Fayette gridders prep for season openers
Aug. 8—Fayette County football teams greeted the 2023 preseason with enthusiasm last week.
Class AAA Oak Hill will compete in 2023 under the direction of new head coach Davon Marion, who has reported solid participation in the weight room this summer. "Even in July, which we call our down month, we still average over 30 kids participating in the weight room," he said earlier this year. "In June, we averaged between 45 and 50 kids at practice, so I think we're headed in the right direction here at Oak Hill."
Last Thursday, Marion said the team has carried the core nucleus of 35-40 players since last spring. "They're just trying to get better," he said. "As a whole, everyone has impressed me with their willingness to get better and learn and push one another."
During summer 7-on-7s, Marion saw things he liked.
"These kids will compete. If you push them to the limit and you set high expectations, they'll compete to achieve those goals for you."
About 50 players participated in the early OHHS fall practices as the team entered 2023 on the heels of a 5-5 campaign in which it just missed out on a playoff berth.
The Red Devils will host Nicholas County at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25 to launch the regular season.
Midland Trail, 6-4 a year ago but out of the playoff picture in 2022 for the first time in six seasons, is seeking to begin a new postseason streak.
"The best part of last season is that they came into this season wanting to prove something," second-year head coach Jeremy Moore said of his players.
"They (the older players) know what it means to make the playoffs here, and none of them really liked that feeling." This year's seniors "don't want to be the ones to miss the playoffs two years in a row."
Trail had 50 players in the fold as the fall preseason unfolded. "I'm excited for the kids," Moore said.
"I think they really bought into what we're trying to preach here."
The Patriots open at Clay County on Aug. 25.
Meadow Bridge head coach Dwayne Reichard welcomed 27 players in early preseason practices as the Wildcats hope to better their 2-8 record from 2022.
"We struggled with numbers and really trying to find out what we were good at," Reichard said of last year. "It ended up we lost two overtime games, as well, so you're a play away from being 4-6 instead of 2-8. While 4-6 is not what you shoot for, it sure looks a lot better on paper."
"I went to a spread offense a few years ago because of personnel, and I'm going back to our old school stuff because of personnel again," Reichard explained last week.
The Wildcats dropped Greenbrier West and James Monroe from their schedule in the offseason. The Cavaliers and Mavericks were replaced by Bath County, Va. and Craig County, Va. And, Webster County dropped Meadow Bridge. In Webster's place, the 'Cats will face Clay-Battelle on the road this year.
Meadow Bridge will have just four home games.
In upcoming scrimmages, Oak Hill will host Spring Valley on Friday, Aug. 11 at 6 p.m., then visit Mingo Central on Aug. 19 at 11 a.m.
Midland Trail will play Pocahontas County at Hinton in the Battle of the Border at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 11 before scrimmaging at Chapmanville the following week.
Meadow Bridge will host two scrimmages — PikeView on Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. and Liberty on Aug. 18 at 7 p.m.
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