— by Michael Minnich, The Exponent Telegram
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — “Whoever across the state that can handle this adversity the best, whoever can stay the course is going to have the best opportunity to make a run in the playoffs.”
Fairmont Senior coach Nick Bartic said it before the season, and his Polar Bears lived up to it, winning three postseason games, including a semifinal victory at Bluefield, to claim the Class AA championship.
Bartic’s Polar Bears placed two players on the West Virginia Sports Writers Association’s Class AA first team, announced today, and five more on the second team.
The team is selected by voting by WVSWA members and coaches from around the state.
Leading the way is quarterback Gage Michael, who was named the offensive captain.
Michael was a fantastic dual threat for the Polar Bears, rushing 177 times for 1,639 yards and 17 touchdowns and completing 119 of 206 passes for 2,084 yards and 28 scores.
He’s joined on the first team by a player who opened many of those holes, offensive lineman Aidan Green.
Defensive lineman Riley Perkins of Clay County captains the defense after recording 110 tackles (33 for loss), 14.5 sacks and two blocked kicks.
Poca, which was eliminated in the first round by its COVID-19 color designation, has four players on the first team: running back Ethan Payne, offensive lineman Gabe Keech, linebacker Dillon Taylor and defensive back Toby Payne.
For Oak Glen, Hunter Patterson earned offensive utility honors after rushing for 935 yards and 15 touchdowns and catching 41 balls for 986 yards and 12 more scores; Kyler O’Connor is on the defensive line after recording 66 tackles and 11 sacks and Gage Patterson is a defensive utility after leading the Golden Bears with 101 tackles.
Sissonville placed three players on the offensive side of the ball after finishing first in the WVSSAC regular season ratings: offensive lineman Stevie Carpenter, utility Dylan Griffith and kicker Jaxson Haynes.
Bluefield, which lost by two to Fairmont Senior in the de facto state championship game, also has three first-teamers: wide receiver Brandon Wiley, offensive lineman Derick Flack and linebacker Shawn Mitchell.
The team the Beavers beat to get to the semifinals, North Marion, placed wide receiver Tariq Miller (53 catches, 950 yards, 10 touchdowns) and defensive lineman Garrett Conaway on the first team.
Offensive lineman John Bittinger and linebacker Jansen Moreland are choices from Frankfort, the No. 3 seed in the playoffs before Mineral County was hit hard by the pandemic.
Herbert Hoover’s first-team duo is defensive back Andrew Rollyson and defensive utility Devin Hatfield.
Robert C. Byrd, which advanced to the semifinals before Harrison County went orange, is represented on the first team by running back Jeremiah King, who carried 189 times for 1,718 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Independence running back Atticus Goodson joins Ethan Payne and King in the backfield.
Keyser’s Drae Allen is an offensive utility selection after rushing for 1,205 yards and 18 touchdowns for the No. 7 Golden Tornado.
Point Pleasant’s Ryan Duff is on the defensive line after posting stats of 75 tackles (12 for loss) and seven sacks.
Winfield’s John Covert completes the linebacker corps.
Liberty Raleigh’s Sean Pennington intercepted six passes to go with 34 tackles at defensive back.
Braxton County’s Jett Cogar (utility) and Elkins’ Peyton Isner (punter, 36-yard average with a long of 58) round out the first-team defense.
Bluefield quarterback Carson Deeb and Liberty Raleigh defensive back Braden Howell are the second-team captains.
Class AA All-State Football Team as selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
First team offense
QB – Gage Michael, Fairmont Senior, Sr. (Captain)
RB – Ethan Payne, Poca, Sr.
RB – Atticus Goodson, Independence, Jr.
RB – Jeremiah King, Robert C. Byrd, Jr.
WR – Tariq Miller, North Marion, Jr.
WR – Brandon Wiley, Bluefield, Sr.
OL – Derick Flack, Bluefield, Sr.
OL – Aidan Green, Fairmont Senior, Sr.
OL – Stevie Carpenter, Sissonville, Sr.
OL – John Bittinger, Frankfort, Sr.
OL – Gabe Keech, Poca, Jr.
UT – Hunter Patterson, Oak Glen, Sr.
UT – Dylan Griffith, Sissonville, Sr.
UT – Drae Allen, Keyser, Sr.
K – Jaxson Haynes, Sissonville, Jr.
First team defense
DL – Riley Perkins, Clay County, Sr. (Captain)
DL – Garrett Conaway, North Marion, Sr.
DL – Kyler O’Connor, Oak Glen, Sr.
DL – Ryan Duff, Point Pleasant, Sr.
LB – Dillon Taylor, Poca, Sr.
LB – John Covert, Winfield, Sr.
LB – Jansen Moreland, Frankfort, Sr.
LB – Shawn Mitchell, Bluefield, Sr.
DB – Shawn Pennington, Liberty Raleigh, Sr.
DB – Andrew Rollyson, Herbert Hoover, Soph.
DB – Toby Payne, Poca, Jr.
UT – Jett Cogar, Braxton County, Sr.
UT – Devin Hatfield, Herbert Hoover, Jr.
UT – Gage Patterson, Oak Glen, Sr.
P – Peyton Isner, Elkins, Sr.
Second team offense
QB – Carson Deeb, Bluefield (Captain), Sr.
QB – Nick Chaney, Oak Glen, Sr.
RB – Caleb Bower, Wyoming East
RB – Peyton Thompson, Berkeley Springs, Sr.
WR – Bryson Lucas, Robert C. Byrd, Sr.
WR – Alex Brophy, Fairmont Senior, Sr.
OL – Josh Reilley, Wyoming East
OL – Will Runyan, Fairmont Senior, Sr.
OL – Payton Hawkins, Lincoln, Sr.
OL – Brock Truman, Herbert Hoover, Jr.
OL – Justin Roberts, Roane County, Sr.
UT – Gavin Root, Keyser, Sr.
UT – Isaac Atkins, Liberty Raleigh, Sr.
UT – Hunter Bush, Point Pleasant, Sr.
K – Levi Paxton, Herbert Hoover, Soph.
Second team defense
DL – Gabe Ryan, Keyser, Soph.
DL – Paxton Shuman, Oak Glen, Sr.
DL – Brock Robinette, Frankfort, Sr.
DL – Eric Smith, Fairmont Senior, Jr.
LB – T.J. Guire, Elkins, Sr.
LB – Claude Bauer, Roane County, Sr.
LB – Nick Scott, Fairmont Senior, Sr.
LB – Will Kuhn, Lewis County, Sr.
DB – Jay Cook, Poca, Sr.
DB – Braden Howell, Liberty Raleigh, Sr. (Captain)
DB – Dante Ramirez, Elkins, Sr.
UT – Trevor Lowe, Nitro, Jr.
UT – Braeden Murray, Sissonville, Jr.
UT – Zion Powell, Keyser, Sr.
P/UT – Evan Dennison, Fairmont Senior, Jr.
Honorable Mention
Caleb Alllawat, Nitro; Hunter Ambrose, Berkeley Springs; Caleb Atha, Clay County; Josh Atwood, Chapmanville; Ian Baker, Grafton; Gavin Barkley, Berkeley Springs; Bobby Bart, Lincoln; Hunter Bartley, Herbert Hoover; Sayveon Beafore, Liberty Harrison; Joel Beattie, Point Pleasant; Nathan Beller, Wayne; Dylan Blake, PikeView; Jeff Bowles, Liberty Raleigh; Ethan Bowens, Wayne; Sammy Bradfield, Keyser; Ryker Brown, Bluefield; Jordan Brueck, Weir; Jacob Burns, Herbert Hoover; Colton Casto, Clay County; Jayden Cheriza, Fairmont Senior; Baine Cogar, Braxton County; Jaxon Cogar, Westside; Tyler Cox, Braxton County; Carson Crouch, Winfield; Tyler Curry, North Marion; Kaden Delaney, Grafton; Anthony DiMatteis, Weir; Logan Dodrill, Liberty Raleigh; Travis Donahew, Point Pleasant; Caden Dotson, Logan; Chase Duckworth, North Marion; A.J. Dunbar, Poca; Adam Earls, East Fairmont; Seth Earnest, Keyser; Chayse Evans, Keyser; Jackson Foster, Sissonville; Daylin Goad, Mingo Central; Cyrus Goodson, Independence; Nick Grayam, Herbert Hoover; Brady Grimmett, Independence; Brody Hall, North Marion; Jordan Harvey, Independence; Austin Hawkins, Roane County; Jadon Hershberger, Shady Spring; Cole Hiett, Frankfort; Antwan Hilliard, Lincoln; Marshall Hobbs, Lewis County; Chandler Johnson, Wyoming East; Andrew Irvine, Grafton; Logan Isom, Independence; Garrett Kesterson, Nicholas County; Logan Kinser, Frankfort; Grant Krajeski, Clay County; Charles Leggett, Robert C. Byrd; Xavier Lopez, Robert C. Byrd; Matt Malik, Oak Glen; Klay Matthews, Scott; Devin Mayers, Liberty Harrison; Braxton McKinney, Independence; Jacob Morton, Clay County; Levi Moore, Lincoln; Aidan Morris, Robert C. Byrd; Dylan Ours, Fairmont Senior; Bryson Pinardo, Shady Spring; Drew Pritt, Braxton County; Corey Prunty, Lincoln; Daniel Reed, Westside; Gage Reitter, Weir; Ty’mir Ross, Berkeley Springs; Will Sarsfield, East Fairmont; Isa Scales, Mingo Central; Aiden Slack, Logan; Zach Snyder, Lincoln; Jeremy Taylor, Oak Glen; Evan Thompson, Berkeley Springs; Corey Townsend, Logan; Joseph Udoh, Nitro; Rodney Vandevender, Elkins; Trace Wagner, Robert C. Byrd; Zane Wamsley, Point Pleasant; Andy Westfall, Frankfort; Colton Williams, Liberty Raleigh; Jordan Hayes, Logan; Cameron Hensley, Logan.