MOOREFIELD, W.Va. (Sept. 29, 2026): For the past decade, all Hardy County K-12 students have received free admission to the Hardy Bowl high school football game between East Hardy and Moorefield. That tradition will continue for the 2026 Hardy Bowl October 16 at Yellow Jacket Field as Hardy Telecommunications and Capon Valley Bank once again are teaming up to sponsor student admissions.
All Hardy County students in grades K-12 will receive free admission at the gate, courtesy of Hardy Telecom and Capon Valley Bank. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
“Capon Valley Bank had the idea to do this back in 2017, and they asked us if we’d like to participate,” said Derek Barr, Assistant General Manager/Chief Regulatory and Compliance Officer for Hardy Telecommunications. “We’ve kept it up since then. We thank the Moorefield and East Hardy athletic departments and administrators for their cooperation, because they make it easy for us to help the students each year.
“It’s hard to believe we’ve been doing it for this long,” he said. “Both Hardy Tel and CVB have a commitment to support our students, and of course the Hardy Bowl is a great rivalry for our county. We want all students to be able to come out and support their teams.”
Capon Valley Bank Assistant Vice President for Loans Kris Kerr said the initial idea came up 10 years ago because the tradition of the Hardy Bowl offered the opportunity to support all Hardy County students.
“The athletes and supporting organizations put in a lot of work to bring this game to their fans every year. It touches so many students – not just the players, but the bands, cheerleaders, and volunteers as well. We’re happy that Hardy Telecommunications agreed to join us in this effort, and we wish good luck to both teams and hope everyone comes out to cheer on their team.”
Barr said the free admission is available for all K-12 students in Hardy County. Hardy Telecommunications and Capon Valley Bank are both business partners with East Hardy High School, but the Hardy Bowl sponsorship is a countywide student benefit, he said.
Hardy Telecommunications, Inc., a member of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association, is a non-profit cooperative dedicated to bringing affordable broadband internet service to the citizens of Hardy County and surrounding areas. The company offers services through OneNet, Hardy County’s first fiber-to-the-home network. It is recognized nationally as a Smart Rural Community Provider.
Capon Valley Bank, a subsidiary of Highlands Bankshares, is a community-oriented neighborhood bank dedicated to serving local customers since July 1918. It has branches in Wardensville, Moorefield, and Baker in West Virginia and in Gore and Stephens City in Virginia.
