Parkersburg’s Frances Guice, left, congratulates Amaya Lewis (14) after Lewis made the game-winning shot in the Big Reds’ 71-70 win over University in a Class AAAA quarterfinal in Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

PARKERSBURG – As the final awards are now handed out for high school baseball and softball, the moment is only appropriate to release the sequel to the top stories I experienced as part of my coverage in the spring.

As an added bonus, the most riveting story of the 2025-26 school year leads off the final installment which began with a Top 20 list published in May.

GRAND PRIZE

Prelude to a State Title (Parkersburg Girls Basketball): If Lauren Flanagan doesn’t commit to the pass. If Amaya Lewis doesn’t convert the layup. If Lucie Cline doesn’t return from a leg injury.

Certainly major ‘what ifs’ which don’t necessarily get mentioned in all the frenzy surrounding the PHS-Parkersburg South Class AAAA state championship game. Yet, if either of those sequences don’t occur the Big Reds might not make it out of the quarterfinal round.

Ripley fan Kamryn Casto, the 8-year-old daughter of Ripley baseball coach Shane Casto and younger sister of senior Bryson Casto, shows her support during a Class AAA state semifinal game against Bridgeport in Huntington. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

University made five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to erase a 13-point deficit, including the game-tying three to send the game into overtime.

In the final 20 seconds of overtime and PHS trailing by one, Flanagan tracked down a University miss, sprinted downcourt and found Lewis under the hoop for the bunny to put the Big Reds in front 71-70.

University misfired a game-winning shot in the final seven seconds and PHS survived.

And oh by the way, as one of the PHS starting five, Cline returns from injuring her leg in the first minute of the first quarter and stays on the floor for the rest of week – averaging 7.0 points and 8.3 rebounds over a three-game span, including a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) against South.

SENSATIONAL SPRING

Parkersburg South’s Peyton Mackey (33) gets ready to celebrate with teammates Shyanne Hayes (15), Addison Moon (77) and Annie Shelton (0) after the Patriots defeated No. 1-seed Cabell Midland 3-0 in an elimination game at the WVSSAC Class AAAA State Softball Tournament in South Charleston. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

1. Patriots Serve Notice (Parkersburg South Softball): Took a village for Parkersburg South to advance to the state softball tournament for the first time since 2012. The Patriots boasted one of the top pitchers in the state in sophomore Annie Shelton and received offensive support up and down the lineup.

And don’t forget the supporting staff on the bench Especially in an elimination game where the Patriots defeated top-seeded Cabell Midland 3-0. Shelton did her usual damage both at the plate and on the mound. She hit a two-run home run in the first inning to put South in front for good then struck out 11 while throwing a complete-game shutout.

Several others played an integral role. On a hunch, coach Tim Burch decided to start Bryleigh Pickens, and the freshman delivered with an RBI single in the fourth inning.

In the bottom half of that same inning, second baseman Mia Archer covered a great deal of ground to catch a pop up behind first base and Cabell Midland stranded a runner in scoring position.

Four seniors graduate from the South softball program – and Senior Night was a tearful one to say the least. Yet, the Patriots have plenty of options returning, including Shelton who recorded her 400th career strikeout the same night seniors Shyanne Hays, Payton Mackey, Jaiden Vargas and Karli Short were honored.

Parkersburg’s Noah Holland, far left, is joined by his teammates, including Gavin Fling (7) while celebrating a 8-3 win over Parkersburg South at Hank Greenberg Field. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

2. Instant Classics (Williamstown Baseball): Williamstown and Doddridge County had their share of close encounters on the back half of the schedule.

During a regular-season meeting in Williamstown, Yellowjacket pitcher Jenner Burge struck out 14 in a 1-0 win over the Bulldogs. With his counterpart Tristan Swiger also dialed in, the game lasted a mere hour-and-a-half.

The same two pitchers hooked up less than two weeks later in the LKC championship game. This time, DCHS hitters figured out Burge for a 12-1 win.

These two schools still had plenty to settle as members of the Class AA, Region I field. On a Friday night in West Union and DCHS seeking to clinch a state tournament berth, Williamstown arrived needing to defeat the Bulldogs twice.

In a game which didn’t want to end, DCHS scored a run in the bottom of the 10th inning for a 5-4 win.

The game nearly went 11 innings. With runners on first and second base, DCHS’ Dayne Murphy hit an infield grounder destined to be an inning-ending double play, but an errant throw to second base allowed the winning run to score.

Instead, DCHS punched its ticket for the state tournament for the first time since 1994.

3. Twice Shy (Ripley Baseball): A massive comeback followed by an impressive pitching outing put Ripley within one win from repeating as Class AAA state champions.

In the quarterfinal round, Ripley fell behind 8-0 in the top half of the first inning, only to rally for a 12-10 win.

In the semifinals against top-seeded Bridgeport, a four-run third inning was more than plenty for senior Landon Meadows, who allowed six hits but did not walk a batter while allowing just one run over six innings of work in a 5-1 victory.

Pitching in sweltering heat, Meadows was running on fumes the last few innings. Bridgeport stranded two baserunners in a scoreless fifth inning and pushed across its only one in the sixth inning before Bryson Casto entered in relief with one runner on base and nobody out in the seventh inning. Casto, who went 1-for-2 with a triple and a run scored, struck out two and retired all three batters he faced.

The following day, St. Albans defeated Ripley 11-3 in the championship game.

4. Farewell to The Hank (South Baseball): Parkersburg South gave Hank Greenburg Field the proper sendoff after defeating Woodrow Wilson 14-1 in the Patriots’ final venue they called home for so many years.

Seven of the nine batters in the South lineup enjoyed multi-hit performances. Eli Davis and Jackson McVey both drove in a pair of runs. A trio of South pitchers — Bronson Linville, Carter Fluty and Garrett Cline held Woodrow Wilson in check on five hits.

Fluty earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief.

Next year, both the South baseball and softball teams transition to their turf facilities located at Erickson All-Sports Facility.

5. Sense of Irony (Parkersburg Baseball): All’s fair in love and baseball. In the first meeting between Parkersburg and Parkersburg South, the Patriots scored 10 runs in an extra inning affair.

Nearly three weeks later, PHS flipped the script, rallying from a 3-2 deficit by scoring six runs in the top of the seventh inning of an 8-3 win.

South starter Easton Walker finished with seven strikeouts before his pitch count caught up with him after six innings of work.

PHS reliever Noah Holland shut down South. He entered with two runners on base and one out in the sixth inning and retired the first two batters he faced to end the threat. Combined with his seventh inning performance, Holland posted five outs without allowing a hit. He also struck out four.

6. Lightning Strikes Twice (Warren Baseball): Jayce Hilverding was one example why Warren went on a second-half tear, winning 11 of 14 games while advancing to the regional finals.

In a regular season game against Parkersburg at Warren High School, Hilverding hit two home runs over the blue monster in left field as the Warriors defeated the Big Reds 9-3. Hilverding finished the day going 3-for-4 at the plate with five RBIs.