By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Tim Moore smiled ... then laughed.
"I told Tommy (Gerwig) and Tyler (Shartiger) they weren't allowed to get in
foul trouble," Moore, the second-year coach of the Calhoun High School boys
basketball team said. "We're too thin for them to foul out."
Calhoun has 13 players available for tonight's season opener against Roane
County and one of them, freshman Travis Godfrey, is recovering from
leukemia.
"Travis will play what he can," Moore said. Moore also said the Red Devils
would have one more player available when senior Steven Cunningham returns
to action.
Cunningham, a 6-1 senior forward who saw a good deal of playing
time last year, suffered a broken collarbone in the football playoffs.
Calhoun has four seniors on the squad including Gerwig, Shartiger,
Cunningham and Michael Sullivan. All are guards except Cunningham.
The Red Devils height comes from the Dodd Brothers - John and Jacob - and
Josh DeWeese.
John Dodd saw considerable playing time last year and was proficient inside.
The 6-2 sophomore started several games for Calhoun last year.
Junior Jacob Dodd gives the Red Devils inside bulk with his 6-5 frame but he
is still trying to gain much needed playing experience.
DeWeese is a reed thin 6-4 sophomore.
Other Calhoun players include juniors Lucas Morford (5-11), Mike Joseph
(5-9) and J.J. Bremar (5-9). Sophomores include Andrew Norman (5-11), Matt
Houchin (5-11) and Jesse Kessler (5-10).
Probable starters for the Red Devils are Gerwig, Shartiger, Norman, Houchin
and John Dodd.
Despite having not played a game yet Moore has already come up with one win.
That "win" came in the pairings for the Capital City Classic, a weeklong
series of games played at the Charleston Civic Center.
When officials were filling the last four slots they came up with four
teams, Calhoun being one of them. The other three were Clarksburg Notre
Dame, Independence and Huntington High School.
"I really didn't want to play Huntington ... I mean they are the top-ranked
Class AAA team in the state," Moore said.
It turns out he doesn't have to. The poison pill (Huntington) was drawn by
Clarksburg Notre Dame.
Calhoun gets to play Independence (a good team but
not Huntington High) Friday at 10:45 a.m. at the Civic Center.
Following Friday's game against Independence the Red Devils return home for
a rare Saturday game against Braxton County.
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