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Injury bug biting several local teams

By SETH STASKEY, Times Leader Sports Editor No matter the level of football — high school, collegiate or professional — injuries are a huge part of the game. Obviously as the players become faster and stronger you hear more about serious injuries at the upper two levels out of the three just named. But this year all over the Ohio Valley, the injury bug is taking its toll. No matter the team or school, injuries have played a role in the season. Look at Martins Ferry and Bellaire for example. The Purple Riders had almost enough guys in street clothes during Friday’s game to ...

Daytona Beach invader Van Do getting it done

Patricia Byers has enjoyed plenty of success at Wheeling Downs. Last year, four of her Daytona Beach invaders — littermates P Nut Picker, Amalee, Snowbiz and Careful Carly — made an immediate impact. Each competed in Grade AA and won races against the track’s top sprinters. Although all but Careful Carly are still racing in Grade AA this year, the foursome has hit the pay sheet in 69 percent of their 323 combined Wheeling starts — 63 wins, 59 seconds, 52 thirds and 49 fourths. In late July, another of Byers’ Daytona Beach connection — Van Do — arrived in Wheeling. ...

Prep Football: Buckeye reaches milestone with latest victory

Buckeye Local’s win Friday night at Edison was a historical one for a Panther football program that got its start in the fall of 1990. Reaching milestones are significant not because they give us something to write and talk about, but because reaching a milestone if anything gives us the opportunity to look back on where it all started and what happened along the way. Friday night in Richmond, Buckeye Local’s Panther football team won for the 100th time in the school’s history. Not a significant number on a state or national level, but a significant point in the history of ...

Nomemory living up to expectations

Janet Allen doesn’t like to get too excited when talking about her greyhounds. Come early next year, she may not have a choice. San Tan Nomemory — one of Wheeling’s rising young stars — just might be an entry in the third edition of the Derby Lane Million in St. Petersburg, Fla. The rich stake begins Feb. 9, 2008 and concludes with the final March 1. “If Nomemory stays sound and if he’s good enough, there’s a chance he will run in the Million,” Allen said from her Kansas home. “If he can win Grade AA at Wheeling, I think he can run against the best in the ...

Nomemory living up to expectations

    Janet Allen doesn’t like to get too excited when talking about her greyhounds.     Come early next year, she may not have a choice.     San Tan Nomemory — one of Wheeling’s rising young stars — just might be an entry in the third edition of the Derby Lane Million in St. Petersburg, Fla. The rich stake begins Feb. 9, 2008 and concludes with the final March 1.     “If Nomemory stays sound and if he’s good enough, there’s a chance he will run in the Million,” Allen said from her ...

Original organist returns to celebrate home opener

There was an original member of the Wheeling Thunderbirds organization in the house Friday night at WesBanco Arena as the Nailers opened the home portion of the 2007-08 season with a disheartening 6-2 loss to the South Carolina Stingrays. And this guy didn’t even hit the ice. Beloved organist Dan Wheeler returned the the ice rink for the first time in 11 seasons. “I have a lot of good memories from this place,” he said between periods. “I had a lot of fun, but things have changed. The overall game has changed as it has progressed more toward the NHL.” Wheeler was ...