Glenhayes, W. Va. — Tolsia alum and former assistant Matt Stanley has officially been tabbed to lead the Rebel football program beginning in the fall of 2026.
Stanley ( 56 ) is a 1989 Tolsia graduate and was a standout football player for the Rebels and went on to play college football at Glenville State University. Stanley has been an assistant coach off and on for the Rebels since 1994.
The Rebels made the playoffs last season as the #16 seed and fell to eventual champion Wheeling Central. The schedule will look a lot different this upcoming fall with nine games on the slate right now and the AD is looking for the tenth to round it out.
2026 THS Football Schedule
Week 1 Wayne 2A
Week 2 Sissonville 2A
Week 3 Open
Week 4 Tug Valley 1A
Week 5 @ Sherman 1A
Week 6 Man 1A
Week 7@ Clay County 2A
Week 8 @ Westside 2A
Week 9 @ Phelps ( Ky ) 1A
Week 10 Wirt County 1A
Week 11 Open
Tolsia Head Coach Matt Stanley
COACH’S COMMENTS
“… The day after I got hired we were in the weight room the next day with a few of our guys. We are so ready to get started and see what we got. We are starting to put some things together and want to make everybody proud.”
“… My plan was to take the football job and be the athletic director as well after Drew Waller was done but that didn’t happen. Superintendent at the time Gary Adkins insisted that I take the Principal job here so that disqualified me from being the head football coach.”
“…I’ve been in the system since 1994 as an assistant and a part of two state runner up teams and always worked with the defense when I could. This is Tolsia High school and we are ready to get it back to where it’s supposed to be. Where kids want to play here and kids want to stay here. And be proud to wear the orange and blue and have some fun on Friday night’s in Glenhayes”
“…Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky is all hurting because of numbers. The loss of population and things like that, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting ten players per class to come out and that my goal. Ten players per class and to build a program and that is going to be our statement or slogan the Program. We would love to have a JV program but it’s hard to do when you have less than 20 kids out. If we can get 10 kids per class we will be fine in single A. We are going to work real hard on getting our numbers where they need to be.”
“… I met with the kids at Crum and Fort Gay along with the kids here and told them all that this is still Tolsia High School. We don’t have a YMCA, we don’t have a mall, this is where we meet, this is where we gather, this is where we meet our life long friends, this is where we meet our husbands or wives, and we need to emphasize that.”
“… When we go play we have to be respectful of our opponents of our selves and be proud to play for Tolsia. Kids that want to be here and wear the orange and blue and wear Tolsia across their chest and make everybody proud. I want to make everybody proud, I’ve always wanted to be a head coach but I wouldn’t do it anywhere else but here. I have no desire to coach anywhere else, I have no desire to work anywhere else and just know this. We are excited to get going.”
