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RIPLEY - The Ripley High softball team have proven to be a quite obstinate lot. The squad has fought through injuries, inexperience and one tough pitching duel after another. After the smoke has cleared, coach Swisher's crew finds themselves within striking distance of their second Class AAA State Championship in four years as they enter the West Virginia State Softball Tournament on Wednesday."We are a young team but we don't use that as a crutch. Our girls know that...
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RIPLEY – The last time Ripley reached the West Virginia Girls State High School Softball Tournament it turned out to be historic. The Lady Vikings captured the 2009 Class AAA state championship, marking the first-ever for Ripley High in a girls varsity sport.The title was the third team championship for the school being added to a pair of baseball crowns that were won in 1997 and 2004. Lady Viking head coach Kenny Swisher would love to see that number jump to...
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CHARLESTON – "In the money"When it comes to horse racing terms that means a top three finish. On the day of the Preakness – the second leg of horse racing's triple crown – Ravenswood High's Hailey Miller was indeed "In the money." In what was the 39th edition of the West Virginia State High School Track and Field Meet for girls, Miller, just a sophomore, finished third in the grueling 400 meters for Class AA. She...
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CHARLESTON – With a still growing track and field program, Jason Ward was certainly happy with the eight points his Ripley Vikings put on the board over the weekend at the 99th Annual West Virginia Boys State Track and Field Meet inside UC Stadium.Those points were produced both on the track and in the field.Freshman Zane Griffith was responsible for half of Ripley's eight, thanks to a fourth place finish in the pole vault. Griffith's best height was...
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RAVENSWOOD - The 2013 Ravenswood Red Devil baseball team took tremendous strides. In fact, no other team in the state of West Virginia in any class can boast the turnaround of the Red Devils. In 20012, the Ravenswood posted a (3-22) record and were "mercy ruled" 18 times. This season, first year head coach Wes Swain led the red and black to a (19-16) overall record and an (8-6) mark in the Little Kanawha Conference.The team returned six players from 2012.The...
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RIPLEY - After losing eight seniors last season and returning three seniors this year, only one of which was a returning starter, it was evident that Ripley High's baseball team would be a little inexperienced around the edges this season.Last year's squad finished (14-18) and was knocked out in sectional play to Parkersburg High and Parkersburg South.With post season realignment came the optimism of a less daunting road to the State Tournament.The Viking...
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A 5K run set for Thursday (May 23) will benefit Project Graduation 2013 for Ripley High School seniors.
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2013 STATE RUNNERS-UP – Ravenswood seniors Taylor Youell (left) and Alex McNabb display their Class AA-A State Tennis No. 1 Doubles Runner-Up plaques at Schoenbaum Tennis Center in Kanawha City lastSaturday.
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RIPLEY - It's not that Chelsey Hager needed much run support on this night, but her teammates had her back. Big time.Once again, Hager was sensational on the mound. The junior allowed just three hits in disposing of Shady Spring in a 8-0, Region 3 championship game.The "mercy rule" shortened contest went six innings and Hager was excited for her team."We just want to keep getting better, it's the right time of year to be playing well," said Hager after the...
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CHARLESTON - It isn't everyday an individual gets a shot at making history.Ripley High sophomore Arin Shatto did just that on Saturday in Charleston at the West Virginia High School State Tennis Tournament.Shatto became the first player in the school's tennis program (girls or boys) to compete for a state title.And even though she lost in her championship match, it was a proud moment for all blue and white athletic followers."She played extremely...
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Yoeull wins state tennis crown; Ravenswood girls take state AA-A team runner-up honors May. 14, 2013KANAWHA CITY - Ravenswood seniors Taylor Youell and Alex McNabb and junior Bess McNabb saved the best for last this tennis season, making a three-girl run to a West Virginia State AA-A Girls' Tennis Tournament Team Runner-Up finish Saturday at Schoenbaum Tennis Center.The trio gift-wrapped the state runner-up trophy as a retirement gift for their coaches Butch Varney and Jim Frazier who are calling it a career.Youell scored half of Ravenswood's second-best...
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ELLENBORO – Ravenswood's Red Devils saw their baseball season come to a screeching halt last weeK with a pair of sectional tournament losses to Ritchie County on the Rebels' home field.The Devils lost 10-3 on Wednesday, when the Rebels scored seven runs over the final two innings.D.J. Burgess got the pitching win for Ritchie, fanning two and walking one over six innings. Austin Weekley tossed one inning, walking two. The Rebel tandem allowed just four...
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CHARLESTON – Thanks to some solid performances in the Class AAA Region 3 competition last Wednesday at UC Stadium in Charleston, several Ripley Vikings and Lady Vikings will be returning to that same venue this Friday and Saturday for the annual West Virginia State High School Track and Field Meet. "We're taking a lot of kids down there," said Coach Jason Ward. "We're getting a lot of kids out and it (track and field) has become a legitimate sport at Ripley. It's...
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ELLENBORO – While all 12 of the regional track and field meets in West Virginia were scheduled to be completed by late Friday night, the Class AA Region 1 affair didn’t finish up until Saturday. It was a meet that included both the Ravenswood High School girls and boys teams.The meet was halted at Chuck Schofield Memorial Stadium on the Ritchie County High campus due to a downed power line in the area. Repairs could not be done in time to continue the meet...
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RIPLEY - "The kids played their guts out. They left it on the field," said Ripley's third year coach Shane Casto after Ripley's heartbreaking 6-4 loss on Saturday in the Region 3 Section 4 matchup that ended Ripley's season and propelled the Warriors to Regional play.After defeating Capital to open sectional play, Ripley fell twice to the Warriors on consecutive nights. Ripley dropped a 4-0 decision on Friday, a game in which the Vikings mustered just five hits. Trevor Tucker...
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Seniors Taylor Youell and Alex McNabb advanced to the 2013 West Virginia State AA-A Tennis championship finals Friday in dramatic fashion.
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Ravenswood's Tennis Trio of Taylor Youell, Bess McNabb and Alex McNabb rolled into Day 2 of the West Virginia State Class AA-A Tennis Tournament with impressive, and, in two of three cases, heart-palpitating wins.
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SOUTH CHARLESTON - Chelsey Hager shot down more birds than Ted Nugent on a hunting trip.In the Region 3 semifinals on Thursday night, the junior hurler whiffed 22 Lady Black Eagles en-route to an 11 inning, 4-1 victory which catapults the Lady Vikings into the Region 3 Championship May 16 at 6 p.m. at Lady Viking Park.Shady Spring eliminated Greenbrier East on Thursday to earn the shot at Ripley to advance to...
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RAVENSWOOD - Coach Wes Swain's Ravenswood Red Devils spotted visiting Roane County a 3-0 lead, but then roared back to dismiss the Raiders from the postseason, 6-3, Tuesday at soggy Wright Field. Roane lost to Ritchie County Monday in the double-elimination Class AA Region I, Section 2 Tournament's opening game.Starting Ravenswood pitcher Isaac Crow suffered through a rough first inning, allowing two run to the Raiders who took advantage of miscues and the soggy infield.
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RIPLEY - It was a perfect day for baseball as an enthusiastic crowd cheered on Jackson County’s Middle School baseball programs in a battle to move on in the MVAC Tournament.Mike Ruben was in "Rube’s Roost" and his golden voice gave the matchup a varsity atmosphere at Ray Swisher Field at Viking Park.While the scoreboard posted big hitting numbers, Lakin Tucker was able to get a big win...
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RIPLEY - Can you imagine turning 15-years old and on the very next day hurling a one hitter in a sectional game that your team needs very badly?Ripley freshman hurler Logan McCoy pitched a masterful one-hitter for Ripley High versus Capital on Wednesday in the Region 3 Section 4 opener. The Vikings won in convincing fashion, 7-0.In a game that was originally supposed to be played on Monday in Charleston was rained out again on Tuesday...
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RAVENSWOOD – Ripley High plated five runs in the first inning giving Nathan Tucker all the support he would need on the mound as the Vikings cruised to a 7-3 victory at Wright Field.Ravenswood (18-14, LKC 9-6) threw Jesse Brown against the Vikings. Brown has had a fine year including a "No No" he notched against Tyler Consolidated two weeks ago.Ripley's Tucker has come on strong for the Vikings this season and established himself as a leader in a...
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ELLENBORO – A pair of second place finishes, turned in by Hailey Miller and Taylor Treadway, highlighted Ravenswood High's appearance in the Little Kanawha Conference Championship Meet Friday night inside Chuck Schofield Stadium on the Ritchie High School campus.The Devilettes of head coach Renee Swisher placed sixth overall as a team with 36 points.Miller's second place performance was in the 400 meters with a time of 1:02.08. Treadway got...
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CHARLESTON – Jason Ward was longing for something big from his Ripley Viking track and field team on Friday evening at UC Stadium in the annual Mountain State Athletic Conference Championship Meet. He got it from Ryan Gregory. The versatile Gregory won the long jump with a leap of 20-05.50.Gregory's MSAC title was the top performance of the evening for the Vikings who finished eighth overall in the team standings with 33 points.
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EASTWOOD – A day after staging a dramatic upset of Class AA No. 10 Roane County in sectional tournament play, Ravenswood’s Red Devilettes suffered a nightmare bottom of the seven inning after leading 9-2 to lose 10-9 to the same Lady Raiders in the tournament elimination game, and saw their season come to an abrupt, stunning end.Coach Cindy Carmichael’s gals grabbed a 4-1 lead with four runs in the top of the second inning. Sidnee Morgan got the...
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PARKERSBURG – Unbeaten senior Taylor Youell of Ravenswood rolled through the Class AA/A Region I No. 2 Singles' bracket to the championship, but the match of the tournament was played and won by junior Bess McNabb at No. 3 Singles.Youell, a state runner-up in 2011 and a state semifinalist in 2012, had only one brief close call in the semifinals versus Ritchie County's Olivia Haught. Haught led 3-1 in the early morning match Friday before Youell rallied and rolled...
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CHARLESTON – The Ripley softball team has logged more miles this week than a Willie Nelson tour. The Ladies in blue had to take three swings at Riverside to knock them out of Region 4 Section 3 play on Saturday, 3-2 in eight innings in the Class AAA Region 3 Section 4 softball tournament.Uncharacteristically, Ripley (22-9 MSAC 10-3) made nine errors in two games as Riverside took Ripley down 12-8 on a windy Friday evening to tie the three game series at one...
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CHARLESTON - "I'm on cloud nine."The speaker was Greg Varney. The topic was his Ripley Lady Viking tennis team.The veteran coach has every right to be. Ripley is sending its most competitors ever, boys or girls, to the State Tournament this week in Charleston. The Lady Vikings are heading to the Capital City after an impressive showing in the Class AAA Region 3 Tournament on Thursday and Friday in Capital City.All four...
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RIPLEY - On Thursday, the Jackson County Board of Education confirmed that David Tennant was hired as the new Ripley High football coach, effective immediately. "We voted unanimously to accept the recommendation for Mr. David Tennant for the position," said Jackson County Schools Superintendant Blaine Hess.Ripley High Principal Will Hosaflook made the recommendation to the board on Wednesday morning after two weeks of interviews for the position. While...
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RIPLEY – The 2013 season has been one of strides for the Ripley High baseball team. The squad began the season with a youthful roster high on enthusiasm but short on experience.As the regular season winds down, the Vikings of Coach Shane Casto have posted their eighth victory with a 12-3 bashing of Class AA No. 1 Herbert Hoover (21-3) on Thursday night at Ray Swisher Field at Viking Park."Hoover is a...
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CHARLESTON – The Ripley High softball team is beginning to stretch their muscles. The squad eliminated Capital High from Region 3 Section 4 play earlier in the week and took the first of a three game playoff series from Riverside, 4-0 last night (Thursday) that will decide the Section Championship.Ripley (21-8) will travel to Chucktown again today as they fight to snag the title with a victory over...
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RIPLEY – The Jackson County Board of Education voted unanimously to hire 31-year old David Tennant as its football coach effective immediately."We are very lucky to have a quality individual like Coach Tennant to lead Ripley High School Football for the 2013 season. I am proud to have recommended him," said Ripley Principal Will Hosaflook."He is enthusiastic and community oriented," he added.
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RIPLEY – After a decade long run as the head coach of the Ripley High School Viking football team, after much speculation, Jimmy Frashier officially stepped down in mid-March to accept an administrative position at Ravenswood High School.For two weeks, Ripley Principal Will Hosaflook as toiled with the prospect of replacing the rock solid Frashier at one of the higher profile seats in the County.
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RAVENSWOOD - The Ravenswood baseball team swept a double header from the visiting Sherman Tide on Saturday at Wright Field. The Devils took game one in a mercy rule induced five inning affair, 19-4 and squeezed out an 11-10 victory with some seventh inning magic in game two.The Tide rolled into town boasting one of the best players in Class A baseball in West Virginia. John Hunter, a five tool slugging lefty first baseman and knuckle ball slinging hurler made his...
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RAVENSWOOD – Ravenswood Tennis split a dula match with visiting Ritchie County last week witht eh boys' nipping the Rebels 4-3 and the girls' being edged 4-3.In boys' singles play, Ethan Cross beat Noah Laugh, 8-1; Sean Matics lost 8-2 to Zach Bishop 8-2; Michael Danishanko nipped Hunter Bishop 9-8 (7-3); and Logna Tucker lost to Kyle Knuston 9-7.In doubles, Cross/Matics beat Laugh/Bishop 8-6; Bishop/Knuston edged Danishanko/Elias McKown 8-6; and...
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RAVNSWOOD – For 36 years, Doug Parrish served Ravenswood High School as the skipper of the Red Devil baseball team. He stepped down after last season and gave the reigns to his understudy Wes Swain, a former player of the elder coach and a passionate baseball man who will guide the program into the future.On Saturday, Ravenswood High School honored coach Parrish in style between games of the Red Devil's matchup with Sherman High. Parrish threw out the first pitch...
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RIPLEY - Chelsey Hager is a very focused young lady. The Ripley High School junior has a busy schedule and she prefers it that way.Hager carries a 4.13 grade point average in the classroom and is taking Advanced Placement English this year. She is a member of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Beta, an honor society for those students with a strong aptitude and performance in mathematics.Hager can also outthink her opponents on the pitchers mound where...
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RAVENSWOOD - The Devils beat visiting Parkersburg Catholic last week, 8-4, behind Devon Crews' power hitting.Crews went 3-for-4 with a homer, double and three RBIs to key the Swainmen. Logan Jarrett was 2-for-3 with an RBI.Isaac Crow got the pitching win, fanning five, walking seven and scattering 10 hits.Mitch Davids took the loss for the Crusaders, fanning 12, walking one...
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RIPLEY – As Coach Ken Swisher's Ripley High softball team moves into Region 3 Section 4 sectional play on Wednesday, the squad had to take care of some regular season business on Saturday at Lady Viking Park.A double header with Parkersburg South that was rescheduled due to rainy weather early in the season was on the plate for the Lady Vikings (19-8). The team responded with a convincing sweep of the Lady Patriots.
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RIPLEY – Who says the number 13 is unlucky? It certainly isn't for the Ripley girls tennis team. Greg Varney's Lady Vikings moved to a perfect 13-0 on the season Monday evening with a 7-0 shutout of Oak Hill at the Ripley City Park Courts.In singles play, No. 1 seed Emily Munson defeated Mary Kate Rosick, 8-1. The No. 2 match was won by Makala Taylor, 8-0. Brooke King picked up the No. 3 match over Kelli Martin, 8-2. Arin Shatto claimed the...
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RIPLEY - Coming off a tournament at Moorefield where Ripley went 3-2 over the two day span, Chelsey Hager once again flirted with a no hitter on Monday evening as Ripley's eighth ranked softball team defeated George Washington, 8-0 in a mercy rule shortened game.Hager hurled four scoreless innings and gave up just one hit. Talented freshman Darby Petersen came in for the fifth inning and shut the door on the Lady Patriots.George Washington committed an...
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ST. MARYS – Ravenswood Boys' Tennis doubles teams pulled off stunning upsets for the top Class AA/A Region I teams from St. Marys Monday on the road and the Ravenswood girls continued their surge with a 7-0 win over the Blue Devils.At No. 1 Doubles, Ravenswood's Ethan Cross and Sean Matics knocked off the top team of Sam Maston and Drew Poling, 8-6.Following suit, Michael Danishanko and Elias McKown then handed the previously unbeaten St. Marys duo of Marcus...
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KIDWELL – Ravenswood southpaw Jesse Brown twirled a no-hitter missing a perfect game by just one walk, and Coach Wes Swain's Red Devils swept a road doubleheader Saturday at Tyler Consolidated.Ravenswood won the first game of the twinbill, 11-0, behind 14 strikeouts by Brown and a single walk. Brown allowed no Silver Knight hits.In the meantime, the Red Devils banged out 12 hits, scoring four runs in the top of the first, two each in the second third...
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RIPLEY – Ripley High senior Preston Baldwin mashed a double down the line in left field in the bottom of the sixth to plate XX and XX as the Vikings rolled to a 3-1 victory over Riverside in front of a large crowd at Ray Swisher Field at Viking Park Monday night. The two out hit helped to end a losing streak that has haunted the Vikings since March 30."After Riverside called timeout, Coach Casto told me to put one down the line and get the runs home and I managed...
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As we come down to the end of the school year and another group of seniors move on to college, I am left with a bit of sadness. While I strive to keep a "professional distance" from the athletes I cover, I always find myself getting to know the student athletes and their parents. I recall the fond memories I have of capturing a special moment for them with a camera or having the honor of describing their athletic exploits in print.
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RIPLEY – It was a chilly, wet night in Sissonville as the Ripley High sluggers (4-16) took on the AA Sissonville Indians, a team they defeated 3-1 on March 23. Jared Bumpus was the star on that night, mowing down the Indians as they beat his curve ball into the ground for easy outs.Isaac Koontz, Ripley's sophomore fireballer took the hill on Friday and took notice of the soggy conditions as he was warming up. "I can't keep the mud out of my spikes,"...
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BUFFALO - Ravenswood's Red Devils, now 10-10, continued their win streak (six games) with two more wins last week, beating Buffalo (7-3) on the road Thursday and nipping Sissonville, 3-2, with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning Wednesday at Wright Field.At Buffalo, the Red Devils led 3-0 after three innings before the Bison tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.Ravenswood then scored a pair of runs in the fifth and two more in...
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EASTWOOD - Devilette sophomore ace Savana Casto came one walk short of pitching a "perfect" game Wednesday at Eastwood, fanning 15 Calhoun County batters in a 8-0, five-inning shutout.Casto’s lone hiccup came in the seven inning as she walked a batter before recovering to fan the final three batters in order to end the game. For the game, she fanned 15, walked one and allowed no hits over five innings of work.Ravenswood grabbed a...
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PARKERSBURG – The ninth ranked AAA Ripley High School softball team weren't their normal efficient selves on the defensive side of the diamond last week, but as good teams most often do, they found a way to squeeze past the Parkersburg Lady Reds in game one of a double header and inch closer to sectional competition next month.The squad is playing without two very important spokes in their blue and white wheel. Junior All State pitcher Reese Gandee has had to rest...
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