West Virginia

Predicting the winners of the 2024 West Virginia high school football playoffs first round

Published

1 year ago

November 22, 2024

Predicting the winners of the 2024 West Virginia high school football playoffs first round

The West Virginia high school playoffs begin tonight with a full slate of games on the table.

Check out who High School On SI predicts will win their first round matchups on Friday, and who will secure a spot in the second round of the WVSSAC postseason.

First-round matchups

(1) Martinsburg vs. (16) Parkersburg

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Martinsburg

(9) Parkersburg South vs. (8) Washington

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Parkersburg South

(4) Wheeling Park vs. (13) Musselman

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Wheeling Park

(5) Huntington vs. (12) University

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Huntington

(2) Spring Mills vs. (15) Hedgesville

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Spring Mills

(7) Morgantown vs. (10) Woodrow Wilson

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Morgantown

(3) Jefferson vs. (14) Cabell Midland

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Jefferson

(6) Hurricane vs. (11) George Washington

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Hurricane

2024 WVSSAC Class AAAA high school football bracket

First-round matchups

(1) Princeton vs. (16) Hampshire

4:00 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Princeton

(8) North Marion vs. (9) Ripley

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: North Marion

(4) Hoover vs. (13) Elkins

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Hoover

(5) Oak Hill vs. (12) Lewis County

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Oak Hill

(2) Fairmont Senior vs. (15) Point Pleasant

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Fairmont Senior

(7) Spring Valley vs. (10) East Fairmont

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Spring Valley

(3) Bridgeport vs. (14) Byrd

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Bridgeport

(6) Nitro vs. (11) Shady Spring

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Nitro

2024 WVSSAC Class AAA high school football bracket

First-round matchups

(1) Frankfort vs. (16) Westside

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Frankfort

(9) Bluefield vs. (8) South Harrison

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Bluefield

(4) Williamstown vs. (13) Moorefield

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Williamstown

(5) Wheeling Central Catholic vs. (12) Nicholas County

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Wheeling Central Catholic

(2) Roane County vs. (15) Chapmanville Regional

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Roane County

(7) Wayne vs. (10) Scott

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Scott

(3) Independence vs. (14) James Monroe

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Independence

(6) Philip Barbour vs. (11) Clay County

4:00 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Phillip Barbour

2024 WVSSAC Class AA high school football bracket

First-round matchups

(1) Tug Valley vs. (16) Tolsia

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Tug Valley

(8) Petersburg vs. (9) River View

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Petersburg

(4) Cameron vs. (13) Valley

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Cameron

(5) Doddridge County vs. (12) Wirt County

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Doddridge County

(2) Tucker County vs. (15) East Hardy

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Tucker County

(7) Pendleton County vs. (10) Meadow Bridge

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Pendleton County

(3) Wahama vs. (14) Madonna

1:30 p.m. Saturday

PREDICTION: Wahama

(6) Sherman vs. (11) Tyler

7:00 p.m. Friday

PREDICTION: Sherman

2024 WVSSAC Class A high school football bracket

Follow High School On SI throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates, the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships!

Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news.

To get live updates on your phone – as well as follow your favorite teams and top games – you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App

— Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports

Source link

West Virginia

Why is Popular Bracketologist Still Considering West Virginia for NCAA Tournament?

Published

2 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Why is Popular Bracketologist Still Considering West Virginia for NCAA Tournament?

Losing to Kansas State wiped away all hope for West Virginia to make the NCAA Tournament. That seems to be the clear consensus in the Mountain State, but is there actually still a chance? Well, I guess so.

ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi still has West Virginia listed as a team to consider, the second team outside of the “next four out” grouping.

Lunardi’s current NCAA Tournament bubble

Feb 28, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Honor Huff (3) shoots a three point shot over BYU Cougars guard Robert Wright III (1) during the second half at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Last Four Byes: Missouri, Texas A&M, Texas, Ohio State

Last Four In: SMU, Santa Clara, New Mexico, Indiana

First Four Out: VCU, Auburn, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati

Next Four Out: San Diego State, USC, California, Seton Hall

Next: Stanford, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona State

How is this even possible?

Feb 28, 2026; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Ross Hodge watched a play from the sideline during the first half against the BYU Cougars at Hope Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Short answer? I don’t really know.

My best guess as to why? Two things: the respect for the Big 12 and the opportunities left on the table, and two, an incredibly weak bubble.

Should West Virginia beat UCF on Friday, it will give the Mountaineers a 9-9 record in Big 12 play. That’s not as much of a guarantee to make the dance as having a winning record, but still, it’s an impressive mark, especially when, in this instance, they would have wins over Kansas, BYU, and sweeps over Cincinnati and UCF.

If you ask me, they still have too many bad losses for it to matter. I mean, even if they got red-hot out of nowhere and made it to the Big 12 championship game next week, is that enough? Potentially, but that’s a big IF.

The one thing WVU does have on its side is the number of Quad 1 wins, which they have five of. Virtually every other team in college basketball that has a minimum of five Quad 1 victories is expected to make the tournament. In that previously mentioned scenario, they would add at least one more Quad 1 win in the conference tournament, giving the committee something to think about.

The bubble is just incredibly weak, though. Like, how in the world is Auburn, who is 16-14 currently, the second team out of the field? Cincinnati, which WVU swept and has the same record as, is the fourth team in the “first four out” grouping.

At this point, the only path I see is for the Mountaineers to cut down the nets in Kansas City — good luck with that. We could be having a very different conversation if they didn’t lallygag their way through the first 30 minutes of the games against Utah and Kansas State.

Source link

West Virginia

Buckle up: West Virginia launching seatbelt enforcement campaign Friday

Published

14 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Buckle up: West Virginia launching seatbelt enforcement campaign Friday

Buckle up, Upshur County. Starting Friday, March 6, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will step up seatbelt enforcement as part of a statewide Click It or Ticket campaign running through March 23.

The West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) announced the high-visibility mobilization as a warm-up to the national seatbelt campaign in May. The goal is to ensure every occupant — front seat or back, driver or passenger — is buckled on every trip.

“During this mobilization, law enforcement officers across West Virginia will be out in full force. They will be strictly ticketing drivers who are unbuckled or who are transporting children not properly restrained in car seats,” said Jack McNeely, Director of the GHSP.

The numbers behind the campaign are sobering. In 2023, 40% of passenger vehicle occupants killed in West Virginia crashes were unrestrained. The state’s seatbelt usage rate has also slipped — from 91.9% in 2024 to 91.6% in 2025.

Rural drivers face elevated risk despite a common assumption that country roads are safer. In 2023, 65% of the state’s traffic fatalities occurred in rural areas, compared to 35% in urban centers.

Under West Virginia law, wearing a seatbelt is required. A citation carries a $25 fine, though McNeely says the real point isn’t the penalty.

“Click It or Ticket isn’t about the citations; it’s about saving lives,” he said. “A ticket is a wake-up call. It is far less expensive than the alternative — paying with your life or the lives of your family and friends.”

For more information about the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program, visit highwaysafety.wv.gov or call 304-926-2509.

Source link

West Virginia

West Virginia man accused of threatening Trump, ICE agents indicted

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

West Virginia man accused of threatening Trump, ICE agents indicted

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WCHS) — A West Virginia man accused of threatening to attack President Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement workers was federally indicted this week.

Cody Lee Smith, 20, of Clarksburg was indicted on two counts of threats to murder the president, one count of influencing and retaliating against federal officials by threat of murder and one count of influencing a federal official by threat of murder, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.

Smith is accused of making a series of public posts on Instagram encouraging and threatening the murder of Trump, those who support him, Israelis and “all government officials,” the news release said.

The indictment also alleges that Smith sent a direct message via Instagram to Donald J. Trump, Jr., stating he would kill his father by cutting his “jugular.”

In a phone call with the ICE tip line, Smith also threatened to kill ICE agents in Clarksburg and employees staffing the tip line.

BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT

Smith faces up to 5 years for each of the presidential threat charges and faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each of the remaining counts.

Source link