After acting as the engine that drove Frankfort’s repeat championship run, junior running back Bradyn Tyler headlined the Class AA All-State first team, being named the offensive captain as voted on by coaches and selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

Tyler saved his best for last, rushing for 180 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries before connecting with Keiton Nester through the air for a game-winning 43-yard score with just three seconds remaining to break a late tie and propel the Falcons past Bluefield in the state final, 49-42.

The performance allowed Tyler to lock up Class AA state championship most valuable player honors and boost his season rushing total to 1,329 yards.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pounder was joined on the first team by junior offensive lineman Anthony Smith and senior star Carder Shanholtz, who racked up 50 total tackles and an interception.

The runner-up Beavers were also well represented with a quartet of players receiving first-team nods after an 11-3 campaign that fell just short of bringing home a state title. Offensively, the Beavers were represented by the sophomore duo of quarterback Max Simpson and Pax Calhoun.

Simpson delivered a record-shattering state final performance, breaking or tying Class AA championship records in touchdown passes (five), completions (20), pass attempts (33), passing yards (321), and longest play (89 yards to Jamarius Smith). He ended the season with a school-record of 41 touchdowns and 3,474 yards.

Calhoun paired with Simpson to form a historically productive tandem, eclipsing the Beaver single-season receiving yards record with 1,298 while also reeling in a trio of touchdowns in the state title loss.

Bluefield sophomore defenders Jeremiah and Jaleel Jones garner first team honors at linebacker and defensive back, respectively.

On the heels of a 12-1 season that came to an end with a 28-7 semifinal road loss to eventual state champion Frankfort, Doddridge County also placed four seniors on the first team – quarterback Brysen Dixon, offensive lineman Samuel James, offensive utility selection Landon Thomas, and defensive utility honoree Calob James.

Samuel James was the team’s highest-graded offensive lineman, buying time for Dixon to pass for 1,829 yards and 29 touchdowns and connect with his favorite target in Thomas for 11 scores through the air to lead a Bulldog offense that averaged 39 points per game.

Calob James recorded 141 tackles, including 22 behind the line of scrimmage, to pace a Doddridge County defense that allowed just a shade under 11.1 points per contest and recorded a pair of shutout victories.

Despite suffering a 38-27 home loss to Doddridge County in the quarterfinals, Independence was recognized as one of the most talented teams in Class AA with five players garnering first-team honors, headlined by defensive captain and junior end Isaiah Conley. The captain of the first-team defensive unit finished with 142 tackles and 22 sacks.

The Patriots’ four other first-team selections came on the other side of the ball in sophomore offensive lineman Jaden Shuck, senior wide receiver Christian Linksweiler, sophomore quarterback Brock Green, and senior running back Sylas Nelson.

Green threw for 2,945 yards and 29 touchdowns while adding 190 rushing yards and nine more scores. Nelson rushed for 1,329 yards and 17 touchdowns, and Linksweiler collected 44 receptions for 1,002 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Following a 10-3 campaign that resulted in the program’s first semifinal appearance, Philip Barbour placed a pair of seniors on first team – offensive lineman Malachi Cross and defensive utility honoree Cam Bennett

The remainder of the first team offense is rounded out by a trio of seniors in Midland Trail running back Jayden Roop (1,727 rushing yards, 24 touchdowns), Tyler Consolidated offensive lineman Garrett Bordenkircher, and Clay County kicker Jaxon Brown.

Roane County, Logan, and Mingo Central each placed two players apiece on the first-team defense after earning playoff berths.

The Raiders were represented by a pair of seniors in defensive lineman Garrett Brabham and defensive back Jacob Greathouse, while Logan saw senior defensive lineman Rob Ball and sophomore linebacker Lucas Lambert earn first-team nods.

Mingo Central senior defensive back Aiden Burke and junior punter Jamere Knuckles were also first team.

The rest of the first-team defense was comprised of Williamstown defensive lineman Christian Hoosier, Petersburg linebacker Lucas Wolford and James Monroe defensive utility selection Ryan Mann.

Bluefield sophomore offensive lineman Ethan Thompson was named offensive captain for the second team, with Midland Trail defensive lineman Zander Ooten captaining the defense.

Wooden plaques in the shape of West Virginia that include the high school name, player’s name, licensed WVSWA logo and year of the honoree are available to all-state first team, second team and honorable mentions and can be purchased from the Bear Wood Company through WVSWA.org or Bearwoodcompany.com.

First team offense

• QB Max Simpson Bluefield So. 6-1 190
• QB Brysen Dixon Doddridge County Sr. 5-8 165
• RB Jayden Roop Midland Trail Sr. 6-0 200
• RB Braydn Tyler (c) Frankfort Jr. 5-10 175
• WR Christian Linksweiler Independence Sr. 6-1 185
• WR Pax Calhoun Bluefield So. 6-0 190
• OL Malachi Cross Philip Barbour Sr. 6-4 280
• OL Jaidyn Shuck Independence So. 6-4 280
• OL Anthony Smith Frankfort Jr. 6-3 250
• OL Sam James Doddridge County Sr. 6-1 220
• OL Garrett Bordenkircher Tyler Consolidated Sr. 5-10 215
• UTL Sylas Nelson Independence Sr. 6-1 209
• UTL Landon Thomas Doddridge County Sr. 6-2 205
• UTL Brock Green Independence So. 6-4 221
• K Jaxon Brown Clay County Sr. 5-11 184

First team defense

• DL Garrett Brabham Roane County Sr. 5-7 175
• DL Isaiah Conley (c) Independence Jr. 6-3 210
• DL Christian Hoosier Williamstown Jr. 6-3 239
• DL Rob Ball Logan Sr. 6-4 285
• LB Carder Shanholtz Frankfort Sr. 5-9 185
• LB Lucas Lambert Logan So. 6-4 210
• LB Jeremiah Jones Bluefield So. 5-10 210
• LB Lukas Wolford Petersburg Sr. 5-7 160
• DB Jaleel Jones Bluefield So. 5-10 165
• DB Aidan Burke Mingo Central Sr. 6-0 190
• DB Jacob Greathouse Roane County Sr. 5-10 160
• UTL Calob James Doddridge County Sr. 5-9 185
• UTL Ryan Mann James Monroe Sr. 6-2 193
• UTL Cam Bennett Philip Barbour Sr. 5-10 139
• P Jamere Knuckles Mingo Central Jr. 6-2 200

Second team offense

• QB A.J. Bart Lincoln Sr. 6-1 175
• QB Cooper Collins Clay County So. 5-9 150
• RB Landyn Carpenter Philip Barbour Jr. 5-10 185
• RB Lyric Blake Doddridge County So. 5-11 175
• RB Jackson Kerr Williamstown Sr. 6-0 167
• WR Jakoby Nichols Clay County Sr. 6-0 160
• WR K.J. Viars Independence Fr. 6-1 160
• OL Ethan Thompson (c) Bluefield So. 6-2 256
• OL Alex Blankenship Independence Sr. 6-1 230
• OL Greg Cramer Midland Trail Sr. 6-2 235
• OL Hogan Greathouse Roane County Sr. 6-1 270
• OL Blake Brown Williamstown Sr. 5-9 215
• UTL Logan Murray Oak Glen Sr. 6-1 185
• UTL Hunter Rutan Buffalo Sr. 6-2 210
• K Zack McQuain Braxton County

Honorable mention

Brycen Eidel, Doddridge County; Joel Elliott, Clay County; Colton Dunbar, Poca; Wyatt Jacobs, Buffalo; Connor Acord, Liberty; Noah Evans, Sissonville; Devon Sanders, Westside; Kam Hebrock, Oak Glen; Daniel Howard, Weir; Charles Langford, South Harrison; Maddox Balog, Sissonville; Jaxson Workman, Liberty; Madden Maxwell, South Harrison; Caleb Cales, Buffalo; Gideon Winfrey, Tyler Consolidated; Kyle Moore, Berkeley Springs; Braxton Morgan, Wyoming East; Kaiden Hayton, Wayne; Jeremiah Brown, Scott; Ja’Myere Harris, Bluefield; Carson Shock, Buffalo; Keziah Jopllin, Mingo Central; Jacob Ewing, Midland Trail; Kadyn Hines, James Monroe; Pat Webster, Philip Barbour; Rhett Sensabaugh, Frankfort; Jamarius Smith, Bluefield; Blake Carlile, Frankfort; Koltyn Starcher, Roane County; Javon Letourneau, Roane County; Maddox Bowen, Oak Glen; Brock Linville, Moorefield; Oliver Crites, Moorefield; Alex Halterman, Petersburg; Braiden Cozort, Summers County; Eli Franklin, Summers County; Tristan Mullins, River View; Hayden Heath, Ravenswood; Caleb Hall, Doddridge County; Alfonzo Murphy, Logan; Jack Ball, Logan; Brayden Craddock, Logan; Colten Edwards, Lincoln; Levi Greaver, Lincoln; Adrian Ramsey, Braxton County; Eli Marcum, Braxton County; Breck Allen, Williamstown; Jace Repass, Westside; Jace Coleman, Mingo Central; Donte Worrell, Wayne; Ryan Neal, Scott; Jalen Miller, Berkeley Springs; Evan Elswick, Westside; Miken Smyth, Wyoming East; Brock Parker, James Monroe; Payton Metheny, Petersburg.

Editor's Note: Cover photo, by Joe LaRocca, is of Philip Barbour's Cameron Bennett.

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