Serious motivation

By Shane Mettlen

Published: November 10, 2008

No coach wants to lose a football game by 42 points, but after Eastern View finished its inaugural season with a 56-14 loss to Martinsburg it wasn’t all bad. The Cyclones have plenty of motivation heading into the offseason.

“I can guarantee you this,” an agitated EVHS coach Greg Hatfield said after the game. “Those of us at Eastern View High School will never, ever forget Martinsburg High School, and we will never, ever forget what they did for our program.”

Martinsburg was the bigger, better team Friday night at Cyclone Stadium, but the Bulldogs also disrespected the Cyclones in a way they had never seen. When Hatfield went to congratulate Bulldogs coach David Walker after the game, Walker informed the EVHS coach he was just the victim of a good ol’ fashioned West Virginia beat down, but
Walker used words you’re not supposed to print in a family newspaper. Walker’s team then left the visiting locker room at Eastern View vandalized.

“This will be a rallying point for us for years to come,” Hatfield said. “I’d like to thank Martinsburg for jettisoning our program and giving us a strong rallying call.”

Losing is tough and it had to be hard for Eastern View’s seniors to get blown out in their final high school game, but when it comes to the future of the program, this could be blessing in disguise. Tabb’s victory over Warhill had already knocked the Cyclones out of playoff contention and Hatfield was slightly worried that after a surprising 7-3 season his players might feel content and ready to rest on their laurels.

That’s no longer the case. EVHS players can expect to see and hear reminders of the Martinsburg game every time they step into the weight room or show up for conditioning drills this summer. And if the Cyclones think about skipping a workout or two, well you can bet they’ll get more than an earful about that game.

“We will be in the weight room,” Hatfield said. “We will make commitment to that and we will be stronger up front.”

If what happened at Eastern View and Friday’s theft of Culpeper High players’ belongings at Stonewall Jackson doesn’t turn Culpeper into a town of hungry football players, then nothing will. And with players fired up the future of football around here looks bright.

CCHS has nowhere to go but up after an 0-10 season and the Blue Devils will return some talented players who gained valuable varsity experience. Eastern View will have to find a replacement for running back Stevie Strother — who set school records for single-season rushing yards and touchdowns essentially by default, but with 1,968 yards and 26 touchdowns those records will likely last a long time.

But Eastern View was also loaded with sophomores and juniors earning significant playing time on the varsity and quarterback Cody Jenkins led the JV Cyclones to an 8-1 record and should be ready to step in for senior Cody Whitlock next year.

Ah, next year. The 2008 season has only been over for a few days and thanks to Martinsburg we’re talking about next year. And that’s exactly the way Hatfield wants it.

Shane Mettlen can be reached at 825-0771, ext. 127 or