The Valley Region is the most dense area regarding talent. From Huntington to Charleston with a trickle towards Parkersburg, this is the most historically excellent region in the state. It hosts the majority of the hardest WV conference: the MSAC and guaranteed title contenders in all three classes every year.
OFFENSE
Kerry Martin Jr. (QB) SR
Ivan Vaughn (RB) SR
Owen Chafin (RB) SR
Quisean Gray (RB) SR
Deishawn Harper (WR) SR
Bryce Damous (TE) SR
Darnell Wright (OL) SR
Doug Nester (OL) SR
Zach Williamson (OL) SR
Max Howell (OL) SR
Logan Osburn (OL) SR
DEFENSE
Kalai Clark (DL) SR
Zeiqui Lawton (DL) SO
Caydan Keeler (DL) SR
Drew Joseph (LB) SR
Breece Hoff (LB) SR
Mike Bartram (LB) SR
JT Cooper (LB) SR
Carlito Carter (DB) SR
Griffin Adkins (DB) SR
Kerion Martin (DB) JR
Kain Ford (DB) SR
SPECIAL TEAMS
Timothy McCutchen (K) SR
Michael Hughes (P) SO
Ethan Payne (KR) SO
UTILITY
Grant Wells (QB/P) SR
Nick Vance (QB/RB) JR
Luke Jackson (FB/LB) SR
Cason Payne (QB/DB) SR
Isaac Howard (FB/LB) SR
Christian Hill (RB/WR) JR
VALLEY REGION PREDICTIONS
Offensive Player of the Year: Kerry Martin Jr. (QB) Capital
Defensive Player of the Year: Breece Hoff (LB) Capital
Special Teams Player of the Year: Timothy McCutchen (K) Hurricane
Lineman of the Year: Darnell Wright (OL) Huntington
Newcomer of the Year: Tay Blackwell (QB) Huntington
Career Performer: Doug Nester (OL) Spring Valley
FOOTBALL IS ALMOST HERE. Each week we will be diving into one of our four regions. We’ve sliced it up a little different to equal the spread of talent out. We have the Coalfields region, MD (Mason-Dixon) Panhandle region, North West region, and Valley region. We will spend a week on each in that order. Every week will include Monday: Single A, Tuesday: Double A, Wednesday: Triple A, Thursday: Preseason All-Region Team, Friday: Top 10 in the Region. Let’s get it!
The Valley Region is the most dense area regarding talent. From Huntington to Charleston with a trickle towards Parkersburg, this is the most historically excellent region in the state. It hosts the majority of the hardest WV conference: the MSAC and guaranteed title contenders in all three classes every year.
Unfinished Business
For a bit of context, the last two Martinsburg teams are arguably two of the best the state has ever seen. Spring Valley has played them tough early both meetings in the state championship before being overloaded. It should also be noted that the Timberwolves were playing without their leading rusher and did lead at halftime. From that runner-up team, they lose three incredibly important all-staters: quarterback Derek Johnson, linebacker Owen Porter, and tightend Jacob Cassidy. Those three were captains of the winningest class in school history.
As they depart, Coach Brad Dingess is ready to reload with over 100 players out for the sport. Let it be known, Spring Valley is not a very large AAA program. Of these massive numbers, they have two Division One lineman with Doug Nester and Zach Williamson- both top 15 players in the state. They also have two top runningbacks in Owen Chafin and Graeson Malashevich. Both are very capable all-state runningbacks.
Leading their path will be unsung hero Isaac Howard who has gained a lot of attention over the summer. He is a backbone leader of this team. The possible replacement of Johnson will either be more run-prone Nate Ellis or big passer Will Adkins. Only time will tell who gets the nod. Another interesting addition is well-sized sophomore transfer Wyatt Milum from Wayne who plays defensive end. He could rise into a young Cassidy replacement.
For now, it appears Porter will be the most missed. His defensive presence will surely be hard to simulate. Either way, this seems to be the fastest Spring Valley team in a long time yet they have that traditionally size and grit. The Timberwolves are definitely a title contender. They will have thick competition near… and far. They open up with an interesting matchup with nearby Wayne on August 24th.
Not to be Forgotten
To claim people are sleeping on Huntington and Cabell Midland might be a bit of an exaggeration. But with the consistent hype behind Martinsburg, Capital, and Spring Valley- they are often left out. Between the two, they boasted the #2 and #6 ratings from the past season (a very accurate predictor for AAA). It’s understandable to think the Highlanders might struggle slightly trying to replace 2k rusher Jadon Hayes but Cabell Midland’s neglect is a little more questionable.
Cabell Midland loses a playmaking quarterback but has seemed to retained more than they lost. A potentially phenomenal line will take place in Ona with Logan Osburn, Brayden Simmons, and Levi Kessler- three all-state caliber players with legit size. They will pave the way for Kennedy Award hopeful and #1 ranked runningback Ivan Vaughn. Though Griffin Adkins is a top 10 DB, he also has proven to be a dominant back as well.
The Scarlet Knights secondary seemed to be a weak spot last year. Besides Adkins, they return young all-state JJ Roberts and received a move-in transfer with Carlito Carter from South Charleston. Combine this with their excellent staff and training, don’t doubt them as title contenders. Nearby, Coach Billy Seals will field a similar team.
We all know their stacked line including Darnell Wright, Max Howell, Terrance Pankey, and Christian Hanna. They also have a top-notch defensive front with BJ Sumlin, Stephen Perrine, and Brocton Blair. The biggest question for the Highlanders will be their skill. Ty Wilcoxon made some noise after moving in, and Tay Blackwell has received a lot of praise at quarterback through summer camp. He will have WV’s Gronkowski and #1 tightend Bryce Damous to get the ball to.
In our opinion, AAA is between five or six schools. Huntington and Cabell Midland are in those five or six. Expect a lot of textbook ground and pound with some hard-nosed defense. Both have been very consistent and are led by top coaches. We are excited to see them perform. Cabell Midland opens up on the 24th with St. Albans while Huntington travels to Belfry (KY). The two meet in Ona on October 12th.
Carpenter’s Cougars
Only one team from West Virginia has beaten the mythical Martinsburg Bulldogs since their reign of terror began in 2010. That would be Capital- who did it twice. Last season, they gave the Bulldogs all they could handle early on before falling apart late in the game. Off that semifinal team, they lost… not really much aside from one or two all-state players which is nothing on the top AAA level.
Kerry Martin Jr. is the well-known headliner here. As our #1 quarterback and Kennedy Award favorite, his patience makes his decision making stellar- passing and occasionally running. A dominant game changer. His weapons in the skill positions? They are plentiful and quality. Quisean Gray and Deshaun James are both backs liable to strike for a touchdown anywhere at anytime. Receiver-wise, they are loaded with Deishawn Harper, Chance Knox, and Kerion Martin.
Defensively, they could see the most improvement. With the skill players listed previously mounting the secondary, the front seven should seek some level of improvement. Breece Hoff should be an anchoring force off the edge as he was in 2018 as a Huff Award finalist gaining 17 sacks. The defensive line could make the most gains with #1 defensive lineman Kalai Clark, Jesse Wilcox, and Tyrese Foster.
Coach Jon Carpenter has himself a talented team for sure. With his experience and offensive prowess, the Cougars are right to be a favorite for the state championship. Every win will be earned, however. Their road will be nothing short of incredibly difficult. They will more than likely have to take on the beast from the north at some point as well. They open up at Johnson Central (KY) on August 24th.
SPEED ROUND
Hurricane loses some weapons off the edge and on the line but return a slew of all-staters. They are a team liable to go slightly above .500 but be a threat to anyone in the playoffs. George Washington gets one more year with stellar QB Grant Wells and will have their yearly death row stretch to start the season. South Charleston snuck into the playoffs at 4-6 last year and will look a lot different on offense this year with young talent. However, defensively, they sport two top ranked defenders with Zeiqui Lawton and Drew Joseph. Riverside and St. Albans both come under new management after losing good-sized senior classes that narrowly missed the playoffs. Only time will tell what these teams have. Finally, Ripley has the friendliest schedule in all AAA and several all-state players to take advantage of it.
Photo Credits: WV Gazette
FOOTBALL IS ALMOST HERE. Each week we will be diving into one of our four regions. We’ve sliced it up a little different to equal the spread of talent out. We have the Coalfields region, MD (Mason-Dixon) Panhandle region, North West region, and Valley region. We will spend a week on each in that order. Every week will include Monday: Single A, Tuesday: Double A, Wednesday: Triple A, Thursday: Preseason All-Region Team, Friday: Top 10 in the Region. Let’s get it!
Our North West Region borders the Valley to the south, splits along the MD/Panhandle, and touches on the Coalfields. It is the largest geographically thus why it is home to the most Single A’s. There are many storied programs through this area of the state with an unmatched uniqueness to every school. Title contenders of every class come from here every single year.
1. Bridgeport
2. Fairmont Senior
3. Weir
4. Wheeling Park
5. Parkersburg
6. Wheeling Central
7. Parkersburg South
8. Robert C. Byrd
9. John Marshall
10. North Marion
AAA Honorable Mention: Brooke
AA Honorable Mention: Philip Barbour
A Honorable Mention: Williamstown
Teams Predictions
Offense of the Year: Fairmont Senior
Defense of the Year: Bridgeport
Breakout Team of the Year: Robert C. Byrd
Hardest Schedule: Parkersburg
Biggest Question: Weir
FOOTBALL IS ALMOST HERE. Each week we will be diving into one of our four regions. We’ve sliced it up a little different to equal the spread of talent out. We have the Coalfields region, MD (Mason-Dixon) Panhandle region, North West region, and Valley region. We will spend a week on each in that order. Every week will include Monday: Single A, Tuesday: Double A, Wednesday: Triple A, Thursday: Preseason All-Region Team, Friday: Top 10 in the Region. Let’s get it!
Our North West Region borders the Valley to the south, splits along the MD/Panhandle, and touches on the Coalfields. It is the largest geographically thus why it is home to the most Single A’s. There are many storied programs through this area of the state with an unmatched uniqueness to every school. Title contenders of every class come from here every single year.
OFFENSE
Connor Neal (QB) SR
Donovan Kirby (RB) SR
Mark Rucker (RB) JR
Brenton Strange (WR) SR
Braden Price (WR) SR
Jack Stakem (WR) SR
Zach Frazier (OL) JR
Tristen Bittner (OL) SR
Ryan Creech (OL) SR
Jaden Rollyson (OL) SR
Cole James (OL) Doddridge County
DEFENSE
Tyler Komorowski (DL) SR
Dylan Wood (DL) SR
Robert Arnold (DL) SR
Jermain Snodgrass (LB) SR
Adam Murray (LB) JR
Chase Collier (LB) SR
Trey Pancake (LB) SR
Jake Bowen (DB) SR
Antonio Parsons (DB) SR
Jake Johnson (DB) SR
Seth Davis (DB) SR
SPECIAL TEAMS
Reed Reitter (WR/K) SR
D’Andre Holloway (KR) SR
UTILITY
Curtis McGhee III (QB/DB) JR
Dalton Malcomb (QB/LB) SR
Nick Yoho (RB/LB) SR
NORTH WEST REGION PREDICTIONS
Offensive Player of the Year: Brenton Strange (WR) Parkersburg
Defensive Player of the Year: Tyler Komorowski (DL) Weir
Special Teams Player of the Year: Reed Reitter (K/P) Weir
Lineman of the Year: Zach Frazier (OL) Fairmont Senior
Newcomer of the Year: Alex Dunlevy (QB) Wheeling Park
Career Performer: Jake Bowen (RB) Bridgeport
FOOTBALL IS ALMOST HERE. Each week we will be diving into one of our four regions. We’ve sliced it up a little different to equal the spread of talent out. We have the Coalfields region, MD (Mason-Dixon) Panhandle region, North West region, and Valley region. We will spend a week on each in that order. Every week will include Monday: Single A, Tuesday: Double A, Wednesday: Triple A, Thursday: Preseason All-Region Team, Friday: Top 10 in the Region. Let’s get it!
Our North West Region borders the Valley to the south, splits along the MD/Panhandle, and touches on the Coalfields. It is the largest geographically thus why it is home to the most Single A’s. There are many storied programs through this area of the state with an unmatched uniqueness to every school. Title contenders of every class come from here every single year.
The Second Year
The Big Reds came under new management in 2017 as Coach Mike Byus took over for his first year as head coach. They defended their turf well in 2017 as they went 5-0 in regular season home games. Parkersburg lost three on the road, but they were in some of the hardest conditions “AAA” has to offer. The Big Reds fell to the Huntington Highlanders, Capital Cougars, and Cabell Midland Knights- three powerhouses. A 7-3 record earned Parkersburg a home playoff game in the “AAA” playoffs as they hosted the #10 Monarchs of John Marshall. The Big Reds fell to the Monarchs by a touchdown as John Marshall pulled off an impressive first round upset sending Parkersburg home.
Parkersburg’s biggest loss will be that of their 2017 all-state QB. Other than that, the Big Reds should be locked, loaded, and one of the most potent teams in “AAA”. With strong RB Tyler Moler and an extremely experienced offensive line anchored by OL Ryan Creech, the Parkersburg run game looks to be powerful and consistent. Superstar WR Brenton Strange will be the main leader of the 2018 Big Reds. He will be the primary scorer for Parkersburg and is liable to have a “Kennedy Award” caliber season, leading his team to the promised land.
Taking over for the quarterback position will be transitioning all-state wide receiver Jake Johnson. Johnson can bring a dual-threat explosiveness to this side of the ball. They have experience in the linebacker and secondary groups which should assist in their big-school MSAC schedule. Coach Byus hopes to see an even better year two. The Big Reds will travel to newly-scheduled Morgantown to battle the Mohicans to open the season on big time TV August 23rd.
A New Sheriff
The Patriots were down in 2017 as they were coming off a big season and partially rebuilding. However, it certainly says something about a program when a 6-4 record and a playoff bid are considered a “down year.” Wheeling park dropped games to historical powerhouse Bridgeport and the 2017 undefeated University Hawks by one score each. A late-season upset loss to Morgantown was likely the most unexpected outcome of the Patriots season. Nevertheless, Wheeling Park earned a playoff bid as a #11 seed and made the trip to Charleston to take on the #6 Capital Cougars in the first round. The Cougars were too much for the Patriots as they were outscored 63-21 and sent back to Wheeling.
Wheeling Park will have a lot of potential coming into 2018. The in-between phase is coming to an end and with a talented and seasoned coaching staff, you can bet this new batch of Patriots is ready to compete. We look at Jermain Snodgrass to be the primary leader of this Patriot team. He is one of the best linebackers in West Virginia, and he has a skill set that shows he will be playing at the next level. QB Alex Dunlevy will be commanding the Park offense to replace a career performer. With Jake Stakem as his main target at WR, he can make you pay in the air or on the ground. Wheeling Park is looking solid for 2018, and we expect to see them with 7 or more wins and a high seed in the “AAA” playoffs.
Recent D1 offeree Tristen Bittner captains one of the biggest lines in recent memory. Defensively, Dylan Wood is a muscular defensive lineman that can lead against the smash mouth run. Some new faces will be seen in the runningback positions. Overall, a sleepy good team will mount the field in Wheeling. The Patriots will travel to Brooke week one to take on the Bruins.
Photo Credits: The Intelligencer
The Sleeping Patriot
The Patriots of Parkersburg South didn’t have the best year in 2017. They picked up three wins total, defeating Brooke, Princeton, and Greenbrier East High Schools. Parkersburg South fielded a young team last season who struggled to find their bearings. Though it may seem the Patriots had a very poor 2017 season, they were only a touchdown away from defeating #11 Wheeling Park and only fell to rival Parkersburg by three in the final game of the regular season. ‘
Now that these Patriots have gotten some experience and are familiar with in-game situations, they look to be a problem. Parkersburg South will be returning their starting QB Brayden Moody and nearly the entire offensive line, making for a very experienced offensive unit with a lot of chemistry. Nick Yoho will be a weapon for the Patriots as his running ability is lethal, but he is a talented receiver as well. The Patriots have a shot to turn things around this season and we could even see them finding a spot in the “AAA” playoffs.
The schedule doesn’t pose the week-in week-out terror of the MSAC, but it is not easy by any means. If they win the amount of games we think they should, they can be in a very good position come playoff time. Ripley will come to town August 24th as their opener.
Photo Credits: The News and Sentinel
SPEED ROUND
John Marshall had a phenomenal year in 2017, they went 7-3 getting a 1st round playoff upset and advancing on to the second round. However, most of that team is gone and the Monarchs will need to find ways fast to replace those seniors. The Buccaneers of Buckhannon-Upshur did poorly last year but adding some talent and gaining some experience we could see them right at .500 sneaking into the playoffs at a 15 or 16 seed. Brooke is coming off a season in which they learned a lot of lessons. A few experienced players will be returning for the Bruins, but unless an unforeseen playmaker emerges we figure they could be anywhere between 4-6 and 6-4.
FOOTBALL IS ALMOST HERE. Each week we will be diving into one of our four regions. We’ve sliced it up a little different to equal the spread of talent out. We have the Coalfields region, MD (Mason-Dixon) Panhandle region, North West region, and Valley region. We will spend a week on each in that order. Every week will include Monday: Single A, Tuesday: Double A, Wednesday: Triple A, Thursday: Preseason All-Region Team, Friday: Top 10 in the Region. Let’s get it!
3. Capital
Kerry Martin Jr. (QB) SR
Owen Chafin (RB) SR
Michael Hughes (P) SO
Ethan Payne (KR) SO
Nick Vance (QB/RB) JR
Luke Jackson (FB/LB) SR
2. Fairmont Senior
