FAIRMONT, W.Va. — The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission and MetroNews have announced the 2017 SSAC Kickoff between rivals Robert C. Byrd and Fairmont Senior to begin the high school football season on Thursday night, August 24 at 7 p.m. from East-West Stadium.
The game, sponsored in part by MVB Bank and American Dairy Association Mideast, will be live video streamed at the MetroNews Channel of WVMetroNews.com.
“We’re always excited for the start of the school year and being able to work with MetroNews, which puts such a great product together – it’s always top quality,” said SSAC executive director Bernie Dolan. “We’ll be getting the season started off on the right foot and this game is such a good rivalry.”
Fairmont Senior is coming off of one of the program’s best seasons, finishing as the runner-up in Class AA, and will be led by a new head coach in Nick Bartic.
“It’s a great Fairmont-Clarksburg rivalry game that we have to start off each season, because of the similarities,” Bartic said. “Our schools are in close proximity, the overall series is close — and we both have great Italian food. Add that it’s the Kickoff Game, and East-West is sure to have an electric atmosphere.
“Our program is excited for the opportunity, our students are pumped to have game night on the second day of class and our community has been building the hype since it was first selected,” he continued. “Should be a great crowd on 12th Street.”
Robert C. Byrd, meanwhile, is looking to get back in the playoff mix this season under head coach Josh Gorrell.
“Obviously it’s a big ball game for us, and for Fairmont Senior. They have a pretty special team,” Gorrell said. “It’s a great test for us physically and mentally. We’ll be playing a good ball club.
“We’re excited to be on the MetroNews broadcast, representing RCB and Clarksburg,” he continued. “The kids have come out and done a tremendous job in the preseason so far. We’re doing things the right way and I think we’re way ahead of where we were last year at this time. I think we’re a pretty good ball club.”
Travis Jones, Rasheed Marshall and Brad Howe will have the call of the game, while the MetroNews ‘Citynet Statewide Sportsline’ will originate from East-West Stadium from 6:06 until 7 p.m. leading up to kickoff on that Thursday night.