For Seventh Straight Year, Indians Take Home Honors as Top 'AA' Sports Program in Gazette-Mail Contest
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on June 17, 2019 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
Earlier this year, on June 6 to be exact, Bridgeport High School won both the boys and girls 2018-2019 Class AA MVB Champions Cups. The MVB Bank Champions Cup, presented by the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC), recognizes the top performing high schools in the state for their overall athletic and academic achievement.
For anyone doubting the results, here’s something else that backs up the Indians again being the premier ‘AA’ program in the state. Last week, the state’s largest newspaper announced BHS had won its seventh consecutive Class AA title in the Gazette-Mail Excellence in Sports 
Awards.
Awards.
What that means is that ever since the Tribe returned to Class AA in following the 2011-12 school calendar year, Bridgeport has won the honor.
Before going further, the GMEISA honor is based on how schools finish in the 19 sports the WVSSAC sanctions. The top eight finishers in each of the sports (there are 10 boys sports and nine girls sports recognized by the WVSSAC) land points based on eight points for winning a state title, seven for a second place finish, six for third and so on. Half points are based in tournaments where a clear finisher in a position – for instance the teams that lose semifinal contests – don’t play to determine who is third and fourth.
BHS finished with 74.5 points and edged Winfield, at 71 points, thanks to the Indians winning the Class AA baseball championship. The BHS boys were third overall with 31.5 points, while the girls took the division with 43 points.
The big point producers were the three state title winners – baseball, volleyball and boys swimming. The girls carried the load with runner-up finishes producing second place spots in cross country, swimming and track. Surprisingly, BHS won despite Winfield winning five titles this year. However, the Tribe scored in 13 sports this year and the Generals placed in 12.
The marked the 11th time in the 23-year history of the program Bridgeport has won the title. BHS has 10 outright wins and shared the title with Winfield in 2002-03. The seven-year run is the longest in the program’s history and the 11 titles are the most in Class AA.
Only Charleston Catholic in Class A has more wins in this competition. CCHS has 12 GMEISA titles.
