Friday nights in Mason County aren't just about a game. If you’ve ever stood near the confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers as the sun starts to dip, you know exactly what I’m talking about. You can practically feel the hum in the air. People start closing up shop early. The local spots—those little diners and gas stations where everyone knows your name—begin to empty out. Everyone is heading toward Ohio River Valley Bank Track and Field at O.O. White Stadium. Point Pleasant WV football isn't just a high school program; it's the social and emotional heartbeat of a town that has seen its fair share of ups and downs.
It’s intense.
The stadium sits there, tucked away, waiting for the floodlights to cut through the West Virginia mist. When they do, the place transforms. You see the red and black everywhere. It’s on the hats of grandfathers who played for the Big Blacks back in the seventies, and it’s on the face paint of toddlers who can barely stay awake past the first quarter. There is a specific kind of pride here that is hard to explain to outsiders. It’s not just about winning—though, let’s be honest, Point Pleasant likes to win—it’s about the grit. This is a blue-collar town, and the football team reflects that identity better than anything else.
The Legacy of the Big Blacks
Historically, the Point Pleasant program has been a model of consistency in West Virginia’s AA and AAA landscapes. It hasn't always been easy. For years, the team navigated the tough waters of the MSAC (Mountain State Athletic Conference) and later independent schedules that forced them to travel hours across the state just to find a decent matchup. But that travel shaped the "us against the world" mentality you see on the sidelines today.
Dave Toney is a name that comes up a lot when you talk about the foundation. He spent decades coaching and leading, instilling a level of discipline that became the program’s trademark. But if we're looking at the modern era, you cannot talk about Point Pleasant WV football without mentioning David Darst.
Darst took the reins in 2007 and basically turned the program into a perennial powerhouse. Before he arrived, the Big Blacks were respected, but they weren't necessarily feared. Under his leadership, the win-loss columns started looking lopsided in Point's favor. We're talking about multiple undefeated regular seasons and deep playoff runs that had the whole town dreaming of state titles. He built a culture where the kids didn't just show up to play; they showed up to dominate. They hit harder. They ran longer. They played with a chip on their shoulder that reflected the toughness of the Ohio Valley.
People still talk about the 2011-2015 stretch. It was legendary. During those years, the Big Blacks were virtually untouchable in the regular season. They were producing athletes like Cody Mitchell, who went on to play at Marshall University, proving that a kid from a small river town could compete at the Division I level. That's the dream, right? Every kid in the youth leagues looks at players like Mitchell or Aden Yates and thinks, That could be me.
The Rivalry That Stops Time
If you want to see Point Pleasant at its most electric, you have to be there for the Battle for the Bell.
This is the annual showdown with Gallia Academy, located just across the river in Gallipolis, Ohio. It is one of the oldest interstate rivalries in the country. It’s weird, honestly. You have families split right down the middle—cousins playing against cousins, brothers-in-law talking trash at the dinner table all week.
✨ Don't miss: When Was the MLS Founded? The Chaotic Truth About American Soccer's Rebirth
When the game is at Point Pleasant, the bridge traffic is a nightmare. But no one cares.
The trophy is an old locomotive bell. It’s heavy, it’s loud, and it’s the only thing that matters for those 48 minutes of play. Losing the bell is a tragedy; winning it back is a holiday. There was a period where Gallia Academy dominated, but the tide turned significantly over the last fifteen years. These games are rarely "clean" football. They are gritty, defensive struggles where the grass gets torn up and the pads popping sound like firecrackers. It's beautiful in its own way.
The rivalry highlights something deep about this community: loyalty. You don't jump ship when the team has a down year. You show up, you buy your pepperoni roll from the concession stand, and you scream until your throat is raw.
The Grind: Behind the Scenes
Success in Point Pleasant doesn't just happen by accident in August. It starts in the freezing cold of February in the weight room.
The school’s strength and conditioning program is arguably one of the best in the state for a school its size. You’ll see kids who spend their mornings working on farms or helping out in family businesses, and then they spend their afternoons under a squat rack. It’s a culture of work. There’s no flash. There are no fancy facilities like you might find in some of the big Texas or Florida schools. It’s just iron and sweat.
The coaching staff, currently led by Mike Simpson—who took over the mantle from Darst—has kept that fire burning. Simpson didn't try to reinvent the wheel. He knew the wheel worked. He focused on maintaining that physical identity. Point Pleasant plays "bully ball." They want to run the ball down your throat, control the clock, and make you wish the game was over by the start of the third quarter.
- The Offensive Line: Usually the biggest kids in the county. They pride themselves on being "hogs."
- The Defense: High-pressure, aggressive, and coached to swarm the ball.
- The Special Teams: Always disciplined. In close games, this is often where Point finds their edge.
The Impact of Class Realignment
West Virginia high school sports recently went through a massive shift with the four-class system (A, AA, AAA, AAAA). For a school like Point Pleasant, this was a huge deal. They’ve danced on the line between classes for years.
Being in Class AAA (under the new 2024-2026 classification) means they are often the "small" school playing against bigger programs from cities like Huntington or Charleston. But that’s exactly where Point Pleasant thrives. They like being the underdog. They like the fact that teams from the "big cities" hate making the drive down Route 2 to play in the "Black Hole."
🔗 Read more: Navy Notre Dame Football: Why This Rivalry Still Hits Different
The travel is still a beast. Playing teams like Bridgeport or Fairmont Senior involves hours on a yellow school bus, winding through mountain roads. It builds a different kind of toughness. By the time they get off that bus, they aren't tired; they're ready to hit someone.
Why it Matters Beyond the Scoreboard
We have to talk about the "Mothman" in the room. Point Pleasant is famous for the folklore, the statues, and the tourists who come to look for monsters. But for the people who live here, the football team is more real than any legend.
In a town where the economy has shifted and industries have changed, the football team represents stability. It’s the one thing you can count on every fall. When the team is winning, the mood of the whole town lifts. You see "Big Black Pride" signs in the windows of every business on Main Street.
It’s also about the kids. For many of these players, football is the pathway to college. Whether it’s playing for a mountain state school like Glenville State or West Virginia Wesleyan, or reaching for the heights of WVU or Marshall, the program provides a structure that carries over into life. You learn how to fail. You learn how to get back up. You learn that if you don't do your job, the person next to you suffers.
The Experience: What to Expect at O.O. White
If you’re a fan of high school sports and find yourself in Mason County on a Friday night, do yourself a favor and buy a ticket. It’s cheap, and the atmosphere is better than half the college games I’ve been to.
The entrance is a spectacle. The band—the Point Pleasant "Black Knight" Marching Band—is phenomenal. They provide the soundtrack to the chaos. When the team runs out onto the field through the giant inflatable helmet, the roar from the home side is deafening.
The "Black Hole" student section is a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. They are loud, they are creative, and they are relentless. It’s all in good fun, mostly, but it definitely creates a true home-field advantage. You’ll hear the "Point! Pleasant!" chant echoing off the nearby hills. It’s haunting and awesome all at once.
Common Misconceptions
People think Point Pleasant is just a "run-only" team. While they love the ground game, they’ve adapted over the years. They’ve developed some truly gifted quarterbacks and wideouts who can burn you if you stack the box too heavily.
💡 You might also like: LeBron James Without Beard: Why the King Rarely Goes Clean Shaven Anymore
Another misconception is that it’s all about the stars. Honestly, Point Pleasant wins because of their "depth players"—the kids who might not get the headlines but never miss a block and play through injuries because they don't want to let the town down.
Future Outlook: The Next Generation
The youth programs in Point Pleasant are essentially a farm system. They teach the same terminology and the same schemes to the elementary school kids that the varsity team uses. By the time a kid reaches the 9th grade, he’s already had years of experience in the system.
This "cradle to grave" approach to Point Pleasant WV football ensures that the program doesn't just have "one good year" and then disappear. They are built for the long haul. Even when they lose a massive senior class, the next group is waiting in the wings, hungry for their turn under the lights.
The 2024 and 2025 seasons showed that the program is still in great hands. They’ve been competitive in every game, showing that the transition in coaching and the changes in state classes haven't slowed them down. They are still the team that no one wants to see on their schedule come playoff time.
Practical Steps for Fans and Families
If you want to keep up with the Big Blacks or get involved, here is the "non-corporate" way to do it:
- Follow the local beat: Check the Point Pleasant Register. They have writers who actually go to the games and know the stats. Don't rely on generic national score sites; they usually get the names wrong.
- Get to the stadium early: If it’s a rivalry game or a playoff matchup, the bleachers fill up thirty minutes before kickoff. Parking is a bit of a scramble, so give yourself time to walk.
- Check the WVSSAC website: This is the official body for West Virginia sports. If you want to know about playoff seeding or official rankings, go there. They use a complex ratings system (based on your wins and the wins of the teams you beat) that determines who gets home-field advantage.
- Support the Boosters: The concession stand is where the real work happens. Buy a shirt. Eat a burger. That money goes directly to the equipment and travel costs for the kids.
- Watch the weather: Mason County weather is unpredictable. It can be 70 degrees at kickoff and 40 degrees by the fourth quarter. Layers are your best friend.
Point Pleasant football is a grind. It's a tradition. It's a bunch of kids from a small town trying to prove they belong on the big stage. And more often than not, they do more than just belong—they lead the way. Whether you're a lifelong resident or just passing through, there's something undeniably special about the red and black. It represents the best of West Virginia: hard work, community, and a refusal to back down from a fight.
Next Steps: If you are looking to attend a game, check the current season schedule on the Mason County Schools website or follow the Point Pleasant High School social media pages for kickoff times and ticket information. For those interested in the history of the Battle for the Bell, the Mason County Historical Society often has archives and photos from decades of this legendary rivalry.