Trending
WHEELING - Wheeling Park went 7-5 during the 2025 high school football season, finishing third in the OVAC Class 5A standings behind Morgantown and Steubenville. The Patriots won their first West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission Class 4A playoff encounter with Woodrow Wilson of Beckley (27-14) before falling to Martinsburg (55-35) in their second game.
As a result, head coach Chris Daugherty and his staff have been selected to lead the West Virginia All Stars against the Ohio All Stars in the 80th annual OVAC Rudy Mumley Football Game on Saturday, July 18 on the artificial surface at Wheeling Island Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m.
"Being selected to coach the Rudy Mumley OVAC All-Star Football Game is a tremendous honor. This game has long been recognized as the unofficial kickoff to football season in the Ohio Valley, bringing together some of the area’s finest athletes and coaches while celebrating the rich tradition of the sport in our region," Daugherty said.
"The Ohio Valley has been home to countless outstanding coaches, both past and present, who have made a lasting impact on high school football. To be chosen to represent West Virginia alongside that tradition is truly humbling," he added. "I am grateful for the opportunity to work with these talented players, coach alongside outstanding colleagues, and be part of an event that means so much to the Ohio Valley football community."
Ohio leads the all-time series 46-31-2, but West Virginia prevailed,15-14, last year as time expired.
A brief capsule of the coaches follows;
CHRIS DAUGHERTY is the head coach at Wheeling Park High School and a proud alumnus of the school. He has dedicated 34 years to the program, including the last 17 years as head coach. Under his leadership, the Patriots have achieved 117 career victories and an impressive streak of 16 consecutive playoff appearances. His teams have made multiple runs to the quarterfinals and semifinals, highlighted by capturing the 2015 state championship - one of the premier accomplishments in program history.
Daugherty's impact extends far beyond wins and losses. He has coached 59 all-state players and helped 61 student-athletes continue their careers at the collegiate level, demonstrating his dedication to player development and long-term success. His coaching resume also includes leading West Virginia to a victory in the 2016 OVAC Game and guiding the North team to a win in the 2017 North/South All-Star Game. In recognition of his success, he was named the USA Today West Virginia Coach of the Year in 2015. Off the field, Daugherty is a devoted family man. He and his wife, Jenna, are the proud parents of three daughters--Josie, Natalie, and Danielle. He is also an active member of Newbridge Church, where his faith and community involvement play an important role in his life.
DREW BEIHL is a longtime educator and football coach at Wheeling Park High School. A proud graduate of Wheeling Park High School, Beihl continued his education at West Liberty University, where he earned a degree in Elementary and Special Education, laying the foundation for his career as both a teacher and coach. Since 2004, Beihl has been a key member of the football coaching staff at Wheeling Park High School. During his tenure, he served as the head freshman coach for three years, helping to develop young players and prepare them for varsity competition. He later moved into a varsity assistant role, where he has spent 18 years contributing to the program's success. Over the years, he has coached quarterbacks and played an important role in developing offensive talent.
Currently, he serves as the offensive coordinator for the Patriots, where he oversees the team's offensive strategy and continues to mentor student-athletes both on and off the field.
Outside of football, he is a devoted family man who lives in Wheeling with his wife, Melissa, and their four children, Jarred, Emilee, Brady, and Faith.
SCOTT COOK serves as the Special Teams Coordinator and Outside Linebacker coach for the Patriots. He is a graduate of Wheeling Park, where he represented the Patriots in the 1983 OVAC All-Star game. He later attended West Liberty University where he graduated with a degree in secondary education and played receiver for the Hilltopper football program.
Cook later earned a master's degree from West Virginia University in Higher Education Administration in 1998. Following his graduation from West Liberty, Cook spent one year teaching and coaching football at Bridgeport High School (OH). He then returned to West Liberty and coached football for the Hilltoppers for 13 years.
He began working in administration at West Liberty in 1998, eventually retiring as Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management in 2022. Cook has been a member of the Wheeling Park football staff since 2019. He is the proud father of two adult children, Emily and Jack.
SAVION JOHNSON is a 2016 graduate of Wheeling Park High School, where he helped lead the Patriots to a state championship in 2015 and was named the game's MVP. After high school, he continued his education at West Liberty University, where he earned his degree. Johnson has spent the past four years coaching at Wheeling Park High School as an assistant coach and currently serves as the Running Backs coach. Off the field, he is the Sports Program Director at the YMCA and a Special Education teacher at Wheeling Park, where he is dedicated to supporting and developing student-athletes both academically and athletically.
RICK MARSH is a veteran football coach and respected leader at Wheeling Park High School where he has been a dedicated member of the coaching staff since 2002. With over two decades of experience, he has played an integral role in building a strong, competitive football program grounded in discipline, toughness, and team unity. Marsh was a key member of the coaching staff for the 2015 state championship team, a milestone achievement that reflects his commitment to excellence and his ability to prepare athletes for high-level competition. In recognition of his coaching ability and leadership, he was selected to represent West Virginia as a coach in the OVAC All-Star Game in 2016.
In addition to football, Marsh has contributed to the school's athletic success as a track and field coach, further demonstrating his dedication to student-athletes across multiple sports. Beyond coaching, he serves as a teacher and currently holds the role of assistant athletic director at Wheeling Park High School, where he continues to support and guide athletic programs at all levels.
Off the field, Marsh is a devoted family man. He and his wife, Shannon, reside in Wheeling, where they have raised their three sons--Jared, Quinn, and EJ. His commitment to family, education, and athletics reflects the same values he instills in his players every day.
NICHOLAS NARDONE is the Defensive Backs Coach and Assistant Special Teams coach for the Patriots. He brings nine years of coaching experience at Wheeling Park, where he has worked with linebackers, outside linebackers, defensive backs, and special teams. Nardone is also a Special Education teacher at Wheeling Park High School, where he has taught for the past six years. A proud graduate of Wheeling Park High School’s Class of 2016, he went on to attend West Liberty University, earning a degree in Physical Education and Health in 2020. He later completed a Master’s degree in Coaching and Sports Leadership from West Liberty University in 2022.
KEITH PHILLIPS has served as the Defensive Coordinator at Wheeling Park High School for more than a decade. Since 2010 the program has made 17 consecutive playoff appearances with multiple quarterfinal and semifinal advancements. During the 2015 AAA state championship season, Wheeling Park ranked first in the state in total defense. During his tenure the Patriot defenses have recorded 12 shutouts, held 28 opponents to seven points or less, and limited 37 opponents to 14 points or less. In recognition of his impact, he was named the Ohio Valley Defensive Coordinator of the Year following the 2013 season. Phillips and his staff have helped to develop talent at a high level, with 13 defensive players being named first team all-state, along with one Huff Award winner.
In addition to coaching, Phillips teaches Driver's Education at Wheeling Park High School.He and his wife, Terry, have raised three sons - Zach, Nate, and Brett - each of whom earned first team all-state honors while playing at Wheeling Park, along with moving on to play football at the collegiate level.
FRED RAY is entering his 20th season in football coaching and currently serves as an assistant coach at Wheeling Park High School, a position he has held since 2024. A 2018 Martins Ferry High School Hall of Fame inductee and a 2023 Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame inductee, Ray was a four-year letterman at Ohio University for the Bobcats where he played quarterback. He has a multitude of coaching experience at both the professional arena football and high school levels. Coach Ray served as head coach of the Fairview Eagles in Westwood, Kentucky, from 2014-2017, where he led the program to four Kentucky playoff appearances. He later served as head coach of the Bridgeport Bulldogs in Bridgeport, Ohio, from 2018-2023.
During his tenure at Bridgeport, the Bulldogs made two Ohio playoff appearances. Earlier in his career, Ray also coached as an assistant on a team that played in the 2012 Kentucky State Championship game. He resides in Saint Clairsville with his wife, Lauren.
TIM ICKES played offensive line at West Liberty University from 2006-2009. His last year with the Hilltoppers, he helped lead them to their first outright conference title. In 2009, the Hilltoppers finished with the best offense in NCAA Division II and an 11-2 record. In the Hilltoppers’ run to the Elite 8, he was named first team all-conference, first team all-region, and was named a Don Henson All American. He continued to help the Toppers when he was on the coaching staff in 2010 helping with the defensive line. After graduating from West Liberty University, Ickes was honored to begin coaching under Coach Daugherty at Wheeling Park. He was the offensive and defensive line coach and was also hired as a Physical education teacher at Park. He has coached in the OVAC All-Star Game in 2015 and 2016. He also coached the 2017 W.Va. North South All-Star Game. All three times he was the offensive line coach and all three times his squad came away with the decisive victory. Ickes has been married to his wife, Mia, for 14 years and they have two daughters, Olivia and Gianna.