— Tim Payton hopes to have a coach for his Oak Hill High boys basketball team early next month.

According to the OHHS principal, former Midland Trail and Glenville State standout Steve Shuff decided not to proceed with plans to coach the Red Devils and act as the school’s graduation coach beginning this school year. Shuff’s hiring was approved in May and his resignation accepted in late July.

“He was recommended for both and had been hired for both, but he called and said it wasn’t going to work out,” said Payton. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

Payton has made a recommendation to the state Board of Education for a replacement for Shuff, who coached at Gilmer County High School for more than a decade. The new coach is expected to be revealed at the board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 4.

Veteran Oak Hill coach Fred Ferri Jr. retired at the conclusion of the 2011-12 season.

The Red Devils go into the school year — their first in Class AAA since the 1999-2000 campaign — with several other new coaches. Over the summer, boys soccer coach Laura Sedlock moved over to coach the girls team when veteran coach Steve Hudson retired. The current interim head coach of the boys squad is Kyle Kent, whom is likely to be elevated to the head coaching spot in early September.

Ashley Poland is the Red Devils’ volleyball coach, while Randal Rosiek guides the golf squad, George Smith the cross country teams and Eddie Souk Jr. the football squad.

In addition to a new face leading the boys basketball program, Justin Hough was named to replace Pat Bay as head girls basketball coach.

Looking ahead to spring, veteran head baseball coach Chris Walls was bumped from that position by Chad Quesenberry, who teaches at the school.



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The Red Devils christened the new football season with a 43-36 setback to triple-A foe Elkins this past Friday. The Tigers, who replaced single-A Fayetteville on the schedule, will be one of six Class AAA opponents on the football slate (the minimum number required by the WVSSAC to qualify for the playoffs). Payton said he would have liked to keep Fayetteville, but that “would have limited us in getting a triple-A schedule.”

Former Class AAA rival Woodrow Wilson is not on the 2012 Oak Hill football schedule, but the Eagle boys will visit Oak Hill on Feb. 22, the final day of the basketball regular season.

“We’re right next door, and it makes sense financially (to play Woodrow).” The Red Devils and the Eagles could possibly collide in several sectional postseason opportunities, including basketball and soccer.

Payton says the school did a lot to prepare for the triple-A challenge, both athletically and academically.

“That transition is going to take some time,” he said.

“You can’t make that shift overnight.”

Being a non-conference member while many schools do have league affiliations makes scheduling harder, particularly in football.

Payton says he looks ahead to a good school year at Oak Hill, which includes 880 students in grades 9-12 who are attending classes with a new HVAC system in place. Several staff members took part in a summer Safe and Supportive Schools initiative geared toward making positive changes.

“We’ve been working on improving the curriculum and the culture for Oak Hill High students and teachers,” Payton said.

“We want to continue to maintain high standards.”



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The person hired to coach the boys basketball team will also be employed as the graduation coach, a post which is being funded by a Safe and Supportive Schools grant.

“Those two jobs do not (necessarily) go together,” said Payton. “It (graduation coach) was created for the students. It’s a position I’ve been trying to get for a long time.” The graduation coach will work with students at risk of not earning their diploma on time.

The grant also funds an in-school suspension teacher.

— E-mail: skeenan@register-herald.com