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Monday, Dec 30, 2019
Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneer Basketball
DUANE CARPENTER/The Record Delta
2019-20 Buckhannon-Upshur Buccaneer basketball team -- First row: left to right: Wilbur Snyder, Ryan Hurst, Kaiden McDaniels (no longer on team), Tyler Sandreth, Cody Bailey, Sterlin Thropp, Harrison Walker, Felipe Montero and Shelton Thropp. Back row, left to right: Assistant coach Darrell Burgess, Oliver King, assistant coach Keith Wolverton, Ryan Strader, Lamar Hurst, Josh Loudin, Will McCauley, Euan Kettle, Noam Keith, Mason Hyre, Zach White and head coach Travis Foster.
Basketball Bucs ready to turn the corner this season By Duane Carpenter Sports Editor
TENNERTON – In his third year as head coach of the Buckhannon-Upshur boys’ basketball team, Travis Foster feels the pieces are in place for his Buccaneer basketball team to make some noise during the 2019-20 season. “We are starting to have a roster of players that we have developed now,” remarked Foster. “I think you going to see a different mentality from this team. A different way to win and working to win. We hope that their hard work in the off-season begins to pay off and turns into wins. The players deserve to see that light and the end of the tunnel.” It certainly paid off this past Saturday as Foster and his Bucs earned a signature win over No. 1 Meadville in Pennsylvania with a 66-53 victory during the Brooke Holiday Tournament.
That game was just one of the many tough games the Bucs will face this season. They opened the season on the road against a ranked Wheeling Park team and the schedule still features games against Morgantown, University, and Parkersburg. “We know we aren’t quite a state championship team yet, but let’s see if we can turn the corner coming out of these games with positives and possibly wins,” noted Foster. “We are going to be a team that fights and battles with more talent than from last year. I think it will be interesting to see where we are at in February come sectional time.” The Bucs are off to a 3-2 start to the season with wins over Preston, Brooke and Meadville. Foster and his team have also had to deal with not having a true home game yet this season. A leak in the gym roof has
forced the Bucs to play their first two home games at West Virginia Wesleyan College. They have been led by junior point guard Ryan Hurst thus far. Hurst is expected to play a lot of minutes as the Bucs ball-handler. He was just named the MVP of the Brooke Holiday Tournament scoring 39 points with 17 assists during their two games. Joining Hurst in the backcourt will be one of the Bucs two seniors – Tyler Sandreth. Underneath, the Bucs will have plenty of talent and depth. Senior Ryan Strader, juniors Zach White, Will McCauley, Josh Loudin and Noam Keith and sophomores Lamar Hurst and Mason Hyre will provide plenty of scoring and rebounding for the Bucs this season. It has been a busy pre-season and season for Foster as he is coaching all three teams, the freshmen, junior varsity and varsity teams.
With 11 freshmen coming out, the Bucs will have a freshman team for the first time in many seasons. “It has been stressful but you have to flip the switch for all three teams,” explained Foster. “You get here at 3:30 p.m. and leave at 11 p.m. with 4-5 hours of practice and giving them everything I have isn’t easy. I am here for the kids though and I was not going to not have a freshman team and deny them of playing games because of last-minute decisions. Coaching all three teams is just the right thing to do.” Joining Foster on the sidelines are assistant coaches Darrell Burgess and Keith Wolverton. “We are going to be exciting to watch this year,” concluded Foster. “The kids are really buying into what we are doing and believe in the program. That has been the biggest thing that the team is buying in.”
Varsity Roster No. Name Pos. Cl. 1 Ryan Hurst G Jr. 5 Will McCauley F Jr. 10 Mason Hyre F Soph. 12 Tyler Sandreth G Sr. 13 Lamar Hurst G Soph. 14 Harrison Walker G Soph. 15 Noam Keith F Jr. 22 Zach White F Jr. 23 Ryan Strader F Sr. 24 Josh Loudin F Jr.
Junior Varsity Roster No. Name Pos. Cl. 1 Cody Bailey G Soph. 4 Sterling Thropp G Soph. 11 Oliver King F Soph. 14 Euan Kettle F Jr. 20 Felipe Montero G Soph. 22 Shelton Thropp G Soph. 33 Wilbur Snyder F Soph.
Will McCauley
DUANE CARPENTER/The Record Delta
2019-20 Buckhannon-Upshur seniors with coaches —The two Buckhannon-Upshur senior basketball players are front row, left to right, Tyler Sandreth and Ryan Strader. With them are the coaching staff, back row let to right: assistant coach Keith Wolverton, head coach Travis Foster and assistant coach Darrell Burgess.
Varsity Schedule Dec. 14 at Wheeling Park L, 51-71 Dec. 18 Lincoln L, 43-47 Dec. 20 Preston W, 80-64 at Brooke Holiday Invitational Tournament Dec. 27 at Brooke W, 82-41 Dec. 28 vs. Meadville (Pa.) W, 66-53 Jan. 3 at Riverside 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6 at Lewis County 7:30 p.m. Jan. 8 at North Marion 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10 Grafton 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at Liberty 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17 Fairmont Senior 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20 Elkins 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 East Fairmont 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24 at Robert C. Byrd 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29 Morgantown 7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Philip Barbour 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at Bridgeport 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 Lewis County 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at Elkins 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 Musselman 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 Parkersburg 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24 University 7:30 p.m. (All JV games start at 5:45 p.m.)
Freshman Roster No. Name Pos. Cl. 4 Gage Raschella G Fr. 5 Zach Calef-Boring F Fr. 15 Wade Nesbitt G Fr. 20 Keyton Lanier G Fr. 22 Zade Woody G Fr. 24 Shawn Blandino F Fr. 25 Brayden Hamer F Fr. 32 Ely Cain F Fr. 34 Mark Hurst G Fr. 40 Ryan Snyder F Fr. 42 Josh Nesbitt F Fr.
DUANE CARPENTER/The Record Delta
2019-20 Buccaneer Freshmen — The 2019-20 Buckhannon-Upshur freshmen Buccaneers are, first row, left to right: Zade Woody, Bryden Hamer, Zach Calef-Boring Keyton Lanier, Gage Raschella, Chad Spencer (no longer on team) and Wade Nesbitt. Back row, left to right: assistant coach Darrell Burgess, assistant coach Keith Wolverton, Josh Nesbitt, Ely Cain, Shawn Blandino, Mark Hurst, Ryan Snyder and head coach Travis Foster.