MARTINS FERRY — A wise man once said, “It is not the problem, but rather who is solving it.”

OVAC Executive Secretary Tom Rataiczak and his football committee were delivered a major problem late last month. The conference braintrust needed to find a new home for Rudy Mumley All-Star Football Game this July.

The problem arose after Wheeling Island Stadium — the annual home for the all-star clash — was found to have some panels in decay. A $1M repair project has ensued at the stadium and is expected to be in shut-down mode till early September.

Fortunately, the structural issues were discovered when the stadium was not in use. It could have proved fatal if the issue surfaced during an athletic contest. So in some respects, it was a blessing.

The OVAC officials had basically four quality options to ponder: Steubenville’s Harding Stadium, Brooke High, St. Clairsville High and the Dave Bruney Football Complex in Martins Ferry.

All four are ideal grid venues. But all four had an issue or two when trying to accommodate the game of such magnitude.

Rataiczak, OVAC Game Director Bob Koch and the grid committee opted for Martins Ferry. They made the call and did so in timely fashion.

With no disrespect to the other three sites, the Dave Bruney Football Complex in Martins Ferry makes the most sense.

First, it has enough seating to handle the crowd which is not the 7,000-8,000 in years past due to television coverage. Also it does provide shelter from rain on its home side.

The biggest factor that Martins Ferry is geographically equal to Wheeling Island. Some players and families have much travel in conjunction with the game, including those from the Parkersburg and Morgantown areas. Should the game be played at Harding Stadium or at Brooke High it would result in another 25-minute trip each way.

“At one time (1950s, 60s, 70s) we let that stadium go, even though we won as many games or more than anyone. No money was spent on it and the stadium went into disrepair. It was so bad that we had to tear down the visitors’ side,” said Martins Ferry head coach Dave Bruney. “I want to thank the OVAC for the opportunity to showcase our facility. I also want to thank so many people for working so hard to improve and maintain our current facilities, which had not always the case dating back to the 50s, 60s and 70s.

“Dirk Fitch got this turf replacement project going shortly before he retired (as district superintendent). Jim Fogle and Kim Appolloni have picked up the ball and moved it along.”

Purple Rider Stadium housed the all-star game in the early 1970s without a hitch. The facility is now light years better than it was some 50 years ago.

Ohio fans will get one added bonus. Buckeye partisans usually bake during sweltering conditions at the game, as the visiting side at Wheeling Island Stadium faces the sun. At Ferry, home fans will be under cover with backs to the sun.

“We have had so much help from so many people over the last 20 years in improving this place. Dan Jones has been a big help. He helped me when I was getting it off the ground,” Bruney said. “My biggest thanks goes out to our school board — Dorothy Powell, Nick Stankovich, Bob Zilai, Scott Ballint and Joe Lovell. They are all Martins Ferry grads and were all involved in many extracurricular activities while in school. They are ardent supporters and realize the integral role that quality athletic and extracurricular programs play in education.

“I have known them all for at least 45 years on a personal level. I can’t thank them enough. I coached Nick and then he coached for me. Bob coached me,” he continued.

“They spend a lot of time at the stadium and realize what it takes to maintain a great facility. I can’t thank our entire community and students enough. This facility has prolonged my career.”

BUBBA’S BITS

DAVID VAN Camp — a 2000 Wheeling Park High grad — was killed in Iraq while serving the U.S. Army as a captain. He was a former Patriots’ baseball player. After his death, David’s family established a scholarship in his honor. Park senior Rush Seidler received that scholarship after Tuesday’s sectional win against John Marshall. Capt. Van Camp received numerous military honors, including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

TERRY EDWARDS dedicated much of his life to baseball. He guided Wheeling Central to more than 300 wins and a pair of state titles. The former West Liberty grid star left the Maroon Knights to establish a baseball program at Wheeling Jesuit University. The affable coach opted to enter retirement Monday after some 41 years of coaching. We salute the 2001 OVAC Coach of the Year for a selfless coaching career that yielded tremendous success on the field while also helping shape the lives of countless young men in a positive fashion.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE’S DeVon Harris acquitted himself quite nicely in the Ohio North-South Division 4-7 All-Star Football Game last weekend in Massillon. The Red Devil picked off a pass that set up a South touchdown. North prevailed by a 45-42 count.

THE WHEELING American Legion Post 1 Baseball Team will be holding its annual Comedy Night Fundraiser on Friday, May 26 at Wheeling Island Casino. The show starts at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more details call Don Tennant at 304-230-3200.

WHEELING PARK product Andrew Kowalo continues to his impress this spring with the Liberty University baseball team. The talented senior infielder entered this weekend play with a .275 batting average with six home runs and 36 RBI for the 29-18 Flames. He has scored 31 runs and belted out 46 hits. Kowalo has started all 47 of Liberty’s games. In Tuesday’s 16-6 win over Elon, Kowalo came up huge. He had three hits, including a home run, while driving in four runs.

ST. JOHN Central’s head boys’ basketball coach Matt Heusel was honored by the Ohio County Board of Education for his work as a teacher at Wheeling Middle School.

FORMER JOHN Marshall three-sport standout Torie Derrow turned in a sparklng effort in Friday’s Conference USA Track Championships. The Marshall University frosh finished seventh in the heptathlon.