CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Schools Athletic Coaches Association’s will add Homer Criddle and Chad Johnston to the North-South Football Hall of Fame this weekend.
Homer Criddle, head coach at five West Virginia high schools over his career, leading three – South Charleston, St. Albans, and Greenbrier East – to appearances in the Class AAA State Championship game. He led the South Cardinals to a 39-0 win over the North Bears in the 1986 North-South Classic. He is a graduate of Huntington East High School and was a scholarship football player at West Virginia University, where he was a three-year letterman and a member of the 1964 Liberty Bowl team.
Chad Johnston led the Peterstown Pirates to the 1991 Class A State Championship with a 26-21 win over the Matewan Tigers. He signed a football scholarship with West Virginia University, where he was the starting quarterback for the Mountaineers for three seasons. Johnston led WVU to appearances in the 1995 Carquest Bowl and 1997 Gator Bowl and ended his career as the Mountaineers all-time passing yardage leader and tied for career TD passes with Oliver Luck. He played professional football for the Carolina Panthers and Orlando Predators.
Hall of Fame ceremonies will take place at West Virginia State University in Institute on Saturday, June 17 at 1:45pm, folllowed by public introductions prior to the North-South Football Classic at 7pm at Laidley Field in Charleston.
West Virginia Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame
2008
Robert Alexander – South Charleston HS, West Virginia University, Los Angeles Rams
Mike Barber – Winfield HS, Marshall University, Cincinnati Bengals
Walter Easley – Stonewall Jackson HS, West Virginia University, San Francisco 49ers
Sam Huff – Farmington HS, West Virginia University, NY Giants, Washington Redskins
Charles McKown – Wayne HS
Kenny Wright – Pennsboro HS, Ritchie County HS
Fred Wyant – Weston HS, West Virginia University, NFL Referee
2009
George Cafego – Oak Hill HS, University of Tennessee
Russ Craft – Wellsburg HS, University of Alabama, Philadelphia Eagles
Alex Hawkins – South Charleston HS, University of South Carolina, Philadelphia Eagles
Leon McCoy – Charleston HS, Morris Harvey College, Winfield HS
Bobby Moss – Huntington East HS, West Virginia University
Floyd Schwarzwalder – Parkersburg HS, West Virginia University, Syracuse University
2010
Walter Barnes – Parkersburg HS, LSU, Philadelphia Eagles
Rich Braham – University HS, West Virginia University, Cincinnati Bengals
Bruce Bosley – Green Bank HS, West Virginia University, San Francisco 49ers
Bob Gain – Weirton HS, University of Kentucky, Cleveland Browns
Dick Huffman – Charleston HS, University of Tennessee, Los Angeles Rams, Calgary Stampeders
Carl Lee – South Charleston HS, Marshall University, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints
Jerome Van Meter – Woodrow Wilson HS
Carl Ward – Ceredo-Kenova HS
2011
Bimbo Coles – Greenbrier East HS, Virginia Tech, 1988 US Olympian, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics
Bobbie Howard – DuPont HS, University of Notre Dame, Chicago Bears
Roger Jefferson – Charleston HS, Capital HS
Bill Leskovar – Fairmont Senior HS, University of Kentucky
2012
Mike Linsky – Duval HS, John Marshall HS
Chris Massey – East Bank HS, Marshall University, St. Louis Rams
Curt Warner – Pineville HS, Penn State, Seattle Seahawks
2013
Gary Barnette – Dunbar HS, West Virginia University, South Harrison HS
Hoppy Shores – Stonewall Jackson HS, West Virginia University
Lonnie Warwick – Mount Hope HS, University of Tennessee, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons
2014
Steve Edwards, Sr. – St. Albans HS, West Virginia University, George Washington HS
Steve Newberry – Peterstown HS, West Virginia University
2015
Carl Fodor – Weir HS, Marshall University, St. Louis Cardinals, Calgary Stampeders
Wayne Jamison – Roosevelt-Wilson HS, Salem College, Bridgeport HS
Larry McClintic – Meadow Bridge HS, Concord College
2016
Jim Thornburg – Buffalo-Wayne HS, Barboursville HS, Cabell Midland HS
Don Harmon – Poca HS, Morris Harvey College
2017
Homer Criddle – Huntington East HS, West Virginia University, Kingwood HS, St. Marys HS, South Charleston HS, St. Albans HS, Greenbrier East HS
Chad Johnston – Peterstown HS, West Virginia University, Carolina Panthers, Orlando Predators