Well. well, well. Just when they thought we were dead, look whose coming back to town!

There was a time when the West Virginia State Boys Basketball Tournament was a Mingo and Logan County show. Every year at State Tournament time these two counties put at least two and oftentimes three teams in the tournament field. The Charleston Civic Center and the surrounding hotels and restaurants would be swarming with the hundreds upon hundreds of fans from these two counties as they would watch their teams in State Tourney play.

Seems like it’s been a while since two teams from Mingo made it in the same year. And the rest of the state has seemingly been glad of it. Well guess what Charleston...we’re back! And in a big way too.

Thanks to two great sets of young men, their very worthy coaches and their support networks (i.e., their cheerleaders, cheer coaches, principals, teachers, parents and fans) Mingo is going to be be well represented, even possibly considered prohibitive favorites, in the Class AA and A tournaments next week. And we need to be very proud of them.

Each of the last two evenings these two teams, the Tug Valley Panthers on Wednesday and the Matewan Tigers last night, have played with great talent, poise, confidence and sportsmanship in knocking off storied programs from other parts of the state who, for once thanks to the new format, had to come to Mingo County for Regional Championship events. Both the Panthers and the Tigers have given every person in Mingo County something to be proud of and something positive to talk about.

Both nights, the gymnasiums have been filled to capacity by fans pulling for the home teams. These people have not just been Tug Valley or Matewan fans either. They have been from every area of Mingo County. From Williamson, from Burch, from Gilbert, from Matewan from Lenore, from Kermit, from Naugatuck, from Dingess, from Myrtle. You get the idea. They’ve been Mingo County fans pulling for our Mingo County teams, coaches and students. It has been a wonderful sight to see. Coaches from other schools wearing black and green. Fans who normally cheer for their schools, cheering for their county rivals. What a great statement about this county and its citizens.

But now, we shouldn’t stop there. Mingo - let’s support these two teams all the way through the tournament. I know times are tough. But these kids are giving us something to let us come together and have something positive to talk about. So Mingo - let’s be in Charleston next week. Employers - let your employees go and watch these games. Schools - let your kids and teachers be there for their fellow Mingo students. Let’s show Charleston and the state why Mingo’s back... and still as strong than ever.

That’s how I see it from the other side of the desk. See ya courtside at the Civic Center!