The final two invitations for the 66th annual Victory Awards Dinner will be delivered over the next two Sundays.
Fans around the Mountain State will find out the West Virginia Sports Writers Association's pick for High School Coach of the Year on Sunday while the college version of that same award will be announced seven days later.
The candidates for both are many and the winners will be deserving.
Tops among those in line for the college award include West Virginia University's Dana Holgorsen and Mike Carey as well as West Liberty University's Michael Crutchfield.
Holgorsen accomplished a feat not often realized by first year head coaches - he led the Mountaineers to a share of the Big East title, won the conference's BCS bid and then captured his first bowl victory when WVU demolished Clemson by a 70-33 score in the Orange Bowl.
Carey, who had a lot of success as the men's basketball coach at Salem International, took yet another team to the NCAA tournament and along the way dealt eventual national championship runner-up Notre Dame a shocking setback.
As for Critchfield, last year's recipient, all the Hilltoppers' veteran head coach did was lead West Liberty back to the D-II Elite Eight this past season.
There are just as many deserving candidates for the high school coach of the year award.
Hedgesville's Kelly Church captured the school's first-ever Class AAA championship in any sport when his team defeated George Washington by one-point, 33-32, in last month's state championship game at the Charleston Civic Center.
Then, there is Martinsburg head football coach David Walker. All he did was lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back Class AAA state championships.
The list of possible candidates goes on and on and includes Parkersburg South head wrestling coach Paul Jackson, Williamstown girls' track coach Zach Hall, Parkersburg tennis coach Pam Reeves and Ritchie County head softball coach Dave Mossor.
Jackson concluded a stellar career as the head of the Patriots' wrestling program by capturing the school's fourth straight Class AAA crown, and his ninth overall as the team's leader, in February while Hall captured his first Class A track title when he led the Yellowjacket girls to victory last May at the University of Charleston's Laidley Field.
As for Reeves and Mossor, they have become two of the most respected coaches in their chosen sports. Reeves' girls came up short in their bid for a Class AAA state title last spring while Mossor's Rebels captured their second crown under their veteran head coach last spring at the Rosemar Softball Complex.
Voting for the two awards closed on the first day of April with the results to be released statewide over the next 11 days.
Only a limited number of tickets -at $20 apiece -are available. Those who wait until the last minute may find themselves getting shut out. Those needing tickets can contact me at the e-mail address below.
Contact Jim Butta at jbutta@newsandsentinel.com
