TENNERTON – The Buckhannon-Upshur High School Class of 1968 donated a new Thundering Herd football helmet to the school this week in honor of the late John Young, a former B-U athlete who was killed in the Marshall plane crash 53 years ago.

The helmet will be displayed in the John Young Memorial Trophy Case located in front of the main office inside the high school. 

Young was a 1968 graduate of Buckhannon-Upshur and a member of the 1966 state championship football team, where he played as a record-holding tight end for the Buccaneers. On November 14, 1970, Young tragically perished with 74 other players, coaches and fans who were killed when a plane returning from an away game with East Carolina crashed near Huntington in the worst tragedy in college athletics. 

After his death, the John Young Award was established by the Class of 1968 recognizing the best senior male athlete at Buckhannon-Upshur High School. The winners are recognized with a plaque and included in the trophy case at the school.

Sharon McNemar and Rose Whitehair, representing the Class of 1968, along with Bo Waddell, nephew of Young, presented the high school with the Marshall University football helmet with the names of all 75 people who perished in the plane crash inscribed on it. Accepting the helmet, which was placed in the trophy case dedicated to his memory, was current Buckhannon-Upshur head football coach Zach Davis.  

If anyone would like to donate to the John Young Memorial Award, please send a check made out to “BUHS Athletics for John Young Award” to BUHS Athletics, 270 BU Drive, Buckhannon, WV  26201.