PHS football coach resigns
By Dave Poe, Special to The TimesPARKERSBURG - Bernie Buttrey, who guided Parkersburg High School's football program to 66 wins and two state championships over the past eight seasons, has resigned as the head coach of the Big Reds.
"I have loved the past eight years,'' Buttrey said Monday evening. "I want to step back and catch my breath. I just want to relax a little. I kind of knew at the beginning of this season this might be the last one, but I wasn't sure.''
Buttrey officially submitted his resignation late last week, but he didn't want to make it official until PHS conducted its annual football banquet, which took place on Sunday afternoon. Buttrey had told banquet organizers he wanted the banquet to focus on the senior members of the Big Red football program, not on him. Buttrey said both PHS Principal Ralph Board and Athletics Director Richard Lance asked him to reconsider his decision.
Buttrey is the only coach in the more than 100-year history of Parkersburg High football to lead the Big Reds to back-to-back state titles He was named by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association as the West Virginia High School Coach of the Year following the Big Reds' 14-0 season in 2006, when Parkersburg won the first of two state championship under his guidance. PHS repeated as state champions in 2007, posting a 13-1 mark in winning the 11th state football title in school history.
Buttrey's Big Red teams qualified for the state playoffs in six of his eight seasons, failing to accomplish that feat only in his initial season of 2002, and again in 2008. PHS went 4-6 in both of those years.
Lance said as soon as the resignation is accepted by the Wood County Board of Education, the search for the new coach will begin. He expects the job to be posted by mid December. Lance said a new coach could be named by the end of January.
Buttrey, will leave as the fifth winningest coach in PHS history, trailing only Buddy James (178), Marshall Burdette (89), Jimmy Scott (87) and Russ Parsons (85).
His 2006 team was just the second PHS team to compile a 14-0 record, joining the 1999 squad in that category. The 2006 team allowed just 13 touchdowns throughout the regular season and playoffs, and dominated Martinsburg, 34-6, in the state championship game.
The 2007 squad, although it lost a regular season game at George Washington, ending a 21-game winning streak, won the next six games, including four in the state playoffs.
Under Buttrey's guidance, 22 Big Red players have been named to the Class AAA all-state team. The 2009 squad has not yet been announced, so that total is likely to rise. One of Buttrey's players, lineman Josh Jenkins, became only the second player in the history of Parkersburg High School to earn all-state honors three straight seasons, joining the legendary Ross McHenry, who like Jenkins went on to play football at West Virginia University. McHenry returned to Parkersburg and became the head coach of the Big Reds.
Buttrey said he felt good about leaving the program at this time because he believes it is in a position to be successful.
"We have a solid freshman group. Our JVs had a good year. And we have a great offseason conditioning program and a good coaching staff. It was a prime time for me to go with things in good shape.''
His coaching colleagues had nothing but praise for Buttrey.
"Bernie is a dedicated football coach,'' said Gene Epley, under who Buttrey served at Marietta College. Epley thought so much of Buttrey, he agreed to become an assistant at PHS. "He had a good rapport with the kids. He understands it's what you do in the winter that makes the difference in the fall. He had a stong winter program and a strong summer program. You don't go by Parkersburg High and see many kids who aren't in good shape.''
One of Buttrey's long-time friends, Epley said Buttrey needed a break.
" I know he is looking forward to getting away from football,'' Epley said. "When you are a high school coach, you are with your kids the entire year. There is never a break. Bernie doesn't want football to be the dominant point in his life.''
Epley saw a side of Buttrey not everybody gets the opportunity to experience.
"He would hold morning study halls for the players,'' Epley said. "When they would get done with their studies, he would cook them breakfast. He went a little further than most people would go to have a complete program. He was always there for the kids. He did a lot at PHS.''
Frank Marcinko, who applied for the PHS position when Buttrey was hired, had nothing but praise for his long-time colleague.
"Bernie is old school,'' said Marcinko, who attended Glenville State at the same time as Buttrey. "He understood what it takes in terms of putting in the time. He knew that you win football games with preparation.''
Marcinko, who served as the athletics director at Williamstown where Buttrey coached from 1998-2001, credited Buttrey with establishing the program at Williamstown that has led to the Yellowjackets becoming a Class A powerhouse.
"He is the reason why Williamstown is where it's at,'' said Marcinko. "He laid the groundwork with his conditioning and strength program. I never had to worry about a Bernie Buttrey-coached team. He took care of all the necessary business. He left no i's undotted or t's uncrossed."
Marcinko, a key member of the PHS football staff under Marshall Burdette, said Buttrey did an "outstanding job. He has set the bar high. He was a good friend and an excellent colleague.''
Marcinko has been around football long enough to know that any coach who wins back-to-back state titles has accomplished something few ever will achieve.
"Bernie's teams always got better as the season progressed,'' Marcinko said. "Parkersburg has a lot of blue-collar kids and Bernie is a blue-collar coach. It is going to be a loss for PHS for him to retire.''
