick, Aiden Slack, and Garrett Williamson. The team will have a younger roster next season, with great experience due to many players getting out on the floor during this season. Fans can expect this team to work hard during the off-season and return strong.

This season taught fans and other spectators that one thing is for sure, don’t ever sleep on those Wildcats!

The Logan Wildcats are heading to the sectional championship!

 

         The Logan High School Wildcats boys' basketball team (13-9) reigns undefeated in the teams three games against the Wayne High School Pioneers (6-16) after defeating them Tuesday in the first round of the sectional tournament.

 

The Wildcats will face off against the Scott High School Skyhawks (14-9) on Friday in the Sectional Championship. This will also be the third time these two teams have met this season.

 

WILDCATS VS PIONEERS SECTIONAL GAME RECAP

       The Wildcats pulled off the season sweep against the Pioneers after defeating them for the third time in the 2022-2023 season. Going into it, the game was a must-win for both teams because to advance to the regional championship; the team must win the first round to advance and win the sectional title to get the home game in regionals.

 

         The Pioneers managed to keep the game close throughout the first quarter ending 11-6 in favor of the Wildcats. The Wildcats quickly took off with the lead during the second quarter, increasing the team’s lead to 31-17 by halftime.

         As fans have seen in the past two meetings this season, the Wildcats applied pressure and continued to hold the lead for the remainder of the contest, ultimately winning the game 67-46.

         The game was intense physically and emotionally, with both teams having a player foul out: Wayne’s sophomore guard Isaac Meddings and Logan’s freshman forward/center Ivan Miller, the Wildcats junior guard Cole Blankenship was called for a technical foul for touching the ball as a defender on an inbounds play, and the Pioneer's head coach Sean Meddings receiving two technicals late in the fourth and being tossed from the game.

 

         The Pioneers had two players break double digits in scoring: Isaac Meddings with 15 points and senior guard Dillon May with 11.

         The Wildcats moved the ball well, involving multiple teammates offensively, with eight players scoring; Four of those players reached double-digit points: sophomore guard McCormick Ilderton with 10, junior guard Julius Clancy and senior forward Jarron Glick with 12 each, and senior guard Scotty Browning leading all scorers with 18.

 

WILDCAT'S UPCOMING SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

       After advancing through round one of the sectional tournament, the Wildcats are set to take on the Scott Skyhawks on Friday in the Championship game. In their first-round sectional game, the Skyhawks defeated the Lincoln County High School Panthers on Tuesday 61-43.

 

         The Wildcats and Skyhawks have slowly developed into a rivalry over the past few years, and each game between the two teams this season has ended up being a close battle until the final buzzer sounds.

         Both teams met four times last season, with Logan winning twice in the regular season and the sectional championship by double digits, but losing to Scott by two points in round one of the West Virginia State Basketball Tournament. They have split the regular season thus far, both beating each other in their home gym.

The Skyhawks will host the championship game Friday at 7 p.m. in the Hawk’s Nest at Scott High School. 

Many Wildcats are still asking questions about the seeding for the tournament and believe the team should be the first seed and host the game in the Willie Akers Arena at Logan High School. 

Scott High School staff began selling tickets for the championship Wednesday at the school and refused to sell tickets to Wildcat fans, which has many of them highly upset. The Wildcats were originally only going to be given 100 tickets to sell to fans at Logan High, and many people are saying the Skyhawks refused to sell to Logan fans to increase the population of the team's home crowd.

However, the SSAC forced the Skyhawks to give Logan High the appropriate amount of tickets. There was a written agreement that stated Logan would receive 25% of the total number of tickets.

 

         With the game just one day away, emotions up high, and expectations for the game being even higher, fans can expect the championship to be another knockdown drag-out with the potential for a photo shoot finish.

The Wildcats were victorious on Senior Night and are locked in for the sectional tournament next week

The Logan High School Wildcats boys' basketball team (12-9) left the Willie Akers Arena victorious Monday in the team’s Senior Night/ final regular season game against the Wayne High School Pioneers (6-14) and are heading into next week’s sectional tournament with momentum.

 

LOGAN VS. WAYNE RECAP

The Logan Wildcats dominated the Wayne Pioneers at home on Senior Night in what started as a close-scoring game but quickly turned into a blowout. The Pioneers kept it close throughout the beginning of the first quarter until the Wildcats started rolling, ending it with a 10-point lead of 25-15 and increasing their lead to 42-29 by halftime.

         

The Wildcats managed to turn the heat up even more in the second half and went up by 32 points early in the fourth quarter, before ultimately winning the game by 26 points with a final score of 77-51.

         

L to R: Scotty Browning, Aiden Slack, Jarron Glick, and Garret Williamson

    The Wildcats honored the team’s seniors before the game: Scotty Browning, Garrett Williamson, Aiden Slack and Jarron Glick. All four seniors started during the game; even Williamson, who is out for the remainder of the season due to a knee injury, went onto the floor for the tipoff and exited with a standing ovation after Browning tipped the ball into Williamson’s hands and the Wildcats called a timeout. 

The other three seniors scored double digits in points and shot above 50% each. Slack scored 11 points, shooting 5/9 from the field and grabbing 6 rebounds. Glick finished with a double-double, scoring 14 points, going 6/11 and snagging 11 rebounds. Lastly, Browning led all scorers with 32 points, shooting an impressive 12/15 from the field and 4/5 from the free-throw line.

 

TOURNAMENT TIME FOR THE WILDCATS

       The Wildcats finished the season leading their section with an overall record of 12-9 and a Cardinal Conference Region record of 8-3, followed by the Scott High School Skyhawks: season (13-9) Cardinal Region (7-6), Wayne High School Pioneers: season (6-14) Cardinal Region (1-8), and Lincoln County High School Panthers: season (7-14) Freelance Region (0-7).

         The head coaches from each team in the section met to vote on the seeding for the sectional tournament beginning next week and the four teams' positions are now set in stone. The Scott Skyhawks were voted as the first seed, Logan Wildcats as the second, Wayne Pioneers as the third, and Lincoln County Panthers as the fourth.

 

         The Skyhawks will take on the Panthers in the Hawks Nest at Scott High School and The Wildcats will face off against the Pioneers again in the Wille Akers Arena at Logan High School. Both games will be played Tuesday at 7 p.m. The winners will meet in the sectional championship Mar. 3 at 7 p.m. in the highest-seeded team’s home gym.

         Many spectators believe the Wildcats should have been voted into the first seed over the Skyhawks due to multiple reasons between the two teams' overall records, regional records, and schedules. Both teams had impressive seasons, solid cases for the one seed, and are predicted to meet in the sectional championship.

Some Wildcat fans are rightfully upset with the seeding system being a majority vote between head coaches for understandable reasons. If the Wildcats and Skyhawks meet in the championship, the game will now be played in the Hawks Nest instead of the expected Willie Akers arena. Most sports fans from all levels will argue the importance of playing at home and having the crowd on your side, especially in a game with the season on the line.

The Wildcats always have a massive fan base willing to travel and cheer on the team. If these two end up in the championship, one can expect a sold-out crowd of fans sporting both teams' colors.

First, the Wildcats must defeat the Pioneers one last time. Those unable to intend Tuesday can tune into Mountain Dreams Media’s live stream of the game on Facebook or YouTube.

Book review of "The Black Athlete in West Virginia: High School and College Sports from 1900 Through the End of Segregation"

        Bob Barnett, Dana D. Brooks, and Ronald Althouse, “The Black Athlete in West Virginia: High School and College Sports from 1900 Through the End of Segregation,” 

North Carolina: McFarland & company, inc., 2020, pp. 225, $39.95 (paperback)

This book is a fantastic read about the history of Black athletes in West Virginia and their history from 1900 until the end of segregation in schools after the 1954 case of Brown v. Board of Education, which ultimately was a huge step toward equality. 

The book covers West Virginia’s 40 Black high schools and three Black colleges, highlighting the racial elements and the struggle that athletes had to endure for social justice. The Black schools thrived throughout segregation and helped bring black communities together across the state.

         The book’s 195 pages and 10 chapters are filled with detailed information on the struggles, decisions, events, the ending of segregation, and the aftermath for black athletes in West Virginia. I was impressed with the coverage of athletes of all levels, ranging from high school athletes to historical NBA legend earl Lloyd and Marshall legends Hal Greer and Randy Moss.

 

One of the most notable parts of the book was the detailed information given on Black athletes being given a chance to compete for all-Black championships during segregation at the high school and collegiate levels. West Virginia held its first all-Black basketball tournament at the West Virginia Collegiate Institute Gym Mar. 19, 1925, known as the West Virginia Athletic Union state basketball tournament. The tournament was double elimination and consisted of 11 of 24 Black high schools, and Wheeling Lincoln High School defeated Kimball Negro High School 25-24.  

It was referred to by the Pittsburgh Courier as “The first kind of its stage in West Virginia among Negro schools and one of the first ever held in any Negro school in the country.”(42) The tournament was held every year until 1957 when  Bluefield Park Central High School defeated Byrd Prillerman High School 62-54 in the final championship. As for the collegiate level, Bluefield State and West Virginia State won championships in the Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Which Was changed to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1950.

         The book shows that Integration was not easy for Black students though some believe the transition was smooth, but for most, it was not. Even though the decision to integrate Black students into white schools was made, racism was still a significant issue in America. No white students were integrated into Black schools, but the exact opposite. Only Black students were integrated into white schools, which caused a majority of white students to believe they had power over Black students.  “Integration in West Virginia was painful, and in some cases disheartening, for the African American community.” (19)

This reading was eye-opening for me and would be for anyone who took the time to read it. For many people in West Virginia, their only knowledge of Black History is what their families have told them, which is not always correct and can be negatively persuasive. Black History is not taught to the upcoming generations as much as it should be in West Virginia. It should be covered by every school for all ages to help the youth understand the struggles that the Black community has gone through and prevailed.

This book is a tremendous overall lesson on the history of Black athletes in West Virginia. The authors covered every aspect of the history and provided many helpful resources for readers to find and research more of the history themselves.

Kyle Spaulding is a sports journalism major at Marshall University and has an Associate in Arts. He works voluntarily for WMUL radio station and writes articles for his blog,