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
- Will Monongalia County Schools be able to repeat its 2025 success?
The 2025 high school football season in Monongalia County was arguably the best we’ve ever seen. All three schools (Morgantown, University, and Clay-Battelle) made incredible runs throughout the regular season and in the playoffs, with UHS reaching the Class AAAA semifinals as the No. 7 seed, the Cee-Bees playing in their first-ever Class A state championship game, and finally the Mohigans bringing home the title for the first time in 20 years.
Simply put, how will those three teams follow up the success of last season? All three teams bring back 2025 First-Team All-State selections at multiple positions and are poised to build on what they accomplished a year ago.
Maddox Twigg returns to lead Morgantown High as defending champs, Harrison Helbig and Hayden George are back for the UHS offense, and Corey Coen leads a Cee-Bee offense that could lead the state in rushing.
Seeing how far each club goes after the magic of 2025 is something to keep an eye on.
- Does the Kennedy Award run through Mon County in 2026?
Multiple players in the area made noise individually in 2025. MHS junior quarterback Maddox Twigg was named the 2025 J.R. House Award recipient as the state’s top QB as well as being a First-Team All-State selection in Class AAAA.
Along with Twigg, other players like Harrison Helbig and Hayden George could find themselves in the Kennedy Award discussion.
Helbig threw for 3,106 yards and 30 touchdowns last season. His favorite target, George, caught 93 passes for 1,323 yards and 11 scores.
All three players have the chance to build on their numbers from 2025, as well as build on their team’s success.
Could Monongalia County see its first Kennedy Award winner since 2013?
- How much does the return of Brody Kehler impact University High?
Before a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 4 of the season against Wheeling Park, rising junior running back Brody Kehler tallied 319 yards and nine touchdowns in three and a half games for UHS. Even without Kehler, the Hawks reached the Class AAAA semifinals.
He returns for the Hawks in 2026 and will undoubtedly be hungry to hit the field on August 28. He also plays a role in the defensive backfield and had a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six, before his season was cut short.
The UHS offense was already one of the more dynamic offenses in the state without Kehler, and with his return, could even take another step forward as a unit.
I expect Kehler to play a major role early on for UHS and be in the discussion for All-State honors in December.
- How much defense does Maddox Twigg play for Morgantown High?
Not only was Maddox Twigg the best offensive weapon for MHS in 2025, but he also acted as one of the better defenders for the Mohigans when it was all said and done.
Twigg constantly showed his ability as a defensive back, both in coverage and as a run-stopper. He has the ability to read a quarterback and make a play on the ball (he had a pick-six against Jefferson in Week 2), and the ability to deliver a powerful hit on a ball carrier.
The question is, how much defense Twigg will be expected to play. MHS brings back a load of talent on defense with Chase Travis on the line and players like Brooks King and Kane Williams at linebacker.
There’s no question that Twigg welcomes contact, but the impact of how often he delivers and receives hits is something to keep track of. In the Class AAAA state championship game last season, Twigg left the game for a brief period due to the sheer amount of contact he was giving and taking. During that time, the MHS offense struggled tremendously.
I’m watching closely to see how early and how often Twigg is playing defense for MHS.
- Can Clay-Battelle perform as one of Class A’s best teams?
Year two of Aaron Lapoe’s tenure at Clay-Battelle went about as well as you could ask for. The Cee-Bees reached the Class A state championship game for the first time ever and enjoyed one of the greatest seasons in program history.
After a 5-5 record in 2024, expectations for C-B weren’t exactly certain. There wasn’t a doubt that the roster had talent, but the extent of that talent was unknown, and the Cee-Bees being a top team in Class A wasn’t on most people’s bingo cards.
Ultimately, the Lapoe-led Cee-Bees showed that they were one of the best teams in the state week in and week out, tallying impressive victory after impressive victory.
But it’s much easier to be a winner and be at the top of the food chain when you aren’t expected to. One of my biggest questions is how Lapoe’s team will perform during a season where they are expected to be at the top. When you go from being the hunter to becoming the hunted, how will you respond?
If there’s one head coach that will have his players prepared, it’s Aaron Lapoe, but I’m keeping a close eye on the boys in Blacksville and how they perform as one of the top dogs in Class A football.
