HUNTINGTON — Helping University to an unbeaten regular season and 11-1 overall record, linebacker Donald Brandel and running back Daminn Cunningham were named to the Class AAA all-state first team, voted on by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
Brandel was the undoubted leader of the Hawks’ defense, while Cunningham was a special teams guru, earning a spot on the all-state team as a utility player.
Cunningham returned three kickoffs for touchdowns this season, and also brought two punts back to the house. On offense, he caught 12 passes for 274 yards and a touchdown, and had 182 yards on the ground.
Brandel also had six catches for 82 yards and a touchdown on offense.
On the second team, UHS running back/linebacker Colin McBee was named as a RB after finishing with 975 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground.
For Morgantown, offensive lineman Eli Stahara, Morgantown was recognized for helping pave the way for a strong running game for the Mohigans this season. Stahara was also named to the second team.
Ty Bartrum and Hudson Clement can attest to how good each other is.
Spring Valley cornerback Bartrum captains the defense, and wide receiver Clement the offense, on the West Virginia Sports Writers Association Class AAA all-state high school football team.
Bartrum, a senior and the son of former Marshall University All-American tight end and 13-year NFL veteran Mike Bartrum, made 77 tackles and nine interceptions this season to lead the Timberwolves to a 9-3 record and the second round of the playoffs, where they lost to Clement and eventual state champion Martinsburg 35-6. In a regular-season 35-30 victory over the Bulldogs Bartrum scored five touchdowns and picked off two passes. One of those interceptions was in front of Clement, who caught four passes for 109 yards and two TDs in that game.
“Yeah, he’s pretty good,” Spring Valley coach Brad Dingess said of Bartrum, who committed to Harvard and owns 14 FBS or FCS scholarship offers. “He’s a great player and kid who helped change our offense. We’ve been run heavy, but I’m not so hard-headed as not to throw the ball to someone like him.”
Clement, a senior, scored a state title-game record eight touchdowns — four rushing, four receiving — in a 62-21 triumph over Huntington High. Clement caught 79 passes for 1,543 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also ran 11 times for 134 yards.
“He’s a great player, a tremendous player,” Martinsburg coach Britt Sherman said of Clement. “He’s one of the best I’ve ever coached. He has the best hands I’ve ever seen. He’s a competitor and his football IQ is extremely high.”
Clement is joined on the first team offense by his brother, Murphy, at utility player and teammate Jake Zittle on the offensive line. Murphy Clement was one of two quarterbacks Martinsburg used before he suffered a season-ending foot injury in the playoff quarterfinals.
Zittle is joined on the offensive line by Tate Jordan of Bridgeport, Dartmouth recruit Max Wentz of Huntington High, Eli Campbell of Princeton and Layth Ghannam of George Washington.
Huntington High junior Gavin Lochow, who completed 125 of 207 passes for 1,952 yards and 19 touchdowns, is the first-team quarterback. Lochow also carried 140 times for 1,052 yards, becoming the first player in the Highlanders program to pass and rush for more than 1,000 yards in the same season.
Cabell Midland 1,847-yard rusher Jackson Fetty, Greenbrier East’s Ian Cline and Oak Hill’s Leonard Farrow are the first-unit running backs. Cyrus Traugh, who caught 106 passes for 1,122 yards and 10 touchdowns, joins Hudson Clement at wide receiver. Huntington High’s Jonathan Aya-Ay is the kicker. The Highlanders Noah Waynick and Bridgeport’s Cam Cole made the squad as utility players.
Joining Bartrum on the first-team defense are teammates Corbin Page, committed to WVU, on the defensive line and linebacker Cody Shy. Nemo Roberts of Cabell Midland and Aydin Fleming of Martinsburg are first-team defensive linemen. Huntington High’s Tyrees Smith, Hurricane’s Brogan Brown and South Charleston’s Mondrell Dean join Shy at linebacker. Brown led the state with 159 tackles.
Huntington High freshman Zha Zha Jackson and Woodrow Wilson’s Kenyon Cook make up the rest of the first-team secondary. Landyn Reppert of Bridgeport, Colt Thomas of Wheeling Park and kick return star Daminn Cunningham of University are the utility players. Grant Cochran of Princeton is the punter.
South Charleston junior quarterback Trey Dunn, who surpassed the 6,000-yard career passing mark this season. captains the second-team offense as a utility player, where he is joined by Spring Valley quarterback Dalton Fouch and Capital running back Shawn James.
Sammy Roberts of Jefferson is the second-team quarterback. He completed 181 of 300 passes for 2,782 yards and 34 touchdowns, with seven interceptions. Roberts’ teammate Spencer Powell and Wayne Harris of South Charleston are the receivers. Mason Moran of Cabell Midland and Evan Tewell of Jefferson are the running backs.
The offensive line features Xavier Bausley of South Charleston, Brace Mullett of George Washington, Justice Hutchison of Cabell Midland and Jacob Wickline of Greenbrier East. Taylor Thomas of Bridgeport is the kicker.
Versatile utility man Bryson Singer of Parkersburg is captain of the second-team defense. Christian Slack of Martinsburg, Grant Neiswonger of John Marshall and James Scott of Huntington High are the defensive linemen. The linebackers are Nolan Shimp of Lincoln County, Phil Reed of Bridgeport, Lucas Rippetoe of Hurricane and Cannon Lewis of Cabell Midland.
Nate Scheleck of Wheeling Park, Aidan Paulsen of Bridgeport and Taran Fitzpatrick of George Washington are the defensive backs. Joining Singer as utility players are Jacob Barrick of Martinsburg, Chandler Schmidt of Cabell Midland and Hayden Peck of Spring Mills.
By TIM STEPHENS, The Herald-Dispatch
First Team
Offense
WR – Hudson Clement, Martinsburg, SR (Captain)
WR – Cyrus Traugh, Parkersburg South, JR
OL – Tate Jordan, Bridgeport, SR
OL – Max Wentz, Huntington, SR
OL – Jake Zittle, Martinsburg, SR
OL – Eli Campbell, Princeton, SO
OL – Layth Ghannam, George Washington, JR
RB – Jackson Fetty, Cabell Midland, SR
RB – Ian Cline, Greenbrier East, SO
RB – Leoanrd Farrow, Oak Hill, SR
QB – Gavin Lochow, Huntington, JR
K – Johnny Aya-ay, Huntington, SO
UTL – Cam Cole, Bridgeport, SR
UTL – Murphy Clement, Martinsburg, SO
UTL – Noah Waynick, Huntington, SR
First Team
Defense
DL – Nemo Roberts, Cabell Midland, SR
DL – Corbin Page, Spring Valley, SR
DL – Aydin Flemming, Martinsburg, SO
LB – Tyreese Smith, Huntington, SR
LB – Brogan Brown, Hurricane, SR
LB – Mondrell Dean, South Charleston, JR
LB – Donald Brandel, University, SR
LB – Cody Shy, Spring Valley, JR
DB – Ty Bartrum, Spring Valley, SR (Captain)
DB – Keynan Cook, Beckley, SR
DB – Zah Zah Jackson, Huntington, FR
UTL – Landyn Reppert, Bridgeport, SR
UTL – Colt Thomas, Wheeling Park, SR
UTL – Daminn Cunningham, University, SR
P – Grant Cochran, Princeton, JR
Second Team
Offense
WR – Wayne Harris, South Charleston, SO
WR – Spencer Powell, Jefferson, JR
OL – Xavier Bausely, South Charleston, SR
OL – Eli Stahara, Morgantown, JR
OL – Brace Mullet, George Washington, SR
OL – Justice Hutchison, Cabell Midland, SR
OL – Jacob Wickline, Greenbrier East, SR
RB – Mason Moran, Cabell Midland, SR
RB – Colin McBee, University, SR
RB – Evan Tewell, Jefferson, JR
QB – Sammy Roberts, Jefferson, SR
K – Taylor Thomas, Bridgeport, JR
U – Dalton Fouch, Spring Valley, JR
U – Trey Dunn, South Charleston, JR (Captain)
U – Shawn James, Capital, SR
Second Team
Defense
DL – Christian Slack, Martinsburg, SR
DL – Grant Neiswonger, John Marshall, SR
DL – James Scott, Huntington, SR
LB – Nolan Shimp, Lincoln County, SR
LB – Phil Reed, Bridgeport, JR
LB – Lucas Rippetoe, Hurricane, JR
LB – Cannon Lewis, Cabell Midland, SO
DB – Charlie Brazier, Bridgeport, JR
DB – Nate Sheleck, Wheeling Park, SR
DB – Aidan Paulsen, Bridgeport, SR
DB – Taran Fitzpatrick, George Washington, SR
U – Jacob Barrick, Martinsburg, SR
U – Chandler Schmidt, Cabell Midland, SR
U – Bryson Singer, Parkersburg, SR (Captain)
P – Hayden Pack, Spring Mills, SR
Honorable Mention
Ray Adames, Musselman; Scout Arthur, Huntington; Ezra Bagent, Martinsburg; Jayson Barnett, South Charleston; Ismael Borrero, Hurricane; Noah Branham, University; Devin Bruer, South Charleston; Amari Brown, George Washington; Braylon Brown, Morgantown; Reece Burton, Princeton; Jace Caldwell, Spring Valley; Koltin Childers, Washington; Sage Clawges, University; Dominick Collins, Princeton; Monquelle Davis, Greenbrier East; Jacob Donley, Brooke; Noah Dotson, Greenbrier East; Alec Duley, Morgantown; Chase Edwards, University; Elii Faircloth, Hedgesville; Savion Farmer, Buckhannon-Upshur; Amari Felder, Huntington; Logan Fisher, Cabell Midland; Bryson Fleming, Jefferson; Demetrius Gearheart, Parkersburg South; Casey Geso, Princeton; Chase Hager, Hurricane; Kyle Hall, Parkersburg; Matthew Hall, Spring Valley; Ryan Hall, Bridgeport; Ashton Hasslacker, Hampshire; Jerrae Hawkins, Wheeling Park; Kobe Hayslette, Musselman; Curtis Hayes, Parkersburg; Daniel Henderson, University; EJ Hendrix, Martinsburg; Zack Hill, Hampshire; Alex Hott, Hampshire; Elijah Jackson, University; Jeremiah Jackson, Oak Hill; J.T. James, Hurricane; Will James, Wheeling Park; Caden Johnson, Hurricane; Jay Jones, Woodrow Wilson; Austin Litton, Ripley; JacQai Long, Capital; Michael Lunsford, Cabell Midland; Robby Martin, Huntington; Kyle Matthews, George Washington; Lucas McCallister, Greenbrier East; Maddex McMillen, Woodrow Wilson; Nolan Meehleib, Jefferson; Caleb Nutter, Morgantown; Cole Petry, Spring Valley; Brett Phillips, Wheeling Park; Grant Plants, George Washington; Bobby Powell, Morgantown; Joey Ramsey, Ripley; Brodee Rice, Princeton; Keyshawn Robinson, Jefferson; Shawn Rouse, Cabell Midland; Kam Shallis, Martinsburg; Robert Shockey, Parkersburg South; Alex Smith, Cabell Midland; Isaiah Smith, Lincoln County; Zion Smith, Capital; Aidan Sparks, Bridgeport; JT Spencer, Greenbrier East; Casey Stanley, Parkersburg; Kamar Summers, Bridgeport; Ben Turner, Spring Valley; Corbin Turney, University; Khalief Tye, Huntington; Ethan Vargo-Thomas, Oak Hill; Klypsan Wallace, John Marshall; Zach Wharton, Washington; Kam Wells, St. Albans; Brandon Whipkey, Parkersburg South; Adam Wilkinson, Riverside; Elijah Williams, Riverside; Gage Wright, Parkersburg South.
