CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Five Ravenswood High School basketball players have older brothers who were on the 2018 team. Both teams have made trips to the Boys State High School Basketball Tournament in Charleston.
Melissa Bennett was beaming with pride after her son, senior player Beau Bennett, and his teammates upset Chapmanville High School in Thursday’s Class AA match up.
“Chapmanville is a phenomenal team. They played their hearts out, but we did too and it came in our favor,” she said.
After being down in the first half, the Red Devils came back and won 54-53 in overtime.
Bennett said her older son Blake Bennett is now 24 and is ready to graduate this year from West Virginia University after playing for the Mountaineers. She said Blake misses the small-town support that Ravenswood fans bring to each game.
“My oldest son went away and played a little bit of college ball. He said that’s one of the things that’s hard because you don’t have your town. When you go in the stands, not everybody is there, but here, everybody is rooting for you,” she said.
Four other players Noah Dawson, Evan Swain, Kelan Lucas and Jacob Francis also have older brothers who played in 2018. Those 2018 players are Stephen Dawson, Blake Bennett, Chase Swain, Alex Easthom and Patrick Francis.
Trinity Swain is the mother of Evan and Chase Swain. She said Evan has been able to learn from Chase over the years which has helped him, and the team get to where they are today.
“They never gave up. That’s one thing I noticed about them a lot. When they dig deep, and they dig as a team, they’ll come out of it. They’ve learned and to focus, to really think about what their brothers went through. I think that really helps them coming out and seeing it and then to be able to push through,” Swain said.
Ravenswood advances after defeating Chapmanville 54-53 in OT at the Boys State HS Basketball Tournament!
I’ll have a story with some Red Devils parents who have sons on this year’s team and older sons who played in 2018. pic.twitter.com/pFfrOaCvem
— Carrie Hodousek (@CarrieHodousek) March 14, 2024
Not only has that inspiration from their older brothers kept the team going this season, but the parents also credit longtime coach Mick Price who is Melissa Bennett’s father.
Bennett said Ravenswood has some passionate players that are always hungry to come out on top.
“They’re all talented players and there’s a lot that I think people have expected out of this team because they are the little brothers. They’ve seen what they need to do. We’ve lost some games we shouldn’t have, and they’ve learned from that,” she said.
Brad and Carrie Dawson’s son is Noah Dawson, a point guard in his junior year. Their older son Stephen Dawson played in the state tournament all four years of high school.
“It’s really awesome,” Brad Dawson said. “We’re so blessed because all seven years our sons have been in high school they’ve made the state basketball tournament, so this is actually the 12th game we’ve got to watch our boys on the court.”
It’s not just the parents who are in the stands supporting their kids. Business owners and other members of the Ravenswood community have taken time off to root for the Red Devils.
“That’s why they were able to pull this win. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles. There are businesses that have closed down just so they can watch us in the state tournament. Not every school gets that,” she said. “It’s just a great town and the little brothers have grown up through this seeing their big brothers. It’s been a great experience for them.”
Ravenswood takes on Charleston Catholic at 9 p.m. Friday.