FAIRMONT —
Kerry Marbury’s name usually comes up whenever Marion County football fans are discussing the top players in county history.
Some people might mention Larry Drake, who starred for Fairmont Senior High School in the 1950s. Others might go for a quarterback — Fairmont Senior’s Jarrod Furgason’s name comes to mind. But eventually the name of Marbury will surface. He starred for Monongah High School back in the late 1960s.
Marbury got his start with the Idamay Black Diamonds. From there he went on to Monongah and with Earl Keener as coach, the Lions won the 1968 state title with a 20-12 victory over Paden City before an East-West Stadium crowd estimated at 6,000 fans.
Marbury scored each of the Monongah touchdowns on runs of 29, four and two yards and showed a team rushing output of 218 yards for the game — 44 yards more than the entire Paden City team.
Monongah and Paden City squared off again in 1969 at Parkersburg and once again, Marbury was too strong for the Paden City team — scoring all four Lion touchdowns. This time his scores came on runs of 55, 62 and 88 yards and he hauled in a scoring pass from quarterback Rick Yanero on a play covering 11 yards.
“Marbury magnificent; defense devastating” read the headline in The West Virginian.
His name comes up because he is recognized as one of Marion County’s all-time greats — a Hall of Fame-caliber player.
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Earl Keener had the pleasure and privilege of coaching Kerry Marbury, arguably the best running back in Marion County history.
“We’ve seen them all since the late ’30s,” he said. “I’d rate Kerry right there. Kerry was just outstanding. Everything he did, he did with a lot of grace and flow. He absorbed a blow about as well as any back I ever had.”
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Photo Illustration by Ted Sawyer
Magnificent Marbury
Monongah star remembered as one of county’s greats
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