WVC neighbors meet for third time Saturday

By Nick Scala
Charleston Gazette

UC-State rivalry? You bet

The question might not be accompanied by the same hype and hoopla when a similar one was posed before the WVU-Marshall game two weeks ago, but the answer is quite different.

Is West Virginia State vs. the University of Charleston a rivalry? After all, Saturday’s 1 p.m. West Virginia Conference showdown at UC Stadium will be just the third football meeting between the neighboring schools.

According to both coaches, UC-State is indeed a rivalry.

"It’s a natural rivalry simply because of the proximity of the two schools ... The ‘Battle of the Valley’ if you will," said West Virginia State coach Earl Monroe. "A lot of our players know their players and they hang out, and we’ve both got Valley kids on our teams. It’s a good, natural rivalry that can be good for the Kanawha Valley and both schools."

That’s not quite the same reply reporters got from WVU’s Rich Rodriguez and Marshall’s Mark Snyder two weeks ago, but it’s similar to the one offered by UC coach Tony DeMeo.

"I think any time two schools are this close there’s gonna be a rivalry," DeMeo said. "We’ve played two very tough games with them since I’ve been here, and this looks like it’ll be another one."

Since reinstating its football program in 2003 after a 45-year hiatus, UC has won both games against State, prevailing 17-14 in 2005 and 42-29 last year.

This year’s game, though, brings a bit more juice. For the first time, the rivals meet with unblemished conference records.

"I feel good that both schools come into this thing having a chance to take the lead in the conference," said Monroe, whose Yellow Jackets will be the host team Saturday at Lakin Field in Institute. "There is some added excitement. There’s a chance for a bigger crowd than normal here. The kids deserve that.

"The fact that both teams are playing well and you get to see two good teams play in here in the Valley on Saturday makes it a little more exciting."

UC (3-1 overall, 1-0 in the WVC) is coming off a 33-6 home win over West Virginia Wesleyan in its conference opener. State (2-0, 1-0) opened the WVC portion of its schedule with a 14-7 win over Fairmont State Saturday in Institute.

"We’ve been approaching it as a big game for us, but last week against Wesleyan was a big game, too," DeMeo said. "It’s not like baseball, where you can lose 30 percent of your games and be in great shape. Every game in football is a big game.

"Number one, it’s a conference game, number two, it’s two teams close geographically, and number three, it’s the game we’ll be playing on Saturday."

Because the rivalry is in its infancy, there haven’t been too many defining moments. But Monroe warns against allowing the UC-State showdowns to turn ugly.

"The only thing I don’t like about it is everybody wants to make it some nasty type of rivalry," he said. "Everybody wants to say that State hates UC, or UC hates State, but I don’t get those sentiments at all. That’s how most people think of rivalries, as heated. I just think it’s great that both teams are doing well.

"It’s just a natural rivalry, which could be a good thing for the Valley. Both schools are having decent seasons so far and it gives everyone in the Valley something to do at 1 on Saturday. I can’t think of anything better to do."

Monroe also warns against overconfidence.

"Being 2-0 with a chance to be 3-0, we’ve got some guys floating on clouds," he said. "We’ve got to try to keep them grounded. With the rivalry, sometimes you can get overhyped. We have to keep an even keel. Sure, we want to beat UC, but not more than we wanted to beat Fairmont."