Morgantown High standout Bobby Powell has been named first-team all-state for the second-straight season. The senior closed his high school career with 35 tackles, one interception and eight passes defended this season. He also had 694 yards of offense and scored two touchdowns.
University receiver Ethan Jackson was named second-team all-state after catching 65 passes for 1,041 yards and 12 touchdowns.
MHS’ Jaylon Hill and University’s Brock Kehler were named second-team linebackers. Each led their team in tackles with Hill recording 80 with 16.5 tackles for loss and Kehler racking up 95 with 11 for loss.
Named all-state honorable mention were Morgantown’s Malik M’Bayo, Caleb Nutter, Andrew Phares, Aiden Stire and AJ Thomas; University’s John Coleman, Seth Dravar, Luke Hudson and Anthony Rivera; and Preston’s Greyson Kuhn and Ethan Likens.
Dom Collins posted a season he and the rest of the Princeton community would remember.
Collins capped off his senior season with 83 receptions for 1,901 yards and 27 touchdowns while also rushing for 124 yards and five touchdowns.
His gaudy numbers, along with a Tigers offense that averaged 45 points this season, earned him captainship of the 2023 Class AAA first-team all-state offense.
Collins was also a vital piece to the Tigers making the state title game for the first time in program history.
“Dom has become a true leader this year,” Princeton coach Keith Taylor said. “He has always been the most-electrifying player on the field. However, he was able to lead by example this year with the way he practiced, and became a vocal leader on and off the field.
“Dom was always one of the first guys to celebrate his teammates when they made a big play this year. He was able to remain engaged and ready for his opportunity when defenses doubled and tripled him all game.”
Collins finished his prep career with seven receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns against Martinsburg at Wheeling Island Stadium on Dec. 2.
Both of his touchdowns were for 44 yards or more, including a 51-yard TD catch with seven seconds left in the second quarter.
“He has always been a problem for defenses on our screen game and deep shots,” Taylor said. “Throughout the season, Dom became a much-better all-around receiver. He consistently was able to high-point the ball against double coverage and secure contested receptions. He did a much-better job blocking on the perimeter.
“People do not understand how strong he is. He is one of the strongest guys on our team, and we have some strong dudes.”
Martinsburg’s Rashad Reid, similar to Collins, consistently posted eye-popping defensive numbers.
Reid finished the season with 92.5 total tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks and two fumble recoveries, earning him the captain role of the Class AAA first-team all-state defense.
The defensive lineman was active from start to finish in the state title game. Reid, along with the rest of the Bulldogs defense, held Princeton to a season-low in points at 13.
Martinsburg won its 10th state title — all coming since 2010 — by beating the Tigers, 57-13.
Reid’s relentlessness was on display, recording six total tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.
Martinsburg coach Dave Walker saw Reid make progress in his game both on and off the field.
“I would say [his most progress] was his leadership ability,” Walker said. “He was a little more vocal and had more of a presence in the locker room.”
Reid committed to play collegiately at Elon in August.
Walker is encouraging Reid to not be content with his game and continue progressing.
“[He needs to] continue working on his fundamentals and footwork,” Walker said.
The quarterbacks for the first-team offense are Chance Barker (Princeton) and David Parsons (Parkersburg).
Barker finished his sophomore season going 186 of 265 for 3,602 yards, 48 touchdowns and four interceptions, while Parsons threw for 2,731 yards and 33 touchdowns.
Three running backs round out the first-team offense: Curtis Jones (Cabell Midland), Gage Wright (Parkersburg South) and Zach Rohrig (Bridgeport).
All three rushed for more than 1,700 yards. Wright ran 149 times for 1,889 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Jones helped the Knights earn the No. 1 playoff seed by rushing for 1,762 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Rohrig helped get Bridgeport to the state semifinals and capped off his career rushing 237 times for 1,822 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Collins is joined by Wheeling Park’s Mykel Davis as the other first-team wide receiver. Davis caught 39 passes for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns.
An experienced offensive line stands tall, led by three seniors: Eli Campbell from Princeton (6-foot-3, 290 pounds), Robby Martin from Huntington (6-4, 290) and Martinsburg’s Eli Hendricks (6-foot-1, 255).
Hurricane’s Daron Parks (6-4, 270) and Bridgeport’s Wes Brown (5-10, 275) round out the other two lineman spots.
Huntington kicker Jonny Aya-ay was perfect as a senior on point-after attempts (91 of 91) and field goals (5 of 5). He also averaged 54 yards per kickoff, with 38 touchbacks.
Martinsburg’s Murphy Clement and Hurricane’s Noah Vellaithambi round out the utility positions.
Clement posted 2,816 total yards of offense (1,671 passing and 1,145 rushing) and 40 touchdowns (19 passing and 21 rushing).
Vellaithambi, who shifted from quarterback to running back, produced more than 1,500 yards of offense and 20 touchdowns.
Martinsburg’s Xerxees Yancey (78 total tackles, nine tackles for loss and six sacks), Bridgeport’s Beau Ford (56 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss and six sacks), Cabell Midland’s Michael Lunsford (58 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss and six sacks) and Huntington’s Kiyou Jackson (80 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss and five sacks) join Reid on the first-team defensive line.
Cabell Midland’s Cannon Lewis (174 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss and four sacks), Martinsburg’s Nick Busky (55 total tackles, five tackles for loss and four sacks), Parkersburg South’s Turner Garrettson (111 total tackles) and Jefferson’s Nolan Meehlib (130 total tackles and eight tackles for loss) round out the linebackers.
Morgantown’s Bobby Powell (35 total tackles, one tackle for loss and interception), Jefferson’s Keyshawn Robinson and Huntington’s Zah Jackson (43 total tackles, nine pass breakups and four interceptions) are this year’s secondary.
Huntington sophomore Tayveon Wilson is the other specialist at punter alongside Aya-ay.
Spring Mills’ Max Anderson and Spring Valley’s Jalyn Abercrombie are the two utility players for the first-team defense.
The captain of the Class AAA second-team offense is George Washington QB Abe Fenwick. Fenwick was 118 of 208 for 2,010 yards and 25 touchdowns while rushing for 332 yards and seven touchdowns. The second-team defensive captain is Aidan Sparks from Bridgeport after posting 48 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, seven sacks and three fumble recoveries.
Wooden plaques in the shape of West Virginia that include the player’s name, school, licensed WVSWA logo and year of the honoree are available to all-state first team, second team and honorable mentions and can be purchased from the Bear Wood Company through wvswa.org or Bearwoodcompany.com.
By TAYLOR KENNEDY/The Charleston Gazette-Mail
First Team
Offense
QB – Chance Barker, Princeton, (Soph.)
QB – David Parsons, Parkersburg (Sr.)
RB – Curtis Jones, Cabell Midland, (Sr.)
RB – Gage Wright, Parkersburg South, (Sr.)
RB – Zach Rohrig, Bridgeport (Sr.)
WR – Dom Collins, Princeton (Sr.) (CAPTAIN)
WR – Mykel Davis, Wheeling Park (Sr.)
OL – Eli Campbell, Princeton (Sr.)
OL – Robby Martin, Huntington (Sr.)
OL – Eli Hendricks, Martinsburg (Sr.)
OL – Daron Parks, Hurricane (Soph.)
OL – Wes Brown, Bridgeport (Jr.)
K – Jonny Aya-ay, Huntington (Sr.)
UTL – Murphy Clement, Martinsburg (Sr.)
UTL – Noah Vellaithambi, Hurricane (Jr.)
Defense
DL – Rashad Reid, Martinsburg (Sr.) (CAPTAIN)
DL – Xerxees Yancey, Martinsburg (Sr.)
DL – Beau Ford, Bridgeport (Sr.)
DL – Michael Lunsford, Cabell Midland (Sr.)
DL – Kiyou Jackson, Huntington (Sr.)
LB – Cannon Lewis, Cabell Midland (Sr.)
LB – Nick Busky, Martinsburg (Jr.)
LB – Turner Garrettson, Parkersburg South (Sr.)
LB – Nolan Meehlib, Jefferson (Sr.)
DB – Bobby Powell, Morgantown (Sr.)
DB – Keyshawn Robinson, Jefferson (Sr.)
DB – Zah Jackson, Huntington (Jr.)
P – Tayveon Wilson, Huntington (Soph.)
UTL – Max Anderson, Spring Mills (Soph.)
UTL – Jalyn Abercrombie, Spring Valley (Jr.)
Second Team
Offense
QB – Abe Fenwick, George Washington (Sr.) (CAPTAIN)
RB – Marquel Lowe, Princeton (Jr.)
RB – Josh Love, Bridgeport (Jr.)
RB – Koi Fagan, Martinsburg (Jr.)
WR – Ethan Jackson, University (Jr.)
WR – Tyshawn Dues, Hurricane (Jr.)
OL – Aiden Ellis, George Washington (Sr.)
OL – Wes Hancock, Martinsburg (Sr.)
OL – Ryan Jones, Bridgeport (Sr.)
OL – Tyler Wise, Brooke (Sr.)
OL – Derek Croghan, Wheeling Park (Sr.)
K – Casey Stanley, Parkersburg (Senior)
UTL – Keegan Sack, George Washignton (Jr.)
UTL – Robert Shockey, Cabell Midland (Sr.)
UTL – Malik McNeely, Huntington (Sr.)
Defense
DL – Aaron Clark, Hurricane (Sr.)
DL – Trey Woolaston, Musselman (Sr.)
DL – Aidan Sparks, Bridgeport (Sr.) (CAPTAIN)
DL – Kalum Kiser, Princeton (Soph.)
LB – Matthew Stalnaker, Parkersburg (Sr.)
LB – Aydin Flemming, Hedgesville (Sr.)
LB – Jaylon Hill, Morgantown (Sr.)
LB – Brock Kehler, University (Jr.)
LB – Adam Long, Oak Hill (Sr.)
DB – Cale Culicerto, Bridgeport (Sr.)
DB – Malachi Lewis, Oak Hill (Sr.)
DB – Jared Marsh, Wheeling Park (Sr.)
DB – Andrew Stalnaker, Parkersburg (Sr.)
P – Connor Fitzpatrick, John Marshall (Sr.)
UTL – Anthony Valentine, George Washington (Jr.)
Honorable Mention
Bradley Anderson, Ripley; Xavier Anderson, Spring Mills; Drew Banks, Lincoln County; Eli Bartley, Parkersburg South; Brae Booth, Spring Valley; Sam Booth, Spring Valley; Brennan Brinker, Hampshire; John Coleman, University; Caleb Conrad, Hurricane; Avonte Crawford, Huntington; Aiden Davis, Wheeling Park; Isaiah Delauder, Washington; Michael Diacomo, Princeton; Seth Dravar, University; Buzz Dover, Martinsburg; La’Ron Dues, Hurricane; Levi Faircloth, Hedgseville; Garrett Fauble, Washington; Dylan Fleak, Parkersburg South; Cole Ferguson, Spring Valley; Gunner Flores, George Washington; Hunter Giacomo, George Washington; Quinton Goins, Jefferson; Elijah Gray, Oak Hill; Bryce Green, Riverside; Prophet Guillaume, Spring Mills; Chase Hackett, Buckhannon-Upshur; Brady Hamric, Greenbrier East; Tucker Hammond, Spring Valley; Dylan Harich, Jefferson; Wayne Harris, Huntington; Tanner Hathaway, Bridgeport; Luke Hudson, University; Anthony Ice, Parkersburg; Nycere Jacobs, Jefferson; Tim Jeffress, Bridgeport; Amare Johnson, Wheeling Park; Mikey Johnson, Huntington; Landon Jones, Woodrow Wilson; Ryan Kelley, Buckhannon-Upshur; Greyson Kuhn, Preston; Maverick LeMasters, John Marshall; Ethan Likens, Preston; Jacqai Long, Hurricane; Malik M’Boyo, Morgantown; Cam Martin, Bridgeport; Demonte Martin, Hedgesville; JD Mauritz, Oak Hill; Jameson Maynard, Wheeling Park; Myles Meadors, Cabell Midland; Collen Moore, Ripley; Gavin Moore, Brooke; Wyatt Morris, Buckhannon-Upshur; Brad Mossor, Princeton; Sirod Musgrove, Martinsburg; Landon Nida, Cabell Midland; Caleb Nutter, Morgantown; Xavier Patterson, St. Albans; Drew Phares, Morgantown; Zavier Pollard, Musselman; Tyler Radford, Woodrow Wilson; Mason Ramsey, Cabell Midland; Elijah Redfern, Woodrow Wilson; Cookie Rivera, University; David Robinson, Capital; Zander Robinson, Hampshire; Tay’Shaun Roper, Jefferson; Logan Sponaugle, Lincoln County; Aiden Stire, Morgantown; Josiah Stratton, Lincoln County; AJ Thomas, Morgantown; Wiz Tye Jr., Huntington; Cam Veazy, Huntington; Triston Walker, Parkersburg South; Tyson Wagoner, Parkersburg South; Elijah Waller, Woodrow Wilson; Garrett Wagoner, Spring Valley; Anthony Williams, Spring Mills; Donovan Williams, Bridgeport; Jason Williams, Parkersburg; Walter Williams, Huntington; Tavion Woods, Riverside; Caleb Yates, John Marshall.
