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St. Marys, Williamstown well represented on all-state team

Photo by Michael Uhl Williamstown’s Trenton Tallman (1) pursues Parkersburg Catholic’s Jaiden Lacaria during a high school football game this season. Tallman was named to the W.Va. Class A All-State first team at defensive back.

 

PARKERSBURG — The newly minted state champion St. Marys Blue Devils were well represented on the Class A All-State first team as voted on by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

Defensive back Will Billeter was named captain of the defense after an impressive first year playing the position. The senior was tasked with shutting down some of the better wide receivers in the Mid-Ohio Valley in Marietta’s Travis Moore, Williamstown’s Trevor Hoosier, and Tyler Consolidated’s Tyler Anderson.

Billeter shined in the Class A title game where he held fellow first-teamer East Hardy wide receiver Brett Tharp to just 93 yards on four catches. He also intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble caused by teammate and fellow first-team selection, defensive end Jacob Northrop.

“We asked Will to do a lot this year,” said St. Marys’ head coach Jodi Mote. “And he responded well all season long. The position isn’t an easy one to learn on the fly but it speaks volumes he was able to do what he did in just one year.”

St. Marys’ Player of the Game in the championship contest, running back Jaiden Smith, also was named to the top squad. The junior ran for 125 yards on 18 carries, which included a 15-yard score in the third quarter. Smith had a hand in setting up another score as well after he got loose for a 36-yard scamper in the second quarter down to the 1-yard line.

Dylan Lucas of Buffalo and Brady Grant of Van claimed the other two running back spots. The senior (Lucas) and junior (Grant) helped their respective schools to a playoff berth in 2016. Lucas ran for more than 2000 yards and 30 touchdowns on the season.

Joining Tharp on the apex squad for Class A runner-up East Hardy was quarterback Corey McDonald. The green and gold-clad signal caller averaged right around 300 yards passing and 4 scores through the air per game on the season. His performance helped the Chad Williams-coached squad make a return trip to The Island after it competed in last years championship contest against Magnolia.

Three other Little Kanawha Conference teams joined St. Marys and placed players on the ultimate team in Williamstown, Gilmer County, and Doddridge County. Yellowjacket seniors Trenton Tallman (defensive back) and Trevor Hoosier (defensive end) as well as junior Jake Seckman (offensive line) represented Terry Smith’s 9-3 team. Voted on for the Titans’ were Trey Shuff (defensive utility) and Cole Haley at linebacker, while Hunter Riffle (defensive back) ended up the lone selection for Bobby Burnside’s Bulldogs. Riffle also set the career record for interceptions at DCHS this season with 14.

Junior Noah Bohana (Notre Dame) and senior John Burkhalter (Wheeling Central) rounded out the wide receiving corp with Tharp. Seniors Corey Folwer of South Harrison, Cam Nichols of Tolsia, and Danny Kimble of Pocahontas County were the other three selections to the offensive line.

Dual-threat quarterbacks Will Fenton (senior-Fayetteville) and Isaac Rine (senior-Wheeling Central) took up the offensive utility spots along with Fayetteville senior Dalton Dempsey at utility/kicker. Both teams participated in the playoffs and the two schools met in the quarterfinals, won 27-20 by the Pirates.

Fayetteville received its third selection when senior Braden Broach was voted to one of the remaining three defensive line positions after Hoosier’s selection. The duo were accompanied by Buffalo junior Owen Tillis and Wheeling Central senior Clayton McCabe.

Junior Cam Barnette of South Harrison, sophomore Vinny Magino of Bishop Donahue and senior Michael Starcher of Cameron completed the linebacker corps along with Haley. Bishop Donahue made another appearance on the defensive team after senior Trey Miller slid in as the fourth defensive back.

Luke Cooper (senior-Pendleton County) was the second defensive utility position selection and the list was completed by the choice of Cameron junior Colby Brown at the utility/punter spot.

Williamstown defensive lineman Bryce Mefford was named captain of the second team defense after registering 128 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and 6 sacks for the Yellowjackets. Quarterback Nathan Grimmett, of Summers County, was honored as captain of the second team offense.

Other area local on the second team included: Ravenswood senior running back Alex Casto, his teammate defensive lineman Ethan Mahan, junior wide receiver Brooks Parsons of Magnolia, Paden City senior Hayden Hizer and Tyler Consolidated senior Jace Reed as offensive utility, Ravenswood junior kick Ryan Cunningham, Gilmer County offensive lineman Jacob Montgomery, St. Marys’ senior linebacker Braden Barnhart, and Tyler Consolidated defensive back Tyler Anderson.


The 2016 Class A All-State Football Team as selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association

First team

Offense

QB – Corey MacDonald, East Hardy, Sr. (captain)

RB – Dylan Lucas, Buffalo, Sr.

RB – Jaiden Smith, St. Marys, Jr.

RB – Brady Grant, Van, So.

WR – Brett Tharp, East Hardy, Jr.

WR -Noah Bohanna, Notre Dame, Sr.

WR – John Burkhalter, Wheeling Central, Sr.

OL – Jacob Northrop, St. Marys, Sr.

OL – Corey Fowler, South Harrison, Sr.

OL – Cam Nichols, Tolsia, Sr.

OL – Danny Kimble, Pocahontas County, Sr.

OL – Jake Seckman, Williamstown, Sr.

UTIL – Will Fenton, Fayetteville, Sr.

UTIL – Isaac Rine, Wheeling Central, Sr.

UTIL/K – Dalton Dempsey, Fayetteville, Sr.

Defense

DL – Trevor Hoosier, Williamstown, Sr.

DL – Braden Broach, Fayetteville, Sr.

DL – Owen Tillis, Buffalo, Jr.

DL – Clayton McCabe, Wheeling Central, Sr.

LB – Michael Starcher, Cameron, Sr.

LB – Cole Haley, Gilmer County, Sr.

LB – Cam Barnette, South Harrison, Jr.

LB – Vinny Mangino, Bishop Donahue, So.

DB – Trenton Tallman, Williamstown, Sr.

DB – Will Billieter, St. Marys, Sr. (captain)

DB – Hunter Riffle, Doddridge County, Sr.

DB – Trey Miller, Bishop Donahue, Sr.

UTIL – Trey Shuff, Gilmer County, Sr.

UTIL – Luke Cooper, Pendleton County, Sr.

UTIL/P – Colby Brown, Cameron, Jr.

Second team

Offense

QB – Nathan Grimmett, Summers County, Sr. (captain)

RB – Phillip Mullin, East Hardy, Sr.

RB – Joseph Hayes, Mount View, Sr.

RB – Alex Casto, Ravenswood, Sr.

RB – Dawson Elia, Tug Valley, Jr.

WR – Brooks Parsons, Magnolia, Jr.

WR – Tucker Lilly, Summers County, Sr.

OL – Jason Montgomery, Gilmer County, Sr.

OL – Hunter Allen, Buffalo, Sr.

OL – Jeb Evans, Tolsia, Sr.

OL – Zack Eye, Moorefield, Sr.

OL – Nick Haas, Clay-Battelle, Sr.

UTIL – Jace Reed, Tyler Consolidated, Sr.

UTIL – Hayden Hizer, Paden City, Sr.

K – Ryan Cunningham, Ravenswood, Jr.

Defense

DL – Bryce Mefford, Williamstown, Sr. (captain)

DL – Andrew Richmond, Summers County, Sr.

DL – Cole Price, Van, Sr.

DL – Eddie Kachmarek, Tucker County, Sr.

DL – Ethan Mahan, Ravenswood, Sr.

LB – Nick Rush, South Harrison, Jr.

LB – Braden Barnhart, St. Marys, Sr.

LB – Jacob Hanshaw, Buffalo, Sr.

LB – Trey Cooper, Pendleton County, Sr.

DB – Logan Presley, Tolsia, Sr.

DB – Tyler Anderson, Tyler Consolidated, Sr.

DB – Freddy Canary, South Harrison, Jr.

UTIL – Bailey Kirk, Sherman, Sr.

UTIL – Jordan Dempsey, Fayetteville, So.

UTIL/P – Ricky Robinson, East Hardy, Sr.

Special honorable mention

Tanner Burnett, Clay-Battelle; Travis Dille, Clay-Battelle; Aaron Heasley, Paden City; Wyatt Wingrove, Cameron; Lander James, Cameron; J.C. Custer, Bishop Donahue; Jimmy Hull, Bishop Donahue; Dustin Brown, Madonna; Khalib Smith, Madonna; Chase Street, Magnolia; Chantz Chambers, Wheeling Central; Bray Price, Wheeling Central; Levi Streets, Valley-Wetzel; Jonathan Blankenship, Tug Valley; Ethan Burgess, Buffalo; Wyatt Workman, Pocahontas County; Alex Hewitt, Fayetteville; Marcus Lively, Fayetteville; Juquan Imes, Mount View; Matt Skaggs, Midland Trail; Noah Minor, Midland Trail; Luke Jackson, Ravenswood; Dylan Gray, St. Marys; Austin Whetzel, East Hardy; Luke French, East Hardy; Ryan Rodersheimer, Parkersburg Catholic; Dalton Campbell, Doddridge County; Tristen Dumire, Tygarts Valley; Gunnar Haley, Gilmer County; Cameron Simpson, Man; Brock Muncy, Man; Hampton Haymond, Notre Dame, Alex Davisson, Notre Dame; Jacob Skrzesz, Pendleton County; Devin Boley, St. Marys; Ryan Anderson, South Harrison; Brent Barnette, South Harrison; Luke Hardway, Webster County; George Krogh, St. Marys; Blake Neely, Williamstown; Tim Wickman, Williamstown; Brandon Keys, Tyler Consolidated

Honorable mention

Rander Amos, Paden City; Andrew Simms, Cameron; Logan Wells, Bishop Donahue; Chris Barry, Bishop Donahue; Phil Good, Madonna; Nick Priem, Magnolia; Adam Murray, Wheeling Central; Tyler Kocher, Valley-Wetzel; Layne Daniel, Sherman; Wyatt Edwards, Wahama; Alex Gibson, Van; Dylan Richmond, Sherman; Deon Diggs, Mount View; Dillon Brasse, Midland Trail; , Clay Skovorn, East Hardy; Junior Holmes, Bishop Donahue; Curtis James, Doddridge County; Michael Childers, Doddridge County; Aden Funkhouser, East Hardy; Danny Stuart, Hundred; Bryce Roberts, Gilmer County; Will Greene, Gilmer County; Logan Mongold, Moorefield; Tyler Olmsted, Moorefield; Kayne Brown, Man; Seth Osborne, Man; Jacob Asbury, Man; Austin Bragg, Man; Elijah Helsley, Notre Dame; Ryan LaAsmar, Notre Dame; Mark Jordan, Pocahontas County; Brady Jones, Pocahontas County; Landon McFadden, South Harrison; Noah Lucas, Tug Valley; Josh Deboard, Tug Valley; Chase Rose, Webster County; Jay Stiltner, Webster County; Levi McVey, Wirt County; Jacob Stickley, Moorefied; Kole Puffenberger, Pendleton County; Jacob Persani, Summers County; Brian Krabbe, Montcalm

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