From the Bench: New Young, but Veteran, Coach is Looking to Turn Program Back to State Title Contender
By Jeff Toquinto on July 12, 2026 from Sports Blog
Shortly after the Harrison County Board of Education accepted the resignation of Bridgeport High School girls basketball Coach Josh Ashby, Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Tom Sears quickly began the search for a new coach. The qualifications of the ideal candidate included two key things for Sears and BHS – someone willing to build the foundation and culture and someone with basketball knowledge.
Less than three months after the BOE accepted Ashby’s resignation May 5, the Indians believe they have found that person. Bridgeport recommended, and the BOE approved, the hiring of long-time Harrison County Coach Zach Hayhurst to be the next coach for the Indians.
While some in Bridgeport may not be familiar to Bridgeport, he is no stranger to the Harrison County sports scene or coaching. And he has ties to the school.
A graduate from South Harrison High School, Hayhurst (who also played football for the Hawks) was a past member of the SHHS hoops team when coached by Robert Shields. He also assisted as a coach for Sears during his time manning the sidelines for the South Harrison basketball team.
“I started out coaching right out of high school. I helped, nothing official, as a volunteer with Coach Shields. I officially got started with Tom Sears,” said Hayhurst who works in the curriculum department for Harrison County Schools. “I coached football, too, and got it in the same way.”
His coaching progression to a head job came about in 2015 at South Harrison High School. He served as the head girls coach for three years. After that, he took the boys job at Washington Irving Middle School for four years, then ended up coaching the girls at Liberty Middle for one year as those schools made the transition that impacted multiple schools across Harrison County. He also served as an assistant briefly for former Robert C. Byrd Coach Billy Bennett during his team’s runner-up finish in recent years.
And now, Hayhurst has his latest, and he believes his final, stop at the school along Johnson Avenue.
“I saw the job posting and it just felt right for several reasons,” said Hayhurst, a graduate of West Virginia Junior College in Bridgeport. “Obviously, Bridgeport is a great situation from a program and school standpoint, so it seemed like it was an easy decision.
“Part of it was the chance to work with (Tom Sears) again,” he continued. “He had faith in me as a very young coach … and you piece everything together and you have what has the pieces to be the right situation.”
The situation, however, is not glowing with wins. The Indians, who have a 2013 state title to their credit, went 6-17 last year.
Among the six wins, four came against Big 10 foes North Marion, Robert C. Byrd, Preston, and Elkins and two against teams that have been Class AAA state title contenders in recent years, Ripley and Sissonville, on a neutral floor at East Fairmont.
From the squad, three seniors have graduated. Two of those three were the top scorers. However, the next six are available to return for the 2026-27 season.
That returning group from last year is led by sophomores Olivia Bell (5.6 points per game) and Avery Humble (4.8 points and a team-best 6.2 rebounds per game). Juniors Audrey Kerr and Mahaylee Messenger and freshman Aria Selario also were integral parts of the Tribe’s rotation.
More good news to build on the foundation, and create the culture that Sears desired, is that Bridgeport Middle School is coming off a runner-up finish in the Mid Mountain 10 Conference Championships, which means some young guns should be arriving.
Still, Hayhurst knows he must get to work beyond just the offensive and defensive schemes. He needs to get more kids invested in the program.
“One thing, in talking to people around the program, it appears that between middle school and high school there has been a dropoff in interest in the program for whatever reason,” the new coach said. “They may be seven or eight eighth grade players arriving and by the time they’re juniors, there are only three or four left.
“My goal is to work with the middle school to keep things fluid. We want this to be looked at as a seven-year program,” he continued. “You have to get the commitment and have the same core moving up through the program to keep it consistent, growing, and enhancing your chances of winning.”
Hayhurst also plans to build a coaching staff. He hopes to have that finalized soon. And he plans on being here for the long haul, another concern of Sears with the recent turnover in the job.
“The plan is to stay a while. This should be my last job, good or bad. I’m talking up to 10 years down the road easily for what I see as the vision and taking little steps if we need them to get to the end goal, which is competing at the highest level,” Hayhurst said. “If we can do it quickly that would be ideal. If it takes more time, then I’m ready for that as well.”
Hayhurst has met a few of the returning and possibly new players with the summer flex days. He is using that to get familiar with everyone. He is also using it to get the basics of what he hopes to do on the court.
“Defensively, I like to play man, but a lot of times your personnel decides that. Hopefully, if we are unable to do that we can compensate with aggressive zone,” he said. “Offensive, a lot like (boys coach) Dave (Marshall), player and ball movement to get as many good looks as possible at the rim is important.
“Offense and defense are the basis for game day. Foundation and culture are the basis for creating a program,” he continued. “You need continuity as a component for that, and I hope to bring the continuity and the winning back to the program.”
Editor's Note: Top photo is of Zach Hayhurst, while Athletic Director and Assistant Principal Tom Sears is shown below in a Joe LaRocca photo.
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