6:00: Morning News

500 – 52 – 50…Which Is More Impressive?

Numbers can certainly be impressive, especially when referring to successful streaks!

Last Friday night, the Man Hillbillies defeated the Wyoming East Warriors and in doing so, won their 500th football game in the school’s history.  Also last Friday night, the Martinsburg Bulldogs went on the road to Salem, Va. and defeated a previously unbeaten Salem Spartans team to capture their 50th consecutive football victory.  And, just two weeks ago, the Bridgeport Indians won their 6th game of the season ensuring for the 52nd consecutive year there would be no losing football season!

Certainly all three are tremendous milestones and I was just kidding about one being more impressive than the other two!  However, let’s take a little time and look closer at each accomplishment.

Up first, the 500 football wins for the Man Hillbillies!  Man’s first year of playing organized high school football came in 1923 and the ‘Billies 1st win was a 31-19 victory over Omar.  Other winning milestones on their way to 500 included #50 in 1934, a 21-6 defeat of Winding Gulf.  Win #100 came in 1946 when the Hillbillies defeated Sophia, 6-0.  In 1969, Man notched win #200 with a 70-0 shellacking of Chapmanville and in 1983, win #300 was an 18-0 shutout of old rival Logan.  In 2001, win #400 came over the Fayetteville Pirates by a final of 13-10 and then, as mentioned above, win #500 came this past Friday night when the Hillbillies defeated Wyoming East 30-22.  Win #500 also meant the ‘Billies were still undefeated on the 2019 campaign as they are currently 7-0 with games still remaining at Point Pleasant, at Tug Valley and the final game of the regular season on November 8th at Chapmanville!  Certainly congratulations are sent to Head Coach Harvey Arms and the Man Hillibillies on achieving high school football victory #500!

You want to talk about consistency?  How about 52 consecutive years without a losing season in high school football?  That is the accomplishment of the Bridgeport Indians!  This amazing successful streak began back in 1968 when the Indians finished the year with a record of 8-2!  Since that season, the young men from Harrison County have enjoyed 5 undefeated seasons and have won 8 state titles!  Over the course of those 52 years, Bridgeport did have four season in which they played .500 ball…in 1974, 1982, 1983 and 1992.  And, the winning keeps getting better!  Since the football season of 2000, the Bridgeport Indians have won 219 games and lost only 35…..that equals winning 87% of the games played and a per season average record of 11.5 wins and 1.8 losses!  Those numbers do not reflect the 7-1 start Head Coach John Cole is out to this season!  Congratulations indeed to the Bridgeport Indians, 52 consecutive winning seasons!

And, that brings us to the number 50!  The Martinsburg Bulldogs have won an amazing 50 consecutive football games!  That’s right, the last 50 times Martinsburg High School has played a high school football game, they have been victorious!  The streak began August 26, 2016 with a 56-14 victory over Eastern High School from Washington, D.C.!  Martinsburg went on to go 14-0 in 2016, 14-0 in 2017 and 14-0 in 2018.  So far in 2019, the Bulldogs are 8-0!  50 consecutive wins!!  And, let’s not forget another winning streak Martinsburg put together in 2010, 2011 and 2012 when the Eastern Panhandle youngsters won 32 games in a row before losing on the road to Westminister, Md. 36-33!  Curious to know the last team that Martinsburg lost to before beginning this 50 game streak?  That team was the Capital Cougars who defeated Martinsburg 35-30 on November 20, 2015!  When was the last time Martinsburg lost to a team from West Virginia at the Bulldogs home site, Cobourn Field?  That distinction goes to the Jefferson Cougars who defeated Martinsburg at Cobourn Field 29-6 on November 2, 2007!!  What is it with Martinsburg and teams with a Cougar as their mascot??  By the way, the 50 consecutive wins by the Bulldogs is the 2nd longest active winning streak in the Nation…..second only to the Warriors of Caledonia H. S. in Minnesota who are currently riding a 61 game winning streak dating back to 2015!  So, a big time congratulations to Head Coach Dave Walker for a current 50 game winning streak!

Coming up it is week #9 of the high school football season and once again a number of great games are on the schedule statewide!  Get out and support your favorite high school and after the game, be sure and join Dave Jecklin and me for H. S. GAMENIGHT from 9:30p to Midnight!  The show can be heard on 40+ radio stations around the state and you can watch and listen to the show @wvmetronews.com!

Talk with you this Friday night!

 





More Commentary

Commentary
Some notes on Easter and religion as we begin the holiday
March 29, 2024 - 12:48 am
Commentary
Third party and independent presidential candidates rarely get traction in West Virginia
March 28, 2024 - 12:10 am
Commentary
Let's talk about the officiating in the WVU-Iowa game
March 27, 2024 - 12:47 am
Commentary
WVU basketball looks to the future
March 26, 2024 - 12:15 am