The West Virginia High School Football State Championships have been held since the early 1900s. The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) began its formal recognition of WV State Football Championships in 1937 with the state's sports writers' vote. The WVSSAC began a class system, dividing larger and smaller schools in 1947. WVSSAC official playoff games began in 1948. Prior to the WVSSAC's involvement in an official playoff, there were other systems in play. From 1916 to 1955 the WVSSAC was called the West Virginia Athletic Association.
History Getting started In the early 1900s, teams claimed state titles by virtue of their records against other WV schools. Some of the major newspapers would have input as well. Often coaches would contact one another and arrange championship games themselves. This system may have been flawed, but it was what most WV schools used for at least 33 years.
Segregation Before Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954, high school football was segregated just like the schools. About 45 colored schools existed in WV. More than 25 Black school football programs existed in West Virginia during segregation. In 1914, WV's Black leaders came together and formed what would become the West Virginia Athletic Union (WVAU), which would govern high school athletic championships in WV for African American students. The WVAU ceased to exist in 1956, as only two schools remained in the organization.
Private schools Prior to 1977 most private schools did not participate in the WVSSAC or its football playoff system. Nearly all the private schools that fielded football teams were Catholic, so the WVCHSAA was formed. In 1962 Catholic leadership began a championship game process for their schools. The West Virginia Catholic State Football Champion was crowned until the 1976 season. Wheeling Central Catholic joined the WVSSAC in 1970. By 1977 the WVCHSAA numbers were so low the organization was dissolved.
WVSSAC takes the reins
Tie breakers Prior to 1965 season, games played against teams in a higher class were not considered in the point system if the smaller school lost. Before 1976, if two teams tied for the last playoff spot they were both removed from the playoff. This happened in 1963 when Charleston and Welch both tied for the #2 playoff position. #1 Buckhannon-Upshur was awarded the AAA title without a game. In 1975, in single A, both Meadow Bridge and Rivesville finished the regular season 10–0–0, but tied for the #4 playoff spot. They were both eliminated and #1 Wirt was given a bye. There is now a tie break system for teams whose playoff points average out the same.
Location Championship games were played in a variety of locations over the years, but that changed in 1979. From 1979 to 1993 the three WV Football Championship games were played at Laidley Field, now University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field in Charleston. The West Virginia State High School Football Championship games were played at Wheeling Island Stadium from 1994 to 2023. In 2024, the championship games returned to UC Stadium at Laidley Field.
Eras and classes The different eras of West Virginia State Football Championships are listed below: A small number of West Virginia high schools sponsored football teams prior to 1900, but the first known game played between two West Virginia schools occurred in 1901 when Huntington High met Charleston High. The first claimed state title that has been discovered, so far, was Fairmont Senior in 1903. It is not yet certain if state titles were claimed every season between 1903 and 1915. 1903–1915: Prior to WVSSAC or formal sportswriters vote: Single-class system, games arranged by individual teams, 1903 & 1907 Fairmont Senior.Source: Knights of the Laughing Waters by George W. Ramsey, Jr., 1915 Source: Buckhannon Record newspaper November 1915. 1909, 1912 Source: Huntington Advertiser newspaper. 1908 & 1913 Wheeling Genealogical Society 1911 Source: Spaldings 1911 Football Guide page 251 1916–1936: WV Athletic Association (known as the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission after 1955) formed to help regulate high school athletics in WV. State football champions were still selected by schools arranging games and sports writers' input.1916–1936 Source: "History of Sports in West Virginia" by Doug Huff (sports writer for the Wheeling Intelligencer, The Intelligencer and Wheeling News Register). 1914–1956: Colored School State Champions. Before the historic Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling, in 1954, schools, and football games, were segregated. African Americans were forced to play in their own league. The West Virginia Athletic Union governed African American athletics during this time. 1937–1946: Single-class system. Champion was named by the West Virginia Sportswriters Association. 1947–1954: Two-class system. Schools were placed in Class A or B based on enrollment. 1955–1957: Three-class system, with Class AA, Class A or B based on enrollment. 1958–2023: Three-class system, based on enrollment, with Classes AAA, AA and A. 2024–present: Four-class system, based on enrollment, location and economics with Classes AAAA, AAA, AA and A.
From 1947 to 1954, there were only two classes; Class A (big schools) and Class B (small schools). From 1955 to 1957, there were three classes; Class AA (big schools), Class A (medium-sized schools) and Class B (small schools). From 1958 to 2023 there have been three classes as well, however the names have been changed to: Class AAA (big schools), Class AA (medium-sized schools) and Class A (small schools). From 2024 to the present there have been four classes: Class AAAA (big schools), Class AAA (medium-big schools), Class AA (medium-small schools) and Class A (small schools).
Champions by popular acclaim
Single class (*school no longer exists)
Year Champion1903 Fairmont Senior (8–0–0)1907 Fairmont Senior (2) (6–3–0)1908 Wheeling*consolidated with Wheeling, Triadelphia, Warwood and West Liberty into Wheeling Park High School 1976.1909 (Old) Huntington* (5–1–0)Consolidated with Huntington East High School in 1996 into New Huntington High School.1911 Parkersburg (10–0–0)1912 (Old) Huntington* (2) (5–3–0)1913 Wheeling* (2)1915 Buckhannon (8–0–0)consolidated with Upshur High School to form Buckhannon-Upshur High School 1933.1916 Wheeling* (3) (8–0–1)1917 (Old) Huntington* (3) (5–0–0)1918 Parkersburg (2) (2–1–0)Buckhannon (2) (4–0–0)1919 Parkersburg (3) (7–1–0)1920 Charleston* (8–0–1)1921 Parkersburg (4) (9–0–0)1922 Charleston* (2) (9–1–2)Parkersburg (5) (9–2–0) Clarksburg Washington Irving* (8–1–0)consolidated into Robert C. Byrd High School 1995.St. Marys (9–1–0)Wheeling* (4) (5–2–1)(Old) Huntington* (4) (4–4–1)Mannington* (9–0–0)1923 (Old) Huntington* (5) (9–2–0)1924 Buckhannon (3) (8–0–0) Fairmont Senior (3) (8–0–1) Charleston* (3) (11–1–1)1925 Clarksburg-Victory* (8–0–0)Victory, Salem and Bristol consolidated in 1973 to form Liberty High School.Wheeling* (5) (8–1–1)1926 Benwood Union* (8–1–0)consolidated into John Marshall High School 1968.Williamson* (11–0–0)consolidated with Gilbert, Matewan and Burch High Schools to form Mingo Central High School 2011.Magnolia (9–0–0) Clarksburg Washington Irving* (2) (8–0–1)1927 Morgantown (9–0–0)Parkersburg (6) (10–0–0)1928 Benwood Union* (2) (8–0–0)Elkins (9–0–0)(Old) Huntington* (6) (10–0–2)1929 Fairmont Senior (4) (8–0–0)Clarksburg Roosevelt-Wilson* (8–0–0)1930 (Old) Huntington* (7) (7–3–1)1931 Benwood Union* (3) (9–0–0)1932 Big Creek* (9–0–0)consolidated into River View High School 2009.1933 Charleston* (4) (13–1–0) Doddridge (9–0–0)formed by consolidating Carr and West Union High Schools in 1933.1934 (Old) Huntington* (8) (10–0–0)Big Creek* (2) (9–0–0)1935 Weir (10–0–0)Clarksburg-Victory* (2) (9–0–0)1936 Doddridge (2) (10–0–0)
During the 1926 season Williamson and Magnolia arranged a state title game. Williamson defeated Magnolia 14–13. However, after accusations on both sides of ineligible players the WVAA (now known as the WVSSAC) stepped in and forced both teams to forfeit all their games. Doug Huff, one of WV's leading sports historians, left both schools in his book, History of Sports in West Virginia, so they are included on this list as well.
Colored State Football Champions African American students were barred from playing football with White Americans. This changed in 1954 with the Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education, which overturned school segregation. Black school athletics were governed by the WV Athletic Union but did not receive as consistent media attention as their white counterparts. This makes research difficult. Information on the Colored State Football Champions has been provided by Robert Bonner, WV high school football researcher. More will be entered as the information becomes available.
Single class (*school no longer exists)
YearChampion 1914 1915 1916 1917 Sumner*Charles Sumner* High School, Parkersburg, West Virginia, Wood County, West Virginia 1918 1919 1920 Frederick Douglass*Frederick Douglass High School, Huntington, Cabell County, WV 1921 Frederick Douglass* (2) & Sumner* (2) (tie) 1922 Frederick Douglass* (3) 1923 Garnet*Henry Highland Garnet High School, Charleston, WV Kanawha County, WV 1924 1925 1926 Booker T. Washington*Booker T. Washington High School London, Kanawha County, WV 1927 Kelly Miller*Kelly Miller (scientist) High School Clarksburg, WV Harrison County, WV 1928 Kelly Miller* (2) 1929 Kelly Miller* (3) 1930 Garnet* (2) (6–0–0) 1931 Fairmont-Dunbar*Paul Laurence Dunbar, Dunbar School (Fairmont, West Virginia), Marion County, West Virginia 1932 Gary District*Gary District High School, Gary, WV, McDowell County, WV 1933 Garnet* (3) (7–0–0) 1934 Fairmont-Dunbar* (2) (8–0–0) 1935 Excelsior*Excelsior High School, War, West Virginia, McDowell County, WV 1936 DuBois*W. E. B. DuBois High School, Mount Hope, West Virginia, Fayette County, WV 1937 Frederick Douglass* (4) 1938 DuBois* (2) 1939 DuBois* (3) 1940 Monongalia*Morgantown, WV, Monongalia County, WV 1941 Stratton* (8–0–2)Rev. Daniel Stratton High School, Beckley, WV, Raleigh County, West Virginia 1942 DuBois* (4) 1943 Fairmont-Dunbar* (3) 1944 Elkhorn* (6–0–3)Elkhorn High School, Elkhorn, West Virginia, McDowell County, West Virginia 1945 Excelsior* (2) 1946 Stratton* (2) (10–0–0) 1947 Frederick Douglass* (5) 1948 Aracoma*Aracoma High School, Aracoma, West Virginia, Logan County, WV 1949 Aracoma* (2) 1950 Garnet* (4) (9–1–0) 1951 Conley*Conley High School, Mullens, WV, Wyoming County, WV 1952 Kimball*Kimball High School, Kimball, West Virginia, McDowell County, WV 1953 Fairmont-Dunbar* (4) 1954 Stratton* (3) (9–0–0) 1955 Byrd Prillerman*Dr. Byrd Prillerman High School, Amigo, West Virginia, Raleigh County, West Virginia 1956 Gary District* (2)
WV Catholic Schools State Football Champions Prior to 1977, most Catholic schools did not participate within the WVSSAC.
Single class (*school no longer exists) Year Champion Score Runner-up 1962 Charleston Catholic 13–7 Wheeling Central 1963 Wheeling Central 40–6 Charleston Catholic 1964 Wheeling Central (2) 28–20 Charleston Catholic 1965 Wheeling Central (3) no game played 1966 Wheeling Central (4) 46–6 Weirton-Madonna 1967 Wheeling Central (5) no game played 1968 Weirton-Madonna no game played 1969 Charleston Catholic (2) 12–7 Parkersburg Catholic 1970 Parkersburg Catholic 21–0 Clarksburg-Notre Dame 1971 Weirton-Madonna (2) 44–6 Bishop Donahue*Closed in 2017, students moved to Wheeling Central 1972 Weirton-Madonna (3) 22–6 Charleston Catholic 1973 Charleston Catholic (3) 27–6 Weirton-Madonna 1974 Clarksburg-Notre Dame 20–16 Weirton-Madonna 1975 Weirton-Madonna (4) 39–13 Clarksburg-Notre Dame 1976 Charleston Catholic (4) 6–0 Morgantown-St. Francis*
WV sports writers' vote Single class (*school no longer exists)