By Greg Talkington, The Exponent Telegram
WEST UNION — Clay-Battelle running back Sean Hays and defender Daniel Gorby were named Class A football special honorable mentions Tuesday, announced by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
Hays, a senior, held grind out the offense on the ground for the Cee-Bees, while Gorby, a sophomore, began to come into his own along the defensive front.
For Trinity, freshmen Calvin Blunt Jr. and Devon Eldridge were named honorable mentions. Both helped set the tone for the Warriors on offense and defense and will be a big part of the program’s future.
For most of the latter part of the 2019 season, Doddridge County held the No. 1 rating in Class A football.
Although the Bulldogs fell in the Class A title game to perennial powerhouse Wheeling Central, 38-21, this past Saturday, Doddridge’s 13-1 season didn’t go unrewarded.
Five Bulldogs were named to the team. Dynamic running back Hunter America was named captain of the first-team offense, while Wheeling Central linebacker Adam Murray earned that honor on defense.
Both had outstanding seasons.
America rushed for 2,176 yards and 25 touchdowns on 307 carries. He capped off his senior year by throwing a 30-yard touchdown pass to fellow first-teamer Griffin Devericks.
“In Doddridge County will remember Hunter America for many, many years to come,” Doddridge County coach Bobby Burnside said. “He’s a special player who has made so many big plays over his career.
“He’s very deserving of this honor.”
Murray, a key cog in Central’s third-straight title, was the rock on which the Maroon Knights’ stellar defense was built on.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior led Central with 153 tackles and 20 tackles for loss, and ended his career with more than 600 tackles, a school record.
“He’s one of the greatest kids I’ve coached in all my years in the business,” Wheeling Central coach Mike Young said. “He’s put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into Wheeling Central football.
“His motor started running his freshman year and it has never stopped. The fact that he’s our school’s all-time leading tackler speaks for itself.”
In addition to Devericks, who caught 42 passes for 992 yards and 11 touchdowns, Doddridge also had lineman Cole James named to the first team offense.
The remainder of the first-team offense includes quarterback Ethan Varney of Tug Valley, Noah Brown of Greenbrier West and Ty Moore of Williamstown in the backfield, with Tyler Consolidated’s Mark Rucker, Parkersburg Catholic’s Jeb Boice and Greenbrier West’s Cole McClung the utility players. Varney’s favorite target, Caleb May, was the other receiver.
Moore was a big reason Williamstown made the semifinals, as he rushed for 1,969 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Joining James on the front line are Mount View’s Liam Fultineer, Midland Trail’s Cy Persinger, Sherman’s Hunter Bowling, and Williamstown’s Leewood Molessa.
The kicker is Atikilt Tamiru of Moorefield.
Murray had two of his teammates join him on the first-team defense.
They were defensive back Jordan Waterhouse and utility Jalen Creighton, both of whom had three interceptions.
Doddridge County had linebacker Austin Kelley and defensive back Hunter Jenkins named to the first unit defense.
Kelley led Doddridge with 154 tackles and recovered five fumbles, while Jenkins intercepted nine passes.
Rounding out the first team defense were Van’s Hunter McMiken, Pendleton County’s Josh Alt, Buffalo’s Drew Clendenin and Parkersburg Catholic’s Jalen Brunney on the front line, Williamstown’s Eric Brown, Ritchie County’s Garrett Owens and East Hardy’s Austin Alt at linebacker and Wirt’s Nathan Murray in the backfield.
The second utility player was South Harrison’s Landon McFadden with Ravenswood’s Jacob Anthony the punter.
Wheeling Central’s Curtis McGhee, who missed the final six games of the season with an injury, captains the second team offense as a utility player.
St. Marys quarterback Brennan Boron joins him as a utility as do Ethan Cross of Paden City and Noah Neeley of Cameron.
The backfield consists of Pendleton quarterback Isaiah Gardner, Ritchie County running back Tre Moss and Moorefield’s Matthew Jenkins, with Ritchie’s Gus Morrison and Madonna’s Brennan Secrist the wide receivers.
Second team linemen are Michael Horan of Wheeling Central, Trey Waller of South Harrison, Park Michaels of Buffalo, Zach McClung of Greenbrier West and Zack Graham of Ravenswood.
DJ Devinney of Doddridge is the second team kicker.
East Hardy defensive back Andrew Tharp captains the second team.
Joining him in the backfield are Greenbrier West’s Kaiden Pack and Williamstown’s Kole Sutton.
The front line consists of Doddridge County’s Connor Cunningham, Magnolia’s Mike Hamrick, Buffalo’s Cameron Lovejoy and Tolsia’s Stone Sartin.
The linebackers are Vinnie High of Wheeling Central, Hunter Claypool of Meadow Bridge, Trent Meador of Summers County and Williamstown’s Brady Ankrom.
Gage Huffman of Tyler Consolidated is the punter, with Webster County’s Reece Nutter, Tygarts Valley’s Caden Boggs and Tolsia’s John Wilson the utilities.
First-Team Offense
OL – Cole James, Doddridge County, Sr.
OL – Liam Fultineer, Mount View, Sr.
OL – Cy Persinger, Midland Trail, Jr.
OL – Hunter Bowling, Sherman, Jr.
OL – Leewood Molessa, Williamstown, Jr.
WR – Griffin Devericks, Doddridge County, Sr.
WR – Caleb May, Tug Valley, Jr.
QB – Ethan Varney, Tug Valley, Sr.
RB – Hunter America, Doddridge County, Sr. (captain)
RB – Noah Brown, Greenbrier West, Jr.
RB – Ty Moore, Williamstown, Sr.
K – Atikilt Tamiru, Moorefield, Jr.
Utility – Mark Rucker, Tyler Consolidated, Sr.
Utility – Jeb Boice, Parkersburg Catholic, Sr.
Utility
– Zach McClung, Greenbrier West, Jr.
First-Team Defense
DL – Hunter McMiken, Van, Sr.
DL – Josh Alt, Pendleton County, Jr.
DL – Drew Clendenin, Buffalo, So.
DL – Jalen Brunney, Parkersburg Catholic, Sr.
LB – Adam Murray, Wheeling Central, Sr. (captain)
LB – Eric Brown, Williamstown, Sr.
LB – Austin Kelley, Doddridge County, Sr.
LB – Garrett Owens, Ritchie County, Sr.
LB – Austin Alt, East Hardy, Sr.
DB – Hunter Jenkins, Doddridge County, Jr.
DB – Jordan Waterhouse, Wheeling Central, Jr.
DB – Nathan Murray, Wirt County, Jr.
P – Jacob Anthony, Ravenswood, Sr.
Utility – Jalen Creighton, Wheeling Central, Sr.
Utility
– Landon McFadden, South Harrison, Sr.
Second-Team Offense
OL – Michael Horan, Wheeling Central, Sr.
OL – Trey Waller, South Harrison, Sr.
OL – Park Michels, Buffalo, Jr.
OL – Cole McClung, Greenbrier West, Jr.
OL – Zack Graham, Ravenswood, Sr.
WR – Gus Morrison, Ritchie County, So.
WR – Brennan Secrist, Madonna, Sr.
QB – Isaiah Gardiner, Pendleton County, Jr.
RB – Tre Moss, Ritchie County, Jr.
RB – Matthew Jenkins, Moorefield, Jr.
K – DJ Devinney, Doddridge County, Jr.
Utility – Curtis McGhee, Wheeling Central, Sr. (captain)
Utility – Brennan Boron, St. Marys, Jr.
Utility – Ethan Cross, Paden City, Sr.
Utility
– Noah Neely, Cameron, Sr.
Second-Team Defense
DL – Mike Hamrick, Magnolia, Sr.
DL – Cameron Lovejoy, Buffalo, Sr.
DL – Stone Sartin, Tolsia, Sr.
DL – Connor Cunningham, Doddridge County, Jr.
LB – Vinnie High, Wheeling Central, Jr.,
LB – Hunter Claypool, Meadow Bridge, Jr.
LB – Trent Meador, Summers County, Sr.
LB — Brady Ankrom, Williamstown, Jr.
DB – Kaiden Pack, Greenbrier West, Jr.
DB – Andrew Tharp, East Hardy, Jr. (captain)
DB – Kole Sutton, Williamstown, Sr.
P – Gage Huffman, Tyler Consolidated, Sr.
Utility – Reece Nutter, Webster County, Sr.
Utility – Caden Boggs, Tygarts Valley, Jr.
Utility
– John Wilson, Tolsia, Jr.
Special Honorable Mention
Josh
Bright, Tygarts Valley; Jessop Broughton, Cameron; Tanner Copley, Tolsia; Jaycob Creel, Ravenswood; Vincent Cyrus, Moorefield; Mason Deem, Williamstown; Richard Doron, St. Marys; Dalton Dunkle, Pendleton County; Dylan Hardy, Summers County; Sean Hays, Clay-Battelle;
Devin Farley, Doddridge County; Daniel Gorby, Clay-Battelle; Dylan Knight, Doddridge County; Caleb Jantuah, Richwood; Jason LaAsmar, South Harrison; Case Landis, Tyler Consolidated; Payton Marling, Wheeling Central; Michael McGee, Richwood; Brayden Modesitt,
Williamstown; Garrett Parsons, Wirt County; Cody Poe, Hundred; Kayden Procacina, Ritchie County; Lucky Pulice, Madonna; Jacob Rine, Wheeling Central; Dillon Shinaberry, Pocahontas County; Wade Smitley, Parkersburg Catholic; David Stewart, Van; Gavin Streets,
Valley; Dawson Tharp, Webster County; Clayton Thomas, Paden City; Daniel White, Tygarts Valley;
Honorable Mention
Jason Anderson, Paden City; Anthony Bailey, Mount View; Adam Baker, East Hardy; Keaton Baldwin, Pocahontas County; Calvin Blunt Jr., Trinity; Keegan Bolyard, Tygarts Valley; Jacob Bronner, Madonna; Noah Bumgardner, Doddridge County; Reese Burnside, Doddridge County; Deacon Carmichael, Cameron; Michael Chandler, Doddridge County; Devon Eldridge, Trinity; Ean Hamrick, Gilmer County; Chase Hood, Ravenswood; Trevor Hunt, Wahama; Jared Jones, Doddridge County; Evan Kyle, Pendleton County; TJ Jackson, Tolsia; Silas McKeever, Magnolia; Logan Norris, Hundred; Dylan Patterson, St. Marys; Logan Powell, Wirt County; Jaren Robinson, South Harrison; Ty Roles, Meadow Bridge; CJ Rose, Wheeling Central; Garrett Scott, Cameron; Thomas Sessi, Madonna; JD Shaffer, Ritchie County; Mason Smith, Wheeling Central; Grayson Spaulding, Tug Valley; Dylan Starkey, Hannan; Hunter Starkey, Greenbrier West; Wayne Stephenson, Ravenswood; Joel Stophel, Parkersburg Catholic; Gavin Streets, Valley; Willie Walden, Tygarts Valley; Cyle West, St. Marys;
