MORGANTOWN — Every team that hits the gridiron this season will have its storylines and things to watch for as they gear up for another season.
That’s no different for our four coverage-area teams (Morgantown, University, Preston, and Clay-Battelle), some of whom may have some of the most intriguing storylines to pay attention to in the entire state as two head coaches enter their second seasons, young talent gets the chance to shine, and teams prepare to face new competition.
I’ve come up with a list of five things to keep an eye on as we enter the 2025 high school football season.
1. What will Year 2 look like for Aaron LaPoe at Clay-Battelle?
A 5-5 record in Aaron LaPoe’s first season as head coach at Clay-Battelle can (and should) be considered a successful start, and the second year is generating some buzz in Blacksville for good reason.
One thing that year one showed was the ability of LaPoe to get his players to buy into what he envisions as a head coach, and it showed throughout the year in 2024.
The Cee-Bees narrowly missed the Class A playoffs, but earned some quality wins, including an upset of No. 8 Meadow Bridge on the road.
Returning senior lineman Kooper Statler was named to the first team Class A all-state defensive line after an impressive junior campaign. Not only does Statler return for C-B, but players like Braden Ponceroff and Zach Gump should also help lead an experienced roster. They’ll face a tough test in Week 1 against 2024 state runner-up Cameron, but the Cee-Bees will learn who they are early on and improve from the jump.
2. How far can Slaton Manko and Preston go in 2025?
As many people have stated, Preston senior Slaton Manko was one of the breakout stars of the 2024 season. The quarterback accounted for 27 touchdowns and over 2,000 individual yards of offense, and returns in 2025 to lead the Knights as they transition back to Class AAAA.
Despite a 3-7 record last season, head coach Mark Deep and his squad return with a chip on their shoulder and a good mix of older and younger players who can make an impact. Plus, Manko can even improve on his season a year ago and be one of the top stars of 2025. The Knights will surprise a few teams and make the playoffs.
3. How much will University High improve from 2024?
A coaching change, injuries, and a younger, more inexperienced roster in 2024 made life tough for University High last season.
Then first-year head coach Eric Snyder and his team finished the regular season 4-6 before falling to Huntington in the opening round of the Class AAAA playoffs. However, UHS is a team that has had significant improvement over the offseason and will bring back some playmakers on both sides of the ball.
Names like Glenn Brown, Brody Kehler, Hayden George, Kaliel Lewis, Jack Gamble, and Marcos Kniska come to mind when I think of the talent UHS boasts this season. Hopefully, Harrison Helbig will be able to stay healthy throughout the season to provide stability at the quarterback position. If so, I think the Hawks could be one of the teams to watch in 2025.
4. How much will Morgantown High’s offense change this season?
Two factors will influence the playbook for MHS head coach Sean Biser in 2025: Maddox Twigg and the Eastern Panhandle Athletic Conference (EPAC).
As he and the Mohigans have been known for a run-heavy Wing-T offense in recent years, this season, Biser and his staff will need to change the looks of their offense and let their Twigg, a sophomore, let the ball fly.
Twigg showed signs of his arm talent last season, but was injured for multiple games and rushed the ball more than he threw it. This offseason, Twigg has made significant noise, including earning his first Division I scholarship from Marshall after an impressive day at a 7-on-7 camp. The quarterbacks don’t run the ball in 7-on-7, so you can imagine what impressed Tony Gibson and his staff when it came to watching him play.
Another significant factor is that MHS is joining the EPAC for football this season, which will bring a more challenging schedule than in recent years. With better teams come better players. Bigger, faster, smarter, players too. Biser and the Mohigans will benefit from shaking up the playbook and showing everyone a different side of the MHS offense in 2025.
5. Can MHS and UHS show consistent success against EPAC opponents?
As we all probably know by now, Morgantown and University will each join the EPAC for football beginning in 2025.
MHS will play five of the six current schools (excluding Washington) this season, and UHS will begin doing so in 2026, with a game scheduled with Musselman this season.
One of my biggest questions is how well both schools will manage against the new opponents. The EPAC includes six Class AAAA schools in the fastest-growing region of the state, and both teams in the AAAA state championship last season were from the EPAC in Martinsburg and Spring Mills.
It won’t catch the Mohigans and Hawks off guard, but they will have an adjustment period when it comes to the new schedule, and that doesn’t all stem from who they play.
It’s over two hours on the road to the closest opponent in the EPAC for both sides, and they’ll do that at least three times a season, every season. I’m curious to see how MHS fares this year with the new schedule and how the two sides will adjust going forward.
