WVSSAC Super Six Football Championships

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The WVSSAC Super Six Football Championships was a series of high school football games, typically held on the first weekend of December, that determined the high school champions of the U.S. state of West Virginia. The tournaments that lead to the championship games, as well as regular-season competition, are governed by the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC). The games were named "Super Six" because six teams played in the state's three championship games. However, beginning in 2024, the WVSSAC began dividing football into four classes, and no new name other than "State Football Championships" has yet benn announced.[1] The Championship games were held at Wheeling Island Stadium in Wheeling, a two-day affair, with one game on Friday and two on Saturday, but they will return to Laidley Field in Charleston beginning in 2024 through at least 2026. The WVSSAC chose Charleston over bids from Wheeling, Bluefield, and a joint bid to split the four games between Marshall University and West Virginia University.[2]

The WVSSAC began conducting state football championships in 1937. Throughout its history, the competition has been divided into classes based on enrollment. The history of classifications is as follows:

  • 1903–1936: Prior to WVSSAC or sportswriter involvement: Single-class system, games arranged by individual teams, 1903 & 1907 Fairmont Senior[3][4][5]
  • 1916–1956: Colored School State Champions. Before the historic Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling, schools, and football games, were segregated. African-Americans were forced to play in their own league. The West Virginia Athletic Union governed African-American athletics during this time.
  • 1937–1946: Single-class system. Champion was named by the West Virginia Sportswriters Association.
  • 1947–1954: Two-class system. Schools were placed in Class A or B based on enrollment.
  • 1955–1957: Three-class system, based on enrollment, with Class B, Class A or AA based on enrollment
  • 1958–2023: Three-class system, based on enrollment, with Classes A, AA and AAA
  • 2024-: Four-class system based on an algorithm using enrollment, distance from a large town, and economic health of the community[1]

In 1947 in Class B, 1947 and 1948 in Class A, and 1955 and 1956 in Class AA, there were no actual championship games. Those championships was awarded based on ratings. Class B was only in use from 1947 through 1957.

From 1947 to 1954, there were only two classes: Class A (big schools) and Class B (small schools). From 1955 to 1957, there were three classes; Class AA (big schools), Class A (medium sized schools) and Class B (small schools). From 1958 to 2023 there were three classes as well, but the names were changed to Class AAA (big schools), Class AA (medium sized schools) and Class A (small schools). From 2024, the terms AAAA, AAA, AA, and A are used, with AAAA being the highest classification.

WV champions by popular acclaim

Single class

YearChampion
1903Fairmont Senior (8-0-0)
1907Fairmont Senior (2) (6-3-0)
1908Wheeling[6]
1909Huntington[7] (5-1-0)
1912Huntington (2)[7] (5-3-0)
1913Wheeling (2)[6]
1915Buckhannon[8] (8-0-0)
1916Wheeling (3)[6] (8-0-1)
1917Huntington (3)[7] (5-0-0)
1918Parkersburg (2-1-0)
Buckhannon (2)[8] (4-0-0)
1919Parkersburg (2) (7-1-0)
1920Charleston[9] (8-0-1)
1921Parkersburg (3) (9-0-0)
1922Charleston (2)[9] (9-1-2)
Parkersburg (4) (9-2-0)
Clarksburg Washington Irving[10] (8-1-0)
St. Marys (9-1-0)
Wheeling (4)[6] (5-2-1)
Huntington (4)[7] (4-4-1)
Mannington (9-0-0)
1923Huntington (5)[7] (9-2-0)
1924Buckhannon (3)[8] (8-0-0)
Fairmont Senior (3) (8-0-1)
Charleston (3)[9] (11-1-1)
1925Clarksburg-Victory[11] (8-0-0)
Wheeling (5)[6] (8-1-1)
1926Benwood Union[12] (8-1-0)
Williamson[13] (11-0-0)
Magnolia (9-0-0)
Clarksburg Washington Irving (2)[10] (8-0-1)
1927Morgantown (9-0-0)
Parkersburg (5) (10-0-0)
1928Benwood Union (2)[12] (8-0-0)
Elkins (9-0-0)
Huntington (6)[7] (10-0-2)
1929Fairmont Senior (4) (8-0-0)
Clarksburg Roosevelt-Wilson[10] (8-0-0)
1930Huntington (7)[7] (7-3-1)
1931Benwood Union (3)[12]
1932Big Creek[14] (9-0-0)
1933Charleston (4) (13-1-0)
Doddridge[15] (9-0-0)
1934Huntington (8)[7] (10-0-0)
Big Creek (2)[14] (9-0-0)
1935Weir (10-0-0)
Clarksburg-Victory (2)[11] (9-0-0)
1936Doddridge[15] (10-0-0)

WV Colored State Football Champions

Not that many years ago, African-American students were barred from playing football with White Americans. This changed in 1954 with the Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education which overturned school segregation. Black schools were governed by the WV Athletic Union, but did not receive as consistent media attention as their white counterparts. This makes research difficult.[16]

Single class

YearChampion
1916
1917Sumner[17]
1918
1919
1920Frederick Douglass[18]
1921Frederick Douglass (2)[18] & Sumner (2)[17] (tie)
1922Frederick Douglass (3)[18]
1923Garnet[19]
1924
1925
1926Booker T. Washington[20]
1927Kelly Miller[21]
1928Kelly Miller (2)[21]
1929Kelly Miller (3)[21]
1930Garnet (2)[19] (6-0-0)
1931Fairmont-Dunbar[22]
1932Gary District[23]
1933Garnet (3)[19] (7-0-0)
1934Fairmont-Dunbar (2)[22] (8-0-0)
1935Excelsior[24]
1936DuBois[25]
1937Frederick Douglass (4)[18]
1938DuBois (2)[25]
1939DuBois (3)[25]
1940Monongalia[26]
1941Stratton[27] (8-0-2)
1942DuBois (4)[25]
1943Fairmont-Dunbar (3)[22]
1944Elkhorn[28]
1945Excelsior (2)[24]
1946Stratton (2)[27] (10-0-0)
1947Frederick Douglass (5)[18]
1948Aracoma[29]
1949Aracoma (2)[29]
1950Garnet (4)[19] (9-1-0)
1951Conley[30]
1952Kimball[31]
1953Fairmont-Dunbar (4)[22]
1954Stratton (3)[27] (9-0-0)
1955Byrd Prillerman[32]
1956Gary District (2)[23]

WV Catholic Schools State Football Champions

Prior to 1977, private schools were not allowed to compete in post-season play-offs.

Single class

YearChampionScoreRunner-up
1962Charleston Catholic13-7Wheeling Central
1963Wheeling Central40-6Charleston Catholic
1964Wheeling Central (2)28-20Charleston Catholic
1965Wheeling Central (3)No game played
1966Wheeling Central (4)46-6Weirton-Madonna
1967Wheeling Central (5)No game played
1968Weirton-MadonnaNo game played
1969Charleston Catholic (2)12-7Parkersburg Catholic
1970Parkersburg Catholic21-0Clarksburg-Notre Dame
1971Weirton-Madonna (2)44-6Bishop Donahue[33]
1972Weirton-Madonna (3)22-6Charleston Catholic
1973Charleston Catholic (3)27-6Weirton-Madonna
1974Clarksburg-Notre Dame20-16Weirton-Madonna
1975Weirton-Madonna (4)39-13Clarksburg-Notre Dame
1976Charleston Catholic (4)6-0Morgantown-St. Francis

WV Sportswriters vote

Single class

YearChampion
1937Hinton[34]
1938Parkersburg (6)
1939Charleston (5)[9]
1940Parkersburg (7)
1941Mullens[35]
1942Weir (2)
1943Parkersburg (8)
1944Williamson[13]
1945South Charleston
1946Fairmont Senior (5)

Two class system (A, B) 1947–1954 / WVSSAC ratings

Class A (two classes A, B, 1947–1954)

YearChampionScoreRunner-up
1947Woodrow Wilson and Stonewall Jackson[9]tieNo game played
1948Woodrow Wilson (2)No game played
1949Weir (3)37–13Milton[36]
1950Parkersburg (9)40–0Oak Hill
1951Woodrow Wilson (3)26–0Gary[37]
1952Grafton6–0Big Creek[38]
1953Barboursville[36]27–0Benwood Union[12]
1954Follansbee[39]7–0Barboursville[36]

Class B (two classes A, B, 1947–1954)

YearChampionScoreRunner-up
1947Webster Springs[40]No game played
1948Vinson[41]25–6Alderson[42]
1949Romney[43]20–19Wirt County
1950Poca and Vinson[41][44]tieNo game
1951Vinson[41] (2)26–7Sissonville
1952Monongah[45]20–14Winfield
1953Sistersville[46]26–13Romney[43]
1954Farmington[47]39–13Rupert[48]

Three class system (AA, A, B) 1955–1957 / WVSSAC ratings

Class AA (three classes AA, A, B, 1955–1957)

YearChampionScoreRunner-up
1955St. AlbansNo game played
1956GraftonNo game played
1957Weir (4)19-12Fairmont Senior

Class A (three classes AA, A, B, 1955–1957)

YearChampionScoreRunner-up
1955Bridgeport39-13Webster Springs
1956Keyser12-0Mullens[35]
1957Vinson[41]14-13Keyser

Class B (three classes AA, A, B, 1955–1957)

YearChampionScoreRunner-up
1955Monongah[45] (2)14–13Wirt County
1956Vinson[41] (3)19–7Monongah[45]
1957Ravenswood34–13Rupert[48]

Three class system (AAA, AA, A) 1958–present / WVSSAC ratings

Class A (three classes AAA, AA, A, 1958–present)

1958Meadow Bridge6–0Winfield
1959Ravenswood15–13Winfield
1960Winfield20–13Alderson[42]
1961Winfield (2)19–13Williamstown
1962Rainelle[48]32–7Sophia[49]
1963Winfield (3)26–13Northfork[37]
1964Sistersville[46]27–0Fairview[45]
1965Crum[50]20–18Masontown Valley[51]
1966Wirt County27–6Crum[50]
1967Marlinton[52]26–0Wirt County
1968Monongah[45]20–12Paden City
1969Monongah[45] (2)26–0Paden City
1970Paden City20–6Wirt County
1971Ansted[53]20–14Fairview[45]
1972Ansted[53] (2)8–7Monongah[45]
1973Monongah[45] (3)21–20South Harrison
1974Musselman8–0Hamlin[54]
1975Ridgeley[55]20–13Wirt County
1976Mannington[45]28–6Gauley Bridge[56]
1977Mannington[45] (2)28–20Pineville[35]
1978Duval[54]27–14Doddridge County
1979Paden City19–6Bishop Donahue[33]
1980Sistersville[46] (2)28–0Clarksburg-Notre Dame
1981Sistersville[46] (3)28–3Peterstown[57]
1982Duval[54] (2)28–15Sistersville[46]
1983Tyler County[46]16–14Sistersville[46]
1984Sistersville[46] (4)42–11Fayetteville
1985Sistersville[46] (5)22–13Morgantown-St. Francis[58]
1986Sistersville[46] (6)14–0Tyler County[46]
1987Weirton-Madonna (5)22–8Matewan[13]
1988Meadow Bridge (2)7–6Pineville[35]
1989Mount Hope (3)[59]32–8Peterstown[57]
1990Duval[54] (3)37–20Peterstown[57]
1991Peterstown[57]26–21Matewan[13]
1992Fayetteville15–9Matewan[13]
1993Matewan[13]21–13Valley Wetzel
1994Ceredo-Kenova[41] (11)44–0Valley Wetzel
1995Gilbert[13]28–20Valley Wetzel
1996Moorefield16–14Valley Wetzel
1997Moorefield (2)13–9Big Creek[38]
1998Moorefield (3)29–9Valley Wetzel
1999Moorefield (4)29–13Fayetteville
2000Wheeling Central (7)34–6Moorefield
2001Moorefield (5)13–0Wheeling Central
2002Wheeling Central (8)    14–7 (OT)Moorefield
2003Moorefield (6)20–18Williamstown
2004Wheeling Central (9)34–7Weirton-Madonna
2005Wheeling Central (10)35–20Williamstown
2006Wheeling Central (11)14–7Williamstown
2007Wheeling Central (12)51–14Williamstown
2008Williamstown23–7Weirton-Madonna
2009Weirton-Madonna (6)27–7Man
2010Wheeling Central (13)28–14Wahama
2011Wheeling Central (14)35–21Williamstown
2012Wahama43–42 (OT)Weirton-Madonna
2013Weirton-Madonna (7)24-14Greenbrier West
2014Williamstown (2)33-32 (3OT)St. Marys
2015Magnolia (3)62-0East Hardy
2016St. Marys (2)23-8East Hardy
2017Wheeling Central (15)40-21St. Marys
2018 Wheeling Central (16) 44-15 Williamstown
2019 Wheeling Central (17) 38-21 Doddridge County
2020 St. Marys (3) Forfeited due to COVID Ritchie County
2021 Ritchie County 42-21 Williamstown
2022 Williamstown (4) 52-20 James Monroe
2023 Williamstown (5) 42-12 Greenbrier West

Class AA (three classes AAA, AA, A, 1958–present)

YearChampionScoreRunner-up
1958Roosevelt Wilson[10]19–12Sissonville
1959Mount Hope[59]
and Mullens[35]		0–0Co-champions
1960Mount Hope[59] (2)
and Williamson[13]		7–7Co-champions
1961Williamson[13]20-13Mt. Hope
1962Keyser35–20Nicholas County
1963Ceredo-Kenova[41]19–13Hinton[34]
1964Magnolia15–7Mount Hope[59]
1965Ceredo-Kenova[41] (2)26–6Mount Hope[59]
1966Gary[37]33–14Ceredo-Kenova[41]
1967Ceredo-Kenova[41] (3)47–13Monongah[45]
1968Hinton[34]9–0Oceana[60]
1969Keyser (2)21–20Winfield
1970Gary[37]33–14Oceana[60]
1971Ceredo-Kenova[41] (4)14–8Oceana[60]
1972Ravenswood14–6Magnolia
1973Northfork[37]14–13Ceredo-Kenova[41]
1974Ceredo-Kenova[41] (5)34–14Northfork[37]
1975Ceredo-Kenova[41] (6)18–6Sherman
1976Ravenswood (2)15–7Big Creek[38]
1977Poca20–6Man
1978Ceredo-Kenova[41] (7)21–6Poca
1979Wheeling Central (6)39–21Buffalo Wayne[41]
1980Ceredo-Kenova[41] (8)18–13Man
1981Ceredo-Kenova[41] (9)22–15Magnolia
1982Musselman12–7Ceredo-Kenova[41]
1983Ceredo-Kenova[41] (10)34–15Musselman
1984Grafton (2)14–10Man
1985Winfield28–6Buffalo Wayne[41]
1986Bridgeport10–7Tucker County
1987Winfield (2)48–14Tucker County
1988Bridgeport (2)29–28
(4OT)		Winfield
1989East Bank[61]14–9Musselman
1990East Bank[61] (2)15–12Spencer[62]
1991Spencer[62]31–22Greenbrier West
1992Buffalo Wayne[41]7–3Magnolia
1993East Bank[61] (3)16–14Magnolia
1994Poca (2)19–0Sissonville
1995Musselman (2)19–0Bluefield
1996East Bank[61] (4)20–14Poca
1997Bluefield (7)42–13Grafton
1998Weir (5)20–17DuPont[61]
1999Wyoming East57–21Bluefield
2000Bridgeport (3)14–6Wayne
2001Poca (3)21–7Bridgeport
2002Poca (4)27–7Bluefield
2003Poca (5)21-20

(1OT)

 Bluefield
2004Bluefield (8)69–24Wayne
2005Weir (6)40–0Bluefield
2006Wayne33–6Tolsia
2007Bluefield (9)20-12James Monroe
2008Grafton (3)56–25Magnolia
2009Bluefield (10)27–7Wayne
2010Magnolia (2)28–13Ravenswood
2011Wayne (2)34–7Point Pleasant
2012Wayne (3)35–0Keyser
2013Bridgeport (4)14–13Wayne
2014Bridgeport (5)43–7Frankfort
2015Bridgeport (6)39-0Tolsia
2016Mingo Central32-7Fairmont Senior
2017Bluefield (11)29-26Fairmont Senior
2018Fairmont Senior (6)23-13Bluefield
2019Bridgeport (7)21-14Bluefield
2020 Fairmont Senior (7) Forfeited due to COVID N/A
2021 Fairmont Senior (8) 21-12 Independence
2022 Independence 42-7 Herbert Hoover
2023 Fairmont Senior (9) 49-48 North Marion

Class AAA (three classes AAA, AA, A, 1958–present)

Schools with multiple championships

See also

External links

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI