AREA TEAMS MAKE STRONG SHOWING AT
WVU CAMP
Publication:
Published: 06/25/2007
Page: 1
Headline: AREA TEAMS MAKE STRONG SHOWING AT WVU
DAILY MAIL SPORTSWRITER
School is not in session
and no prep sports are in season, but that doesn't mean there is nothing going
on in the world of high school athletics.
The main reason is the three-week summer practice period instituted five years
ago. Although no sport is in season, all sports are practicing for one more
week.
Here is a quick rundown on what is happening in prep sports.
n - -
SOME LOCAL football squads
took part in the
Nitro advanced the furthest it ever has and finished second to Bethel
Park (
"I've never been there when there were only two teams left," Wildcats
Coach Scott Tinsley said. "And we've been coming for five years now."
He was very happy with the play of a couple of his returning stars.
"Michael (Scott) did a great job," Tinsley said. "I thought he
was the best quarterback there."
And he had somebody to throw to.
"Marcus Valentine had a great camp too," Tinsley said. "He was
one of the top receivers there."
Nitro finished the event with an 11-2 record.
n - -
SPEAKING OF Tinsley, he was
one of several coaches approved for the upcoming school year by the Kanawha
County Board of Education last week.
That was for the position of girls basketball head
coach at Nitro again.
There has been no doubt about him planning to return in that position or as the
Wildcats' softball coach next spring. His daughter, Nikki, will be a junior and
plays on the softball team.
The question of whether he will be Nitro's football coach in the fall still is
unsettled.
"There is really nothing to report right now," he said. "I
haven't made any decision or anything."
Waccamaw (S.C.) has been courting the Nitro
coach for a while.
Since the news first broke a couple of weeks ago, there have been a couple of
counter-offers made on behalf of Waccamaw and Nitro.
Tinsley expects to make a decision in early July.
n - -
HURRICANE ALSO made a
strong showing at the WVU camp.
"It was really good," Redskins Coach Willis May said. "We had a
good time, played some good teams, and got in some good work."
He took first and second teams that basically were varsity and junior varsity
squads.
The first team finished 6-2.
"All of them had some good games," May said. "My corners played
really well."
They are seniors Mikie Cochrane and Aaron Gonzales.
May also lauded the work of safety/receiver Jeremy Gobel
and fullback/linebacker Brad Anania.
"(Anania) is just learning to play linebacker,
so it was real good work for him," May said. "And Justin Henry threw
the ball really well."
That is not to say he thinks his team is ready to open the season just yet.
"We've got a lot of improving to do," May said.
n - -
THURSDAY WILL mark the fourth
year for the
Under the direction of Red Dragons Coach Scott James, the event has grown again
this year.
"We have 28 teams," James said.
"We had seven the first year, then 12 (the year after that) and 16 last year."
Play will begin at 9 a.m. at three sites - St. Albans, Ayash
Sports Complex and
Schedules will vary at the different locations, with games tipping off as late
as 7 p.m. at
In addition to St. Albans, local teams competing include Nitro, George
Washington, Winfield and
Also among the participants are Ripley,