CHARLESTON — After winning a third state title in four seasons and amassing 2,058 kills and 1,590 digs in her high school career, Philip Barbour’s MacKenna Halfin was named captain of the Class AA all-state volleyball first team by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association. Halfin is now a three-time first-team selection, was named state player of the year in 2023, and was captain of the second-team unit as a freshman.
She totaled 614 kills on 1,094 attempts, averaging more than six per set from October to the end of the season. Her defensive efforts led to 115 total blocks and 443 digs, both leading her team.
“I think that she’s one of the best,” Philip Barbour coach Heather Halfin said. “I’ve seen some really good players come through my program and others that are incredibly solid. When I evaluate a player, I try to look at the total player. It’s not just how hard they hit the ball. MacKenna is truly a total player.”
The No. 2-seeded Colts won their seventh state title in their 23rd straight trip to the state tournament, downing No. 1-seeded Oak Glen in five sets. In 11 state tournament sets, MacKenna Halfin finished with 67 kills and 41 digs. She had 25 kills and 14 digs in the state title match.
“I don’t feel like she ever gets nervous,” coach Halfin said. “She wants to win and plays hard, but she is never scared of an opponent. She thrives on competition. She didn’t start out that well in the championship, but then something just clicked. She went on a rampage. The fact that she had almost 70 kills in three matches down there is insane — two of them were three sets.”
Coach Halfin says this team was one of the best at knowing to take nothing for granted. The Philippi community rallied behind the loss of Keaton “Beef” McDermott, a two-sport athlete who lost his life shortly after graduation this past summer. Keaton’s sister Kinsley is a sophomore who plays volleyball.
“I really feel like the one thing this team learned — and they learned it the hard way by comforting Kinsley — was the loss of a brother, a friend and a teammate. They learned that nothing is guaranteed,” coach Halfin said. “This group learned to make the most of every day, because there may not be tomorrow. This team did a good job of leading each other through that.”
Colts sophomore Finley Carpenter was named to the first team for the first time after finishing with 123 kills, 70 service aces, 302 digs and 822 assists as the Colts’ primary setter. She was a second-team selection in 2023.
You may recognize her last name. She became the fifth member of the Carpenter family to win a volleyball state title at Philip Barbour. A Carpenter has played in a state championship match in nine of the last 10 seasons.
“She was always the kid that would show up to games that her sisters were playing in, but you would never see her,” coach Halfin said. “She would be in the old gym passing a ball. I am proud of her this year. She came back more mature, and she helped keep people calm. That’s a big role for a sophomore, and it speaks volumes to her character. She’s going to continue to grow as a player in future years, as well.”
State runner-up Oak Glen received two first-team selections.
Mckenzi Martin was a first-team member in 2023 and has now been selected twice. She finished her senior season with 360 kills, 36 aces, 37 blocks, 316 digs and 414 serve receives.
Averi Martin was the second of three players to record 300 or more kills for the Golden Bears in 2024. Averi, named to the first team for the first time as a junior, finished with 324 kills, 37 aces, 94 blocks and 45 assists.
The rest of the first team comprises players who moved from Class A to Class AA in 2024.
Buffalo secured two first-team selections after the No. 5-seeded Bison reached the state semifinals.
Zoey Hoffman was one of the state’s most prolific setters, finishing with 1,349 assists. She had only seven errors in 2024 and finished her career with 3,751 assists. Hoffman has been a first-team name three times, receiving two in Class A.
Natalie Baisden was often on the receiving end. She joins her teammate on the first team with 634 kills. She also had 115 aces, 70 total blocks and 532 digs. Baisden is a two-time first-team selection, picked in Class A in 2023.
Charleston Catholic did not disappoint with a semifinal appearance. Junior Ilyauna Evans was chosen for the first team after leading the Irish with 495 kills. She also had 54 aces, 23 blocks and 430 digs. Evans is a first-time selection to the first team.
Williamstown’s Kyndra Johnson was the Yellowjackets’ representative, finishing her season with more than 1,000 assists. She had 94 aces entering the state tournament along with 116 digs and 31 blocks. In her career, she had more than 3,300 assists as the engine of Williamstown’s offense. Johnson is a first-time selection for the first team after helping lead the Yellowjackets to three straight Class A state titles.
Ravenswood’s Macy Casto had a record-breaking season for her school with 585 kills, 100 aces and 36 blocks. She had 32 kills in a single match twice in 2024, both school records, and became the Red Devils’ all-time leader in aces and kills. Casto is a three-time first-team selection, twice in Class A. She was a second-team selection as a freshman.
James Monroe’s Maggie Boroski rounds out the top unit as she finished her senior season with 345 kills, 75 aces, 28 blocks, 278 digs and 342 serve receives. Boroski is a first-team member for the first time after two second-team selections in Class A.
Captaining the second team is Poca’s Sophia Bailey. She finished with 545 kills, hitting .359. Bailey also had 390 digs, 355 serve receives, 57 blocks and 72 aces. The Dots finished at 32-13-2, falling just short of the state tournament in a region with two state semifinalists.
The rest of the second team includes Buffalo junior Jocie Harris, Oak Glen senior Jersey Smith, James Monroe juniors Ava Pitzer and Aliyah Clarkson, Wyoming East junior Carli Raye, Ravenswood sophomore Anna Casto, Philip Barbour sophomore Izzy Knotts, Williamstown senior Becca Shamblin and South Harrison freshman Kennedy Southern.
Wooden plaques shaped as West Virginia that include the school name, player name, the WVSWA logo, award and year are available for all-state honorees. They can be purchased from the Bear Wood Company through WVSWA.org or bearwoodcompany.com.
CLASS AA FIRST TEAM
MacKenna Halfin, Philip Barbour, SR (CAPTAIN)
Maggie Boroski, James Monroe, SR
Mckenzi Martin, Oak Glen, SR
Macy Casto, Ravenswood, SR
Zoey Hoffman, Buffalo, SR
Averi Martin, Oak Glen, JR
Ilyauna Evans, Charleston Catholic, JR
Natalie Baisden, Buffalo, SR
Finley Carpenter, Philip Barbour, SO
Kyndra Johnson, Williamstown, SR
SECOND TEAM
Sophia Bailey, Poca, SR (CAPTAIN)
Jocie Harris, Buffalo, JR
Addison Smith, Oak Glen, SR
Ava Pitzer, James Monroe, JR
Carli Raye, Wyoming East, JR
Anna Casto, Ravenswood, SO
Izzy Knotts, Philip Barbour, SO
Becca Shamblin, Williamstown, SR
Aliyah Clarkson, James Monroe, JR
Kennedy Southern, South Harrison, FR
Honorable Mention
Nora Aliff, Charleston Catholic; Brooklyn Six, Oak Glen; Rylee Burkhammer, Clay County; Annie Starcher, Ravenswood; Karlee Lusk, Wyoming East; Ivory Harper, Scott; Keatyn Haynes, Williamstown; Lexi Mitchell, Roane County; Ali Wilcox, Charleston Catholic; Annabelle Haught, Williamstown; Kyndal Parsons, Midland Trail; Addy Kitzmiller, Petersburg; Jiya Marshall, Poca; Molly Thomas, South Harrison; Olivia Stephens, Wheeling Central; A’Kaia Williams, Doddridge County; Kenzie Mounts, Westside; Avery McDaniel, Philip Barbour; Hannah Rhodes, James Monroe
By Tyler Kennett (Exponent Telegram)
