— by Jay W. Bennett, The Parkersburg News & Sentinel
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Bill Evans Award winner Isaac McKneely of Poca was the obvious choice for the captain spot on the Class AA first team all-state squad selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
The junior Dot, who also made the first team in Class AA a year ago, was the key cog in leading veteran head coach Allen Osborne’s program to a state runner-up finish against top-seeded Williamstown.
Already committed to play for the University of Virginia, the 6-foot-4 guard knocked down 62 3s and put up averages of 21.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
“The way that he played did nothing to change my opinion of him,” said Williamstown head coach Scott Sauro of McKneely’s 12-point effort in the 50-47 title game loss. “We think as much of him as any player in the state.
“He’s the best player in the state, regardless of class. He didn’t have a great shooting day that day. Lucky for us, but he’s such a good player and by all accounts a really great kid, too.”
Poca needed a game-winning 3 from McKneely with less than two seconds remaining to oust Charleston Catholic, 42-40, in the semifinals.
“I’m sure that Virginia doesn’t take kids that aren’t great kids as well as great players,” added Sauro, whose Yellowjackets landed Marietta College-bound senior Sam Cremeans on the first team a year after being awarded the same honor in single-A.
“We caught them on the right day. (For him) to combine that skill and athleticism is just really impressive. It’s just really, really impressive. I do think our zone had something to do with that shooting performance. You have to credit out kids for that.”
The 6-foot-5 Cremeans went for a game-high 20 points in the championship affair. Along with averaging 20.4 points a game, he also put up 5.8 rebounds, 1.7 steals, one assist and converted nearly 82% (88 of 108) from the free-throw line. He made 37 treys and shot 48.4% overall from the field.
Aiden Satterfield, last year’s Class A captain of the first team, joined fellow Charleston Catholic senior Zion Suddeth on this year’s double-A first unit.
The high-flying 6-foot-7 Satterfield not only flushed down 17 dunks, but the West Liberty signee averaged 21.4 points, 8 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.5 assists per night. The Irish was the only program to land a pair of first team honorees. Suddeth, a deft defender who has committed to Wheeling University, averaged 10 points, 4.9 boards, 3 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 deflections.
St. Marys junior Grant Barnhart, who finished runner-up to Cremeans in the Little Kanawha Conference Player of the Year voting, earned a first-team nod after making the single-A top unit in 2020. Along with shooting 51.4% (114 of 222) from the field and 86.5% (77 of 89) at the charity stripe, the Blue Devil made four dozen 3s and averaged 23.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.
Two other LKC players made school history with their respective selections on the first team — Roane County’s Brayden Miller and Clay County’s Curtis Litton.
Litton is the first Panther to ever earn all-state honors and he led his team to the big dance for the fourth time in school history. In a state quarterfinal loss to Chapmanville, the 6-foot-7 junior pivot went for 15 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. The Panther averaged 15.6 points, 10.2 caroms and 1.4 blocks while shooting 52% from the field and 80% at the line.
Miller also was the first Raider to make the top unit. Along with shooting 53% from the floor and 71% at the line, the senior averaged 19.1 points, 11.5 boards, 6.6 assists and 3.2 steals.
Wyoming East junior Tanner Whitten, who scored in double figures during 13 of 15 games and had six 20-plus point efforts, represented the Warriors on the first team and finished with a scoring average of 17.6.
Williamstown senior Xavier Caruthers (13.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 spg, 74% FT, 52 made 3s) was selected captain of the double-A second team.
The remainder of the second unit featured Chapmanville sophomore Brody Dalton (15.4 ppg), Ravenswood sophomore Matthew Carte (14.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.4 spg, 3.7 apg, 50% FG, 72% FT), South Harrison sophomore Corey Boulden (15.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.3 spg, 48% FG, 71% FT), Liberty (Raleigh) junior A.J. Williams (21.3 ppg), Magnolia junior Trevor Williamson (16.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.9 apg), Wirt County senior Nathan Murray (18.7 ppg, 3.2 spg, 2.7 rpg, 44% FG) and Ritchie County’s Graden McKinney. The senior Rebel helped his team reach the state tournament for the first time in school history by putting up 18.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 43% from the field and 76% at the line.
Class AA ALL-STATE TEAM
First team
Player School Ht. Cl.
Grant Barnhart St. Mary’s 6-3 Jr.
Sam Cremeans Williamstown 6-5 Sr.
Curtis Litton Clay County 6-7 Jr.
Isaac McKneely (captain) Poca 6-4 Jr.
Brayden Miller Roane County 6-0 Sr.
Aiden Satterfield Charleston Catholic 6-7 Sr.
Zion Suddeth Charleston Catholic 6-0 Sr.
Tanner Whitten Wyoming East 6-2 Jr.
Second team
Corey Boulden South Harrison 6-3 Soph.
Matthew Carte Ravenswood 6-1 Soph.
Xavier Caruthers (captain) Williamstown 6-2 Sr.
Brody Dalton Chapmanville 6-5 Soph.
Graden McKinney Ritchie County 5-10 Sr.
Nathan Murray Wirt County 5-9 Sr.
A.J. Williams Liberty-Raleigh 6-5 Jr.
Trevor Williamson Magnolia 6-2 Jr.
Honorable Mention
Jake Clark, Frankfort; Jett Cogar, Braxton County; Xavier Collie, Parkersburg Catholic; Tanner Faulkner, Clay County; Ja’eon Flack, Bluefield; Caleb Fuller, Bluefield; Levi Jones, Summers County; Alec Hanshew, Buffalo; Baylor Haught, Williamstown; Ethan Haught, Ritchie County; Braden Howell, Liberty-Raleigh; Jarius Jackson, Mingo Central; Ethan Payne, Poca; Gavin Postlethwait, Magnolia; Jackson Toney, Poca; Isaiah Smith, Chapmanville; Luke Webb, St. Mary’s; Chase York, Wyoming East.