Zack Klemme

On Saturday night, Marshall University won a football conference championship. On Sunday, the Thundering Herd was without a coach.

For Spring Mills, the high of making its first state football championship game is only the latest notable moment in a season that has resembled a roller-coaster ride.The Class AAAA state final on Saturday night against Martinsburg will culminate a Cardinals campaign that has been dominant on the field – against the backdrop of the offseason death of a player, the forced forfeiture of four victories amidst eligibility and legal problems – and their later restoration in court.

For Spring Mills, the high of making its first state football championship game is only the latest notable moment in a season that has resembled a roller-coaster ride.The Class AAAA state final on Saturday night against Martinsburg will culminate a Cardinals campaign that has been dominant on the field – against the backdrop of the offseason death of a player, the forced forfeiture of four victories amidst eligibility and legal problems – and their later restoration in court.

Opposing defenses have begun to game-plan to try to neutralize the University of Charleston’s João Belmudes, both he and his coach said.And why wouldn’t they? Belmudes leads the men’s soccer Golden Eagles in scoring and is tied for the team lead in both game-winners and assists.But if that was what Felician hoped to do on Saturday at the Welch Athletic Complex, it didn’t work.

Martinsburg and Spring Mills high schools are located 8 miles apart, but their football teams’ history has no such figurative proximity.The Bulldogs have won 10 state championships in the last 14 seasons, while the Cardinals had never won more than one game in the same postseason until this one.Neither coach seems to think that history – storied for one team and fledgling for the other – will matter much in the inaugural WVSSAC Class AAAA state championship game on Saturday at 7 p.m. at University of Charleston at Laidley Field.

CHARLESTON -- The White Falcons were perfectly content to be grounded on Friday.

Updated The Tri-State's TRUSTED news source. Click here to stay informed and subscribe to Herald-Dispatch.

Marshall University alumnus and former New York Jets and Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington coached Sayre to a win over Raceland, 27-22, in the KHSAA Class A state championship game.Under the lead of the former Heisman Trophy finalist, the Spartans won a state title in just their sixth season since reviving a program that had been dormant since the 1970s.That’s tied for the second-fastest state title ever among active KHSAA schools – one season more than it took South Warren to collect its first.

If Marshall didn’t win as many nonconference men’s basketball games as it had hoped for, what the Thundering Herd might have found was plenty of players it thinks can contribute to that pursuit in Sun Belt Conference play.Even with typical starting guard Dezayne Mingo out of the lineup, Marshall got 11 players onto the floor in a 73-59 loss at Elon on Saturday night.It marked the 13th time in 14 games that Herd coach Corny Jackson has found playing time for at least 10 players.

Marshall University alumnus and former New York Jets and Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington coached Sayre to a win over Raceland, 27-22, in the KHSAA Class A state championship game.Under the lead of the former Heisman Trophy finalist, the Spartans won a state title in just their sixth season since reviving a program that had been dormant since the 1970s.That’s tied for the second-fastest state title ever among active KHSAA schools – one season more than it took South Warren to collect its first.