Alpha-Southern WV Wins Governor’s Cup Mine Rescue Contest

 

May 12, 2026 - Alpha Metallurgical Resources-Southern WV took first place overall in the 39th annual Governor’s Cup Mine Rescue competition as the winners of the three-day event were announced May 7 in Abingdon.

 

 

 

Second place overall went to Coronado Coal’s Buchanan Red Team and third place overall went to Iron Synergy. Additionally, individual winners were named in Bench, First Aid, Preshift and Team Tech competitions held during the course of the three-day competition hosted by Virginia Energy in partnership with the Metallurgical Coal Producers Association (MCPA), National Mine Rescue Association (NMRA) Post 7 and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

 

A total of nine mine rescue teams from Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Illinois took part in the competition which also featured the fourth annual Overmountain Mine Rescue competition. Competing teams in addition to the top three winners were Coronado-Buchanan Black Team; Alpha Metallurgical Resources-Paramont Contura; Alpha Metallurgical Resources-Southern WV Team 2; Cumberland Coal Corporation; Knight Hawk Coal; and Southern Pocahontas, Inc.

 

Event sponsors included Jennmar, Drager, CSE Company, Innovative Wireless Technology, Industrial Scientific, Iron Synergy, West River Conveyors, Simmons Equipment, Strata Worldwide, Biomarine, Knight Hawk, Alpha Metallurgical Resources, Cliffs and Coronado Global. 

 

During the competition, teams reacted to realistic underground emergency scenarios designed to sharpen coordination, decision-making and technical rescue skills. Simulated mine emergencies which included rescuing trapped miners, restoring ventilation, suppressing fires and operating safely in full breathing apparatus were part of the competition. The individual events held tested individual skills in first aid, equipment diagnostics, air monitoring and pre-shift inspections. 

 

“Bringing these contests together gives mine rescue teams more opportunities to compete, train and learn from one another in a single event,” said MCPA President, Ben Beakes. “That kind of shared experience pays off when seconds count and miners’ lives are on the line.” 

 

Competing teams at the 2026 event were Coronado Mine Buchanan Minerals Black and Red Teams; Iron Synergy Iron Blue Team; Knight Hawk Coal Company Black Team; Alpha Metallurgical Resources–Southern West Virginia Teams 1 and 2; Alpha Metallurgical Resources-Paramont Contura; Southern Pocahontas Inc. Apache Team; and Cumberland Coal Corporation. 

 

Mine Rescue team contests were held on two days and included the MCPA Governor’s Cup contest on the first day and the NMRA Post 7 contest on the second day. The team scores were then combined to arrive at the overall Grand Champion Cup winner. 

 

The MCPA Governor’s Cup Day One team contest winners were Alpha Metallurgical Resources-Paramont, first; Coronado-Buchanan Red, second; and Alpha Metallurgical Resources-Southern WV, third. 

 

The NMRA Post 7 Day Two team contest winners were Alpha Metallurgical Resources-Southern WV, first; Iron Synergy, second; and Coronado-Buchanan Black, third.

 

In the Team Tech competition, first place went to Robby Middleton and Joey Sykes, Alpha Paramont; second, Josh Vereen and Mike Webb, Alpha Southern WV; and third, Justin Brady and Gary Vatusek, Iron Synergy.

 

Preshift winners were Joey Sykes, Alpha Paramont, first; James Thomas, Alpha Southern WV, second; and Chris Lewis, Iron Synergy, third.

 

First Aid winners were Adam Sykes, Brian Jarell and Dave Green, Alpha Southern WV, first; Chris Harvey, Chris Hartman and Adam Robbins, Iron Synergy, second; Mitch Bostwick, Wayne Tolliver and Josh Dales, Coronado-Buchanan Red, third. 

 

Bench-BG4 winners were Gary Valusek, Iron Synergy, first; Casey Mooneyhan, Alpha Paramont, second; and Robby Middleton, Alpha Paramont, third.

 

Bench-ProAir winners were Casey Mooneyhan, Alpha Paramont, first; Jonah Caudill, Alpha Southern WV, second; and Chris Estep, Alpha Southern WV, third. 

 

Bench-Bio winners were Davie Norman, Knight Hawk, first; Justin Pelker, Knight Hawk, second; and Ross Coleman, Knight Hawk, third.

 

Combination winners were Alpha Southern WV, first; Buchanan Red, second; and Iron Synergy, third.

 

Mine Rescue Contest teams competing and their members included: 

 

Alpha Metallurgical Resources-Southern WV: Eric Varney, captain; Brian Jarrell; Grayson Cox; Adam Sipes; James Thomas; Dave Green; and Jim Aurednik, trainer.

 

Coronado-Buchanan Red Team: Travis Grimmett, captain; Josh Hopkins; Jackie Dillon; Mitch Bostwick; Josh Dales; Wayne Tolliver; Steven Vitatoe; and Barry Baker, trainer.

 

Iron Synergy-Blue Team: Dave Rice, Jr., captain; Chris Hartman; Chris Harvey; Brian Jamison; Justin Brady; Chris Lewis; Lee Kozich; Adam Robbins; and Brett Balabon and Darren Blankenship, trainers.

 

Alpha Metallurgical Resources-Paramont: Adam Phillips, captain; Franklin Moore; Joey Sykes; Brian Keith; Eric Collins; Brad Hawkins; Casey Mooneyhan; Robby Middleton; and David Dillon, trainer.

 

Alpha Metallurgical Resources-Southern WV (Team2): Josh Cochran, captain; Jonah Caudill; Chris Estep; Seth Porter; Mike Webb; Josh Vereen; Ryan Belcher; and Dave Green, trainer.

 

Coronado-Buchanan Black Team: Brad Shortridge, captain; Zach Dye; John Shortt; Corey Viers; Frankie McClanahan; Rocky Meadows; Keith Richardson; and Barry Baker, trainer. 

 

Cumberland Coal Corporation: George Miller, captain; Elisha Boggs; Steven Charles; Kelvin Polly; Gavin Howard; Allen Turner; and Tim Kiser, trainer.

 

Knight Hawk Coal – Black Team: John Darnell, captain/trainer; Dylan Martin; Blake Furlow; Ross Coleman; Kyle Wilerson; Dustin Crews; Davey Norman; Darren Bumann; and Justin Pelker.

 

Southern Pocahontas, Inc. – Apache Team: Robbie Ortiz, captain; Gary Newcomb; Jason Owens; Chad Sloane; Donald Hagerman; Mark Muncy; Ryan Rowe; Josh Smith; William Slagle; and Donnie Coleman, trainer.