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Meadowbrook not shying away from expectations

By SETH STASKEY Times Leader Sports Editor BYESVILLE — As it pertains to what he thinks about his 2018 Meadowbrook Colts, head coach Jeff Twiddy isn’t bashful. “From day one (when I was hired), the expectation has been to win a state championship and I don’t want to sound cocky or arrogant, but the expectation of this team (in 2018) is to win a state title ... 100 percent,” Twiddy said. To many, especially from a program that’s never won a playoff game and qualified for the postseason only three times, including 2015 and 2017, that may sound like a pipedream. But, when ...

Indian Creek poised for success

By BUBBA KAPRAL Executive Sports Editor WINTERSVILLE — Finishing. That is the focus for Indian Creek football this fall. The Redskins ended 2017 with a deceptive 6-4 mark. Three of those losses were by six points or less while a fourth setback saw the outcome still up for grabs in the fourth quarter. With that being the case, Andrew Connor, now in his 16th year at the Creek helm, dedicated the off-season to eliminating that issue. “We lost all four games in the fourth quarter. We had a chance to win all those games,” Connor said. “Our effort and enthusisam was good last ...

Steubenville set to open defense of title

By ED LOOMAN For The Times Leader STEUBENVILLE — Big Red’s ultra successful football program boasts a bevy of first-class components, including the high-quality game day magazine sold outside Harding Stadium. Supporters of the Crimson and the Black will definitely need that publication when the 2018 season opens just to get familiar with the new faces and numbers seeing critical playing time on Reno Field. A boatload of talent is gone from 2017’s dream season where Big Red was a perfect 15-0 and captured the Ohio Division IV championship. Picking up diplomas last spring where ...

Steubenville CC skilled, but not deep

By ED LOOMAN For The Times Leader STEUBENVILLE — Steve Daley isn’t exactly stuck between a rock and a hard place as he gets his Steubenville Catholic Central football team ready for the 2018 season, but he is pretty darn close. With a boatload of starters back on both sides of the ball, the veteran coach is optimistic about the upcoming campaign. Given the program’s ongoing issues with numbers and depth, however, Daley also realizes he and his staff “have to be smart and keep our fingers crossed.” “We have 30 players on the roster and not much depth in certain areas,” ...

Willis calling the shots at John Marshall

By SHAWN RINE For The Times Leader GLEN DALE — Jason Willis has been around the John Marshall program for decades, first as the team’s quarterback in the early 1990s and most recently as a longtime assistant coach. So when the head coach position came open with the retirement of Rick Goodrich, Willis knew it was time. “My ultimate goal was to the be the head coach here,’’ Willis said. “I didn’t know it was going to be this soon — I didn’t know Goody was going to leave this soon. “It’s been something that I have always wanted to do.’’ Willis seems to have ...

Weir High roster is deep and talented

By RALPH COX For The Times Leader WEIRTON — With a wealth of experience, some outstanding underclassmen and three top transfers, the Weir High football team could be in for a very exciting 2018 campaign. Veteran Red Rider coach Tony Filberto already has a strong group returning from the 7-4 playoff season of a year ago, and it only got stronger. The leading ground gainer in West Virginia last year and one of his top blockers decided to transfer across town from Madonna, and the family of one of the top linebackers in the state moved from Brooke County to Hancock. Donavan Kirby, who ...