Beech Tree News Network

In the early 1970s, local radio became the heartbeat of high school sports in Morgantown, connecting families, farmers, and fans across Butler County to every basketball and football game. At the center of that movement was Bob Darnell, who moved to Morgantown in December 1973 and helped usher BCHS athletics into a new era of coverage and community connection.

During the 1974–75 school year, Darnell chronicled BCHS football and basketball through his writing in the Green River Republican while also becoming the original Voice of the Bears.

Live Broadcast (1974–75)

The inaugural season aired live on WDNS-FM 98.3, with Bob Darnell on play-by-play and Ray Burden providing color commentary, bringing the excitement of the new BCHS program directly into homes across the county.

Historic First Girls Basketball Broadcast: On December 5, 1974, the BCHS gym hosted the first girls’ basketball game to be broadcast live on WDNS-FM 98.3. The Lady Ursettes—not yet called the Lady Bears (Ursa is Latin for Bear)—defeated Franklin Simpson High School by a score of 44–35. Darnell and Burden were on the call, delivering play-by-play and color commentary for this landmark moment in BCHS history. From that inaugural game through the 2025–26 season, BCHS has celebrated 52 consecutive seasons of girls' high school basketball, with radio broadcasts preserving the excitement of every play and milestone along the way.

WDNS FM & the Birth of Local Sports Radio

WDNS-FM 98.3, broadcasting from Bowling Green, began in 1973 with formats such as beautiful music and adult contemporary. In the early 1970s, stations like WDNS were among the few ways Butler County listeners could hear high school sports before a local station existed.

WLBQ launched in 1976 as Butler County’s first dedicated AM station, focusing on local news, events, and BCHS athletics. By the 1980s, WLBQ became the primary home for Bears sports, carrying the legacy of those first broadcasts and growing into the heart of local sports radio in the county.

A Legacy of 52 Years

From 1974–75 through the 2025–26 season, BCHS sports have been broadcast for 52 consecutive years, connecting fans to every play, buzzer, and memorable moment.

The pioneering work of Darnell and Burden laid the foundation for generations of broadcasters, including Mark Black, David Clark, and many others, who continued to share the excitement of Bears football and basketball with the Butler County community.