HMS Wrestling Team members are: Jacob Cox, Jake Welsh, Kaison White, LJ Moles, Kolby Smith, Jacob Lowdermilk, Kaynen Dillard, Colton Davis, Maddy Whited, Julius Rivera, Bronson Escue, Noah Barnett-Ryder, River Jarrell, Ronin Roscoe, Isaiah Kutscher, Amber Lee, Colton Pye, Kolin Warner, Kellen Hartman, Aiden Tate, Mason Deal, Louden Wheeler, Kolton Edwards, Trent Wilkes, Bryson Scarberry, Brad Beckett, Hayden Edwards, Mallory Escue, Braxton Carver, Grayson Tyler, Miles Wolford, Tyler Lauerman, Kawner Cusack, Levi Cooper, Tristin Wilson, Blake Chapman, Garrett Edwards, Jaxson Rappold, Devon Short, Cooper Ryan and William Sevy.
Monday, March 6, was recognition time at Hurricane City Hall as the city council and Mayor Scott Edwards made note of the achievements of the Hurricane Middle School Wrestling Teams, Calvary Baptist Middle School Girls Basketball Team and High School State Swimming Champion Bradley Boyd.
Both HMS boy and girl wrestlers are coached by Ryan Wheeler. The boys won 2023 MVAC Conference Championship and the 2023 WSAZ Invitational Championship. Both championships were firsts for the Hurricane Middle grapplers.
The WSAZ Invitational is believed to be the largest such tournament in the nation. This year, 841 wrestlers from 62 middle schools competed. Teams from five different states participated in the event.
Middle School Girls Wrestling is a new event and is expected to be sanctioned by the WVSSAC at a future time. Amber Lee competed for HMS in the Middle School Girls State Championship as the Number 8 seed. Amber scored three consecutive wins by pinning the No. 1 seed, No. 4 seed and the No. 2 seed to win the state middle school title.
The Calvary Baptist Middle School Girls Basketball Team was honored for winning the West Virginia Christian Athletic Tournament. The team also won the 2022 State WVCAT Championship. Ava Smith, Lorelei Cregut, and Anna Starcher were named to the all tournament team.
Bradley Boyd, a senior at Hurricane High, was State Champion in both of the 200 Individual Medley and the 100 backstroke. He was 22-0 for the season, the only male swimmer in the state to be undefeated. Boyd was named MSAC swimmer of the year and named to the All-County, All-Conference, All-Region and All-State teams. He received High School All-American honors in the 100 Backstroke, the 1st swimmer in school history to be named All-American. He will attend the University of Kentucky on an athletic scholarship.
Prior to the conduct of regular business, Police Chief Mike Mullins reported that the HPD made 17 State arrests and 7 City arrests during February. Mullins also reported that officers issued 40 citations and 122 warnings. Additionally, the department responded to more than 200 calls and complaints. Complaints included illegal use of a dumpster, stolen vehicle, larceny, theft, vehicle B&E, brandishing, sexual assault, and identity theft. Calls included 4 suicidal thought calls, 8 suspicious people calls and 16 suspicious vehicle calls.
Fire Chief Michael Hoffman informed council that his department will be receiving a new $650,000 fire truck. The purchase of the truck is funded by the Putnam County Fire Service Board. The truck will be delivered to new fire station on Midland Trail in April.
In the regular business session, Council approved rezoning 2010 and 2012 Cherry Street to R-2 from R-1. The zoning change will allow the construction of a triplex unit.
Council also approved a request to change the name of Halan Drive to Legacy Drive. All residents of the street signed the letter of request.
There will be a special council meeting on Monday, March 27, to act upon the budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The next regular Hurricane Council Meeting will be Monday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m.
