ELKINS — Three area high school teams will have new football coaches in place when fall preseason practices get underway on Monday.

Familiar faces are in place at Elkins and Buckhannon-Upshur in Chad Ware and Sloan Baisden, respectively.

Both were standout players at their respective schools as well as serving as coaches at some level.

Ware replaces Jimmy Hankins, while Baisden moves in for Zach Davis.

“When I took the job, I knew it would be a challenge,” Ware said. “We will be playing a lot of young players and we hope to have a roster of 40 players once practice starts.”

Ware previously served as an assistant coach for the Tigers, who begin the season Aug. 30 at Liberty.

Elkins will be one of the first teams to take the field for fall drills, assembling just after midnight on Monday.

Baisden, meanwhile, shined in both football and track during his prep career at Buckhannon-Upshur.

He coached the Buckhanon-Upshur Middle School team last season.

The Bucs open the campaign Aug. 30 at Bridgeport.

At Tygarts Valley, C.J. Clarkson takes over for Rodney Bright, who guided the Bulldogs to two Class A state playoff appearances during his tenure.

Clarkson served as the Elkins Middle School football coach in 2023 and previously served as an assistant at Elkins High.

The Bulldogs travel to Valley-Wetzel on Aug. 30 in the opener.

Philip Barbour and Tucker County made the playoffs last season, and both have some holes to fill in hopes of returning to the postseason.

Nick Mayle’s Colts, who recorded their first-ever playoff win in football last season, lost running back and all-state first-team linebacker Nate Hulver and quarterback Kaden Humphreys, who was a second-team all-stater.

Philip Barbour will also be playing with heavy hearts this season as all-state first-team lineman and 2024 graduate Keaton “Beef” McDermott was tragically killed in a car crash in June.

The Colts host Grafton on Aug. 30.

A.J. Rapp’s Mountain Lions advanced all the way to the semifinals, falling to eventual state champion Williamstown.

Among the graduation losses are Class A all-state first-team selections quarterback Ethan Rosenau and wide receiver Maddox Anderson.

The Mountain Lions entertain Pocahontas County on Aug. 30.