2003-04

 

Annual Athletics Review: 2003-2004 Interscholastic Season

1. Executive Performance Summary

The 2003-2004 academic year represents a definitive maturation point for the Pocahontas County High School (PCHS) athletic department. This period serves as the primary return on investment (ROI) for multi-year coaching strategies—most notably the three-year development cycle initiated within the football program—and marks the transition of the "Warrior" brand from a period of historical struggle to an era of sustained competitive relevance. By synthesizing milestone achievements across the fall, winter, and spring cycles, this review evaluates a season defined by the systematic dismantling of the "predictable underdog" narrative.

Primary Institutional Achievements:

• Football Maturity: Secured a 6-4 record, marking the program’s first winning season in seven years and validating a long-term strategic overhaul.
• Volleyball Milestone: Achieved the first winning season in program history (17-13), complemented by a Sectional 5 Championship.
• Girls’ Basketball Dynasty: Maintained a high-performance standard with an 18-7 record, culminating in a third consecutive regional trophy and state tournament appearance.
• Historical Golf Achievement: Secured the first Regional Championship in school history, facilitating the program’s debut at the state level.
• Track and Field Dominance: The Men’s team achieved regional supremacy, winning both the PVC and Regional meets by significant margins while shattering decade-old school records.

The following evaluations detail the specific programmatic successes and challenges that contributed to this landmark institutional year.

2. Fall Sports: Breaking Historical Barriers

The fall season established a vital institutional tone, shifting the culture from one of participation to one of expectation. These programs collectively signaled to the region that PCHS was no longer a predictable opponent.

Football

The 2003 season represented the successful culmination of Coach Mike Knisely’s three-year strategic plan. Finishing with an astounding 6-4 record, the Warriors silenced doubters who had grown accustomed to the program’s seven-year winless-season drought. The team’s ability to pull together was best exemplified during an "excellent" Homecoming victory against the Richwood Lumberjacks. High-leverage individual performances were critical; junior Ryan Ware provided consistent playmaking, while Mark Burdette’s selection as AP Player of the Week underscored the program's elevated profile.

Soccer (Boys & Girls)

The soccer programs demonstrated significant growth against top-tier regional competition:

• Boys’ Soccer: The team achieved a significant milestone by defeating AAA-level opponents for the first time in four years. The program's technical development was reflected in the post-season, with Bobby Minghini and Dylan Kolony earning All-State honors.
• Girls’ Soccer: The Lady Warriors navigated a "very victorious" year, hosting and advancing through the first round of sectionals. Their resilience was physically tested in their final match of the season, played in the pouring rain—a performance that serves as a metaphor for the program's newfound grit.

Volleyball

The Lady Warriors realized a triumphant season that balanced high-volume play with post-season execution. The program displayed immense endurance, competing in over 35 games throughout the cycle.

Program Tier	Season Record	Key Institutional Achievement
Varsity	17-13	Sectional 5 Champions; 1st Winning Season
Junior Varsity	Developmental Success	Foundation for 2004-2005 Pipeline

A defining strategic moment occurred at exactly midnight when the team defeated Greenbrier West to secure the Sectional 5 Championship. Institutional excellence was further recognized as Coach Brown was named PVC Coach of the Year.

Golf

The golf club reached the highest level of regional prestige in school history. By securing the title of Regional Champions, the squad traveled to Oglebay Park in Wheeling for the State Tournament. This "first in PCHS history" achievement significantly enhanced the school's standing in technical individual-discipline sports.

3. Winter Sports: Sustaining Excellence and Competitive Rigor

The winter cycle was a study in psychological resilience and the management of high-stakes expectations, as programs sought to maintain the momentum generated during the fall.

Girls’ Basketball

Finishing 18-7, the Lady Warriors demonstrated the consistency of a regional powerhouse. Following a four-overtime scrimmage loss early in the season, the team became "more aggressive and intense than ever," a shift that propelled them to their third consecutive regional trophy and state tournament appearance. The veteran leadership of seniors like Rachel Wayne and Erin Coleman was instrumental in maintaining this three-year state-level dynasty.

Boys’ Basketball

The Boys’ program finished with a robust 14-9 record, a success that must be evaluated against a higher Tier-1 opponent density. Despite 20-point losses to elite programs like Meadow Bridge and Richwood, the Warriors maintained a winning record against a significantly "tougher" schedule than in previous years. While the season ended in a difficult sectional tournament, the 14-9 result validates the program's ability to compete in a high-density talent bracket.

4. Spring Sports: Record-Breaking Performance and Consistency Challenges

The spring season focused on individual elite performance and systemic regional dominance, though it also highlighted the volatility of outdoor team sports.

Track & Field

The track program achieved what can be described as systemic dominance within the region, characterized by overwhelming point margins at championship meets:

1. Systemic Dominance: The Men’s team won the PVC meet by a staggering 76-point margin and took 1st place at Regionals by 50 points.
2. Historical Benchmarks: Nathan Rittenhouse shattered a 13-year-old school record in the 3200m, finishing at 9:56.
3. Tiered Success: The Women’s team secured a 3rd place overall finish at Regionals, ensuring PCHS presence across the podium.

Baseball

The baseball program faced ongoing challenges with competitive consistency. While the team failed to find a winning stride, the season was defined by "exciting games" that generated high student-body engagement. From a strategic standpoint, the program provided a high spirit-based ROI, even as it fell short of the winning record set by the fall and winter cohorts.

5. Athletics Support & Program Infrastructure

The athletic ecosystem was stabilized by a spirit infrastructure that evolved into a competitive discipline of its own.

Cheerleading

The cheerleading squad underwent a significant evolution, moving beyond sideline support to establish itself as a competitive powerhouse. Placing 3rd and 5th in regional competitions, the squad successfully integrated advanced tumbling and technical stunts. As the "cross-functional support core" of the department, the team cheered for both basketball programs and the football team, doing so within a discipline now recognized as one of the most competitive and dangerous sports in the interscholastic portfolio.

6. Conclusion: Strategic Outlook for the 2004-2005 Cycle

The 2003-2004 season was the year PCHS "took it all," effectively redefining the "Warrior" brand from a predictable underdog to a regional powerhouse. However, the department now faces a significant transition as we graduate the "Super Six" senior leaders: Erin Coleman, Rachel Wayne, Caroline McKean, Angie Foe, Brittany Burner, and Ashley McNabb. These athletes provided the state-level experience that anchored our success.

As we look toward the 2004-2005 cycle, our strategic objective is to institutionalize these high standards so that "success" is no longer an unpredictable occurrence, but the baseline expectation for Pocahontas County High School.

Respectfully Submitted,

Director of Athletics & Strategic Interscholastic Evaluation