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CHARMCO, W.Va. — 2023 state runner-up Greenbrier West missed out on postseason play for the first time in six seasons last fall. A number of critical early-season injuries hampered the Cavaliers throughout the year. They finished at 5-5, two spots outside of the playoff field.
“You could tell with our 5-5 record that we were definitely feeling losing some of those guys, especially losing our running back Isaac Agee last year,” said Greenbrier West sophomore RB/DB Ben Butler. “That definitely hurt. We did our best we could and bounced back. We played the best football we could.”
While injuries are always a variable teams deal with, the Cavaliers hope that a productive training camp can get the team in as good of shape as possible.
“The main thing was probably our conditioning,” said Greenbrier West senior lineman Logan Berry. “We weren’t in shape nearly as what we needed to be. This year, we are definitely putting it in heavy.”
Evan Vandall shouldered the load at quarterback last season for the Cavaliers. A new signal caller will step in this fall. Junior Scott McClung and sophomore Mason Ward are in the mix for the starting spot.
“They are in a competition right now,” said Greenbrier West head coach Kelly Vaughan. “We may end up playing two. I don’t like playing two quarterbacks. Who knows what is going to happen? Monday, I would have said Mason. Yesterday, I would have said Scott. That’s strictly, maybe coach talk. But they are fighting it out and competition is good.”
West’s top two receivers return to the roster. Senior Kamden Sams was a standout on defense and he had 251 receiving yards. Fellow senior Colton Dunbar had 25 catches last year and he could line up at multiple spots on offense.
“Dunbar right now, we’ve got him at tight end. We’ve got him at split end. We’ve got him at free safety. He is another state champion hurdler. He can run and we know he can play defensive end,” Vaughan said.
Senior Logan Berry will be counted on to lead an offensive line that features a mix of veterans and newcomers.
“This will be his fourth year starting,” Vaughan said. “He is a leader up front on the line, which we think we can be pretty solid. He is just a natural leader. He works hard and the other kids follow him. And he has become more vocal this year.”
After their five-year streak of postseason appearances was snapped, Vaughan is confident his team can return to prominence in Class A and is starts with defending their home field in Charmco.
“Around here, we are expected to win. They have lost one game on this field right here in three years and that was to Fort Frye, Ohio. They’ve got the pressure to play right here,” Vaughan said.
“I will promise you that these kids will play hard and they will leave it all out on the field. The school knows that. The community knows that. That’s what we expect.”
“We’re all motivated, even the coaches. We just want to turn this team around and go back to the West football that we know how to play,” said Greenbrier West senior TE/WR/DB Colton Dunbar.