Hunter Mullens, President of the Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, honored the girls’ volleyball team at Philip Barbour High School and recognized the accomplishments of girls’ basketball and soccer.
Mullens, center, presented his President’s Award in the form of an engraved bronze eagle in flight, during the recent banquet meeting at Alderson Broaddus University.
The girls’ soccer team, he said, were runners-up in the state in triple AAA in 2021 and 2022, and made an appearance in the final four in 2022 in the state tournament. They had a school record of 18 wins in 2022, and won the Big 10 Conference championship for the first time, he said.
The girls’ basketball team at Philip Barbour, Mullens said, was represented at the banquet by five senior girls coached by Rick Mouser and Mike Cvechko, the latter a Past President of the Chamber. The team had a record of 9-9 in 2021-22 while beating number one seed Robert C. Byrd in the regional finals. They were the first Philip Barbour girls’ team to make it to the state tournament, he said. They defeated Robert C. Byrd for a second time a year later to advance to their second tournament appearance.
Mullens honored the PBHS girls’ volleyball team coached by Heather Halfin and Brittany Freeman, whose were sectional, regional, and state champions in 2021 and 2022. They had a “stellar record of 56-3-1 in 2022. The volleyball program won six state championships,” Mullens said, “and have been in the state tournament 21 straight times”.
Pictured are Seniors Emily Denison, Carli Cvechko, Averi Carpenter, Madison Weese and Audrey Poling. “The commitment of these young ladies and coaches is a prime example of perseverance. The President’s Award goes to the Philip Barbour High School girls’ volleyball team,” Mullens said.