“Where Are They Now” was a popular series of sports stories we ran a few years ago during the pandemic featuring area athletes that made headlines in their heyday. I was reminded of the series when I came across an article on former WVU standout basketball player Kevin Pittsnogle. Kevin was recently named the new principal at Martinsburg North Middle School in Martinsburg, WV, which has been placed under a state of emergency by the West Virginia Board of Education due to a “chaotic and occasionally hostile” environment and low academic performance. West Virginia Department of Education staff members, who visited the school, also reported that students were regularly hostile and ignored redirection from teachers.
Kevin, now 40, was an all-star in high school playing for Martinsburg. The 6’11 former Mountaineer led the Mounties to the Elite Eight in 2005 and the Sweet 16 in 2006. We lived in Michigan at the time and enjoyed the shared excitement of our Wolverine and Spartan friends as the Mountaineers’ Cinderella season played out during March Madness. Kevin became West Virginia’s first basketball All-American since 1972 and finished his career with 253 3 pointers, a school record at the time, but has since been passed by Alex Ruoff. I hope you are like me and old enough to remember the high scoring, shoot from half court, Mountaineers under then head coach John Beilein and the excitement that followed the team throughout several seasons. If not, Google Pittsnogle. You will be in for a real WVU treat.
Anyway, let us get back to today’s story of Principal Pittsnogle who has been called in to rescue the failing Martinsville Middle School after a reported 160 physical fights during the past school year. Pittsnogle comes to his new position highly recommended and has accumulated more than a decade of experience with Berkeley County schools. Most recently, he served as an assistant principal at Musselman high school since 2021.
When Kevin was questioned about his plans for the struggling school, he explained, “The biggest thing is the discipline — being able to come in and focus … and make sure kids understand this is a place of learning.” Pittsnogle went on to say that he will be focused on moving the school in a positive direction through setting expectations for both students and staff.
In case you are wondering, Berkeley County forbids principals from serving as a head basketball coach — a job Pittsnogle said he wasn’t interested in as he focuses on being a principal. Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science in Physical Athletic Education and Master of Arts in Teaching, both of which he completed at WVU. I am hopeful this story has a happy ending. Mountaineers everywhere wish Principal Pittsnogle, his staff and students a happy, safe and productive school year.
If you have been following the Pittsburgh Pirates, you know they are making a run for the post season. I’ve been spending most evenings watching them on TV and falling asleep in my chair while rooting them on in my living room. They are only six games out of first and two games out of the wildcard race with 51 games left in the season. August has historically proven to be when our beloved Bucs falter. This year seems different with good starting pitching, including maybe the Cy Young winner Paul Skeens, and some timely hitting, I believe there is a chance for October excitement.
All our local schools have started fall practice in football, soccer, cross country, golf and volleyball, including the area high school bands in preparation for the 2024 season. Expectations are high this time of year with the ultimate goal being reaching the playoffs or snagging Grand Champion Band recognition. The Tyler Star News and Wetzel Chronicle will be releasing their annual preview edition in the coming weeks, with all our hands-on deck visiting area teams gathering pictures and information. Good Luck to all! This is my favorite time of the sports’ year. I can’t wait for that first cool evening that will preview the beautiful weather and exciting sports our Ohio Valley delivers year after year. We will be busy trying to get everybody some coverage, so we are encouraging all coaches and band directors to keep us informed with stats and upcoming events.
The Tyler County Fair concluded last week with another successful celebration highlighted by TCHS student Hailey Sandy crowned as this year’s queen. A total of 53 young women were vying for the crown in their respective age divisions and made the pageant portion of the fair very successful. This year, Mary Ann and I again were able to attend the fair with our two grand girls, and we really enjoyed their excitement as they explored all the rides, food trucks, game booths and animals on display. Coming home, complete with two inflatable mermaids won at the duck pond, we commented how fortunate we were to have family close to enjoy the safety and fun of the family favorite Tyler County Fair. She still stacks up as a good bargain against other distant amusem*nt parks and Disney destinations.
