State Championship Was Final Hurrah For John Marshall’s West | News, Sports, Jobs

John Marshall softball coach Ed West sits in the dugout at Monarch Field Friday afternoon totalling up season statistics for the state champion Monarchs. This season was his final as he will be retiring.

Ed West ended his lengthy softball coaching profession at John Marshall Thursday as only a coach can dream.

The personable Monarchs’ mentor was presented his second W.Va. Class AAA state championship when standout pitch Kadence Pettit recorded her 614th profession strikeout to finish a six-two victory more than Cabell Midland in the final game at Tiny Creek Park in South Charleston.

Even though he hasn’t submitted his letter of retirement to the Marshall County Board of Education, West had let it recognized he wouldn’t be back in 2024.

“I truly haven’t kept it a secret,” West mentioned. “Other persons have asked me and I mentioned ‘Yes, I’m going to retire at the finish of the year.”

When the final out was recorded, West was so satisfied, but it wasn’t that way moments earlier..

“It was a amazing feeling (that final out). I truly wasn’t also comfy till we got the final out mainly because they had the bottom of their order coming up, and if they turned the lineup more than, we could be in problems,” West recalled.

With a runner on initial and no outs, initial baseman AC Cumberledge saved the day with an unassisted double play that eased some of the tension. Pettit then ended it in style.

“The feeling was ‘wow, it is more than,” he mentioned of his profession. “It was a terrific way to finish our season and a terrific way to finish my profession.”

And what a profession it has been.

West posted a profession mark of 353-96 in 14 seasons, winning his initial state title in 2012. His teams have won 12 W.Va. Class AAA sectional titles, eight regional titles and seven OVAC crowns.

His 350th victory came in the Area I finals against University.

“That was truly unique to win that game at property and in the regional finals,” West mentioned.

Ahead of taking more than the system, West assisted legendary Monarch head coach Pancho Flores, who won 405 wins in 24 years, for his final nine seasons.

“Pancho was there a extended time,” West noted. “He won a state title in 1988. I began assisting him in 2009.”

West was really pleased for his senior class, which incorporates Pettit and Paytyn Tucker, each West Liberty recruits. They

“It was heartbreaking to see them not be in a position to play their freshmen years. We would’ve had a truly very good group that year with the Blake twins (Abby and Anna) getting seniors and Kadence and Paytyn getting freshmen.”

West mentioned the identity of the 2012 group was a lot of talent and completed 35-four.

“We lost our initial two games that season to Magnolia and Edison and then won 31 in a row,” he recalled. “Our subsequent loss was to Wheeling Park in the Game two of the sectional finals. We beat them in the opener and beat them in the third game. Our subsequent loss following that was in the state tournament.”

The identity of this year’s squad was how the mixture of seasoned players helped the younger girls along.

“We had the knowledge with Kadence, Paytyn and (junior) Ava Blake and they helped the younger girls, who had been truly talented. They took them beneath their wings and showed them how we do it right here.

“Coming into the year I knew we had outstanding pitching and I knew our defense was going to be strong, but I was worried about our offense,” West mentioned. “As it turned out, that was almost certainly accurate. We had a couple of games exactly where we hit the ball and scored a lot of runs, but there had been other games when we, as a group, struggled to hit the ball.”

West mentioned when he began checking out other Class AAA teams about the state, what he identified out raised his self-assurance level.

“This is fairly wide open. We’ve got as very good a opportunity as anyone.

“Before we played Morgantown in the third sectional game, 1 of my assistants, Robby Blake, told me ‘if we win this game, we’ll win the state.”

The Monarchs pounded the Mohigans that evening and Blake’s prediction was proper on.

West wanted to thank his coaching employees.

“They have been with me for a extended time,” he mentioned of Blake, Eric Booth and Rod Swoger. “I truly appreciate what they have performed for our system and the aid they have provided me.”

He wanted to thank his loved ones, as properly.

“My wife (Colleen) and 3 daughters (Shilo, Shannon and Abby) have been truly supportive more than the years.”

He also wanted to thank the players’ households and the neighborhood assistance the group received although in Charleston and when they returned property late Thursday evening.

“The group bus was met at the Marshall/Wetzel county line by a extended line of emergency autos who had their lights and sirens going all the way to the higher college,” he recalled. “Then, when we got to the college, the parking lot was filled. It was unbelievable.”

So what does a state championship softball coach do the following morning?

“I played a round of golf with my grandson, Ethan Cook.”

If I know Ed like I feel I do, he’ll be leaning on the fence subsequent season watching the action.

Have a satisfied and secure retirement.

Congratulation on a Hall of Fame worthy profession.

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