After 22 wins in two years, Cabell Midland looks to continue momentum

By: Wes McKinney

ONA, W.Va. — Over the last two seasons, Cabell Midland has gone a combined 22-4. Two of those losses have come at the hands of Martinsburg — in the 2012 Class AAA state championship game and again in the quarterfinal round of the 2013 playoffs.

“It was a tough year, coming off of an undefeated regular season and playing in the state championship,” Cabell Midland head coach Luke Salmons said of 2013. “Expectations were really high and it’s disappointing when you’re not as good.”

The Knights finished 9-3 last season.

Now, Salmons will lean on returning senior quarterback Coy Pettit and senior running back Alex Childers to lead a younger group of up-and-coming Knights.

“We have a good junior class, but they haven’t played a lot of varsity football,” Salmons said.

However, much like last year, when the Knights had Donte Hendricks, Teran Barnitz, Kasey Thomas and Childress to run the ball, Salmons believes he still has a solid group of ball carriers.

“We have five or six kids that we feel can run the ball,” he said. “It’s going to be a fun year. The group coming up to varsity this season hasn’t lost a game in a long time (at the junior varsity level).”

Both of the Knights’ regular season losses last year came on the road, to Huntington and Capital. Both of those matchups this year will be at home, along with another home date against rival Spring Valley in week nine.

“All the teams are good that we play, which you want,” Salmons said. “We’re trying to develop depth. If you play the type of schedule and the type of football we play, then kids will get banged up. To have those teams at home, to me, there’s not a better atmosphere than our stadium. They want to play good teams at home.”

Other 2014 HS Football Previews:

George Washington

Greenbrier West

Huntington

Martinsburg

Morgantown

Point Pleasant

Spring Valley

Wheeling Park