CHARLESTON – The Clay-Battelle High School football team made school history with its first state championship appearance in program history on Friday night in Charleston.
While the Cee-Bees battled hard, Wheeling Central took home the Class A state championship with a 56-34 victory.
After a strong start, the Cee-Bees pulled ahead 20-7 in the second quarter, but Wheeling Central established dominance on the ground to the tune of 560 rushing yards in the contest.
Central running back Kade Koroneos finished the game with 413 yards, setting a new all-class state championship game record, and seven touchdowns to lead the Maroon Knights to the title.
C-B junior quarterback Corey Coen filled the stat sheet as well, with 345 total yards and five touchdowns. Coen threw for 323 yards and four passing touchdowns, with another on the ground.
The Cee-Bees complete the 2025 season 12-2 in the Class A state championship, the best season in program history. One that will never be forgotten in Blacksville and throughout Monongalia County.
“These guys don’t quit, no matter what the result is,” Clay-Battelle head coach Aaron LaPoe said. “That’s just who they are as individuals, that’s who their families are, and that’s what our community is. We’re going to fight, not quit, and not give up.”
The wear-and-tear got to the Cee-Bees a bit down the stretch against the size and strength of Wheeling Central.
“They’re big and they’re strong at every position,” LaPoe said. “They have 40 kids on the field and we have 26. They get to play their linemen one way, we can’t do that. We have talent and put up a good fight, but it’s almost like we were playing a double-A team or something.”
Clay-Battelle struck quickly on its opening possession, needing just two plays to flip the field after a 47-yard burst by Caleb Hall. A pass interference on third down pushed the Cee-Bees into the red zone, and on 3rd-and-6, quarterback Coen connected with Cody Clovis for a 13-yard score. The two-point try failed, but CB held an early 6–0 lead with 8:14 left in the quarter.
Wheeling Central answered immediately, moving into the red zone behind a balanced attack. Koroneos finished the drive with a 1-yard plunge as the Maroon Knights went ahead 7–6.
The Cee-Bees responded just 18 seconds later on the first play of the ensuing drive. Coen hit Braden Ponceroff deep for an 80-yard touchdown strike and they converted the two-point try to move back in front, 14–7.
WC’s next drive was derailed by two intentional grounding penalties that turned 2nd-and-10 into 3rd-and-55 from its own 2-yard line. Clay-Battelle forced a punt and took a 14–7 lead into the second quarter.
CB capitalized on the short field after the punt, taking over at the Central 40. On the second play of the drive, Coen found Clovis again—this time for a 40-yard touchdown. Another missed conversion left the Cee-Bees ahead 20–7 with 11:52 left in the half.
“I truly believe Cody Clovis and Braden Ponceroff can catch anything,” LaPoe said. “We don’t like to say they are 50/50 balls when its thrown to them. I’ve been telling people all year that these guys have elite hands and they’ve proven that.”
Wheeling Central’s answer came on the ground. Starting at its own 36, Wheeling Central pushed into the red zone and leaned on its size up front. Koroneos powered in from 10 yards out, cutting the deficit to 20–14 with 10:05 remaining.
After CB went three-and-out, the Maroon Knights kept its rushing attack rolling. Koroneos crossed the 100-yard mark early in the drive and eventually reached the goal line, punching in his third score of the half from a yard away as he gave his team a 21–20 lead with 5:45 left in the first half.
Clay-Battelle’s next possession was set back by a false start and a sack, and WC took over on its own 48. The Knights again marched with ease. With 216 rushing yards already on the board (208 from Koroneos alone) Central extended its lead as he scored his fourth touchdown of the night from 11 yards out, pushing the advantage to 28–20 at the break.
Central began the second half with the ball and scored another touchdown on the ground as QB Nate Kusic scampered to the endzone for 45 yards away. That extended the lead to two possessions, 35-20, and the Maroon Knights didn’t look back on their way to the win.
“Losing hurts, but at the end of the day it’s a huge honor to do something that’s never been done before,” LaPoe said. “We’ve gotten so much support from the community and from former players. I couldn’t be more proud of our guys like I know our whole community is.”
BOX SCORE
Wheeling Central 56, Clay-Battelle 34
CB 14 6 6 8 – 34
WCC 6 21 21 7 – 56
SCORING SUMMARY
CB – Clovis 13 pass/Coen (2pt failed)
WCC – Koroneos 1 run (Perry kick)
CB – Ponceroff 80 pass/Coen (2pt good/Coen run)
CB – Clovis 40 pass/Coen (2pt failed)
WCC – Koroneos 10 run (Perry kick)
WCC – Koroneos 1 run (Perry kick)
WCC – Koroneos 11 run (Perry kick)
WCC – Kusic 45 run (Perry kick)
WCC – Koroneos 3 run (Perry kick)
CB – Coen 1 run (2pt failed)
WCC – Koroneos 9 run (Perry kick)
WCC – Koroneos 6 run (Perry kick)
CB – Ponceroff 35 pass/Coen (2pt good/Coen run)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING: Clay-Battelle – Hall 12-103, Coen 11-22-TD, Snodgrass 4-9, Sleeth 1-7. Wheeling Central – Koroneos 41-415-7TD, Kusic 12-153-TD.
PASSING: Clay-Battelle – Coen 11/23-323-4TD-2INT. Wheeling Central – Kusic 3/3-63.
RECEIVING: Clay-Battelle – Ponceroff 5-198-2TD, Clovis 5-109-2TD, Payton 1-16. Wheeling Central – Olejasz 2-61, Hall 1-2.
