By Tom Bragg, For Lootpress.com
Herbert Hoover football has experienced a renaissance in recent seasons since the arrival of head coach Joey Fields.
In 2021, the Huskies went unbeaten through the regular season. In 2022 Fields’ squad won three playoff games on the road on its way to an appearance in the Class AA state championship game and a runner-up finish, and in 2023 opened the playoffs with a road win at East Fairmont before falling to top-seeded North Marion in the state quarterfinals.
Things have changed a bit for Hoover in 2024. The Huskies are now in Class AAA for football under the state’s new four-classification model. Two very important things have not changed at Hoover, however. The expectations and the quarterback.
The Huskies begin that hunt to meet those expectations on Thursday against visiting Independence – who they last faced in that 2022 title game loss in Wheeling – with senior quarterback Dane Hatfield leading the way.
He’s the kind of player who feels like he has been around a lot longer than just three seasons and is one coaches around West Virginia will certainly be happy to see graduate.
“Yeah,” Fields said. “Everybody but me.”
Hatfield has been one of the state’s best over the last three seasons and enters his final season on the Elk River with the resume and reputation that, when you add a standout senior season, often leads to Kennedy Award consideration.
“Dane’s one of the toughest football players I’ve ever coached and he’ll go down as one of the best football players ever at Hoover,” Fields said. “He’ll hold every record in football and every record in probably basketball as well.”
Hatfield will be joined by a new face for the Huskies in the backfield this season, with junior running back Devin Silvas joining the team as a transfer from St. Albans this offseason.
“He’s the best running back I’ve had since I’ve been here because he can do everything,” Fields said of Silvas. “He’s a non-selfish guy, he’s physical between the tackles and then he’s able to make plays on the outside with his speed.”
With Independence coming to Husky Stadium on Thursday, Fields said he knows his guys will have their hands full with one of the state’s top programs regardless of classification.
“They’re built on toughness and they’ve always got a lot of speed,” Fields said. “Any time you’ve got speed and toughness, you’re going to be a good football team. Their program and what Coach [John] Lilly has done with them is second to none. A lot of those guys have a lot of experience and have played in some big games.”
Kickoff between the Huskies and Patriots was pushed back from its original time to 8 p.m. Thursday to avoid the worst of the expected heat in the area.
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The switch to four classifications for high school football in West Virginia means it will be a season of change on the gridiron in the Mountain State – changes that are certainly being felt in the Kanawha Valley. Let’s review where each of the Kanawha, Putnam and Boone football programs landed:
Class AAAA: George Washington, Hurricane
Class AAA: Capital, Riverside, South Charleston, Nitro, St. Albans, Herbert Hoover, Winfield
Class AA: Sissonville, Poca, Buffalo, Scott
Class A: Sherman, Van
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Other Week 1 games of note featuring teams from Kanawha, Putnam and Boone counties:
– Hurricane (AAAA) vs. Huntington (AAAA)
– Winfield (AAA) at Lincoln County (AAA)
– Capital (AAA) at Princeton (AAA)
– George Washington (AAAA) vs. St. Albans (AAA)
– South Charleston (AAA) vs. Ripley (AAA)
– Sissonville (AA) at Chapmanville (AA)
– Poca (AA) at Liberty (Raleigh) (AA)
– Buffalo (AA) vs. Montcalm (A)
– Sherman (A) at Hurley (Virginia)
– Van (A) vs. Meadow Bridge (A)
– Scott (AA) has the week off.
