MARTINSBURG (AP) - No area Class AAA team made it past the quarterfinal round of the W.Va. High School State Football playoffs, but that did not stop the West Virginia Sports Writers Association from selecting four local athletes as members of its Class AAA, first team all-state units.
Headlining the quartet was Parkersburg senior lineman John Weber, who recently was selected to participate in the Chesapeake Bowl on Dec. 30, as a repeat choice on the offensive line. Other first team selections included Parkersburg South defensive back Logan Cox, Ripley defensive lineman David Hicks and Parkersburg wide receiver Jeremy Bell.
George Washington running back Ryan Switzer, who is the captain of the Class AAA all-state first-team offense, ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns against Martinsburg in the Class AAA championship game at Wheeling Island Stadium.
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Class AAA All-State First Team
Martinsburg linebacker Marqus Burrell, who managed the championship-game-ending sack, is one of five Martinsburg players, three of them linebackers in the Bulldogs' defensive alignment, on either the first- or second-team Class AAA all-state unit announced today.
Nose guard Josh Harwood and linebackers Logan Jenkins and Justin Arndt, all seniors, claimed positions on the first-team defense, while Burrell and defensive back Chris Perkins, as a utility player, have been named to the second-team defense.
Martinsburg coach David Walker said it was the best defense he's ever coached.
Fact Box
Class AAA All-State Footabll Team
First Team
Offense
QB - Brandon Ashenfelter, Martinsburg, 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, sr.
RB - Tim Faulkner, Brooke, 5-11, 200, sr.
RB - Brett Hathaway, Bridgeport, 5-9, 175, jr.
RB - Ryan Switzer, George Washington, 5-9, 175, jr. (Captain)
OL - Josh Baisden, Cabell Midland, 6-3, 280, jr.
OL - Daniel Berry, Morgantown, 6-0, 245, sr.
OL - Eric Campbell, Hurricane, 6-1, 244, sr.
OL - Garrett Stanley, Bridgeport, 6-3, 240, sr.
OL - Eli Stewart, Wheeling Park, 6-0, 240, sr.
OL - John Weber, Parkersburg, 6-3, 255, sr.
WR - Jeremy Bell, Parkersburg, 6-5, 205, sr.
WR - Cedric Brown, Martinsburg, 6-3, 180, jr.
Util - Clayton Collett, Elkins, 5-7, 160, jr.
Util - Cody Carter, Cabell Midland, 5-10, 178, sr.
Util - Andrew Johnson, Beckley, 6-0, 163, jr.
K - Connor Kornbrath, Bridgeport, 6-6, 220, sr.
Defense
DL - Christian Allen, Morgantown, 6-2, 247, sr.
DL - Vinnie Fusco, Robert C. Byrd, 6-2, 295, sr.
DL - Josh Harwood, Martinsburg, 6-2, 240, sr.
DL - David Hicks, Ripley, 6-0, 215, sr.
DL - Austin Rosencrance, George Washington, 6-0, 225, sr.
LB - Justin Arndt, Martinsburg, 5-10, 200, sr.
LB - Dustin Crouser, George Washington, 6-3, 225, jr.
LB - Logan Jenkins, Martinsburg, 5-11, 210, sr. (Captain)
LB - Ryan Reidel, Cabell Midland, 6-1, 220, sr.
LB - Elijah Wellman, Spring Valley, 6-3, 225, jr.
DB - D.C. Banks, Wheeling Park, 5-9, 161, sr.
DB - Logan Cox, Parkersburg South, 6-2, 180, jr.
DB - David Gaydosz, Winfield, 5-11, 195, jr.
Util - Trevor Malnick, Fairmont Senior, 6-0, 205, sr.
Util - David Toney, Logan, 6-0, 215, sr.
P - Sean Hayton, Spring Valley, 5-9, 160, sr.
Second Team
Offense
QB - Alex Ash, Parkersburg, 6-1, 185, sr.
RB - Josh Ferguson, Musselman, 5-9, 170, jr.
RB - Joe Street, Logan, 6-0, 235, sr.
RB - Zack Whitten, Lincoln County, 6-3, 245, sr.
FB - Nick Rice, Hurricane, 6-0, 204, sr.
OL - Michael Gibson, Huntington, 6-1, 250, sr.
OL - Max Lilly, Beckley, 5-10, 219, sr.
OL - Jake Powers, Morgantown, 5-11, 225, sr.
OL - Brandon Tallhamer, Parkersburg South, 6-4, 290, sr.
OL - Justin Wade, John Marshall, 6-6, 335, sr.
WR - Elijah King, Huntington, 6-0, 170, jr.
WR - Demetrius Lathon, Wheeling Park, 6-2, 200, sr.
Util - Kevin Minehart, Morgantown, 6-2, 190, sr.
Util - Cameron Roam, Spring Valley, 6-1, 180, sr.
Util - Tyler Wilt, Washington, 6-3, 195, jr.
K - Andy Ellington, Winfield, 5-11, 175, sr. (Captain)
Defense
DL - Adam Kovac, Morgantown, 6-1, 245, sr.
DL - Joey Pitek, North Marion, 6-4, 311, sr.
DL - Tyler Phillips, North Marion, 6-2, 235, sr.
DL - Mack White, Parkersburg South, 5-8, 202, jr.
LB - Marcus Burrell, Martinsburg, 5-10, 195, sr.
LB - Kevin Cantley, St. Albans, 6-1, 240, jr.
LB - Wade Cole, Hurricane, 5-10, 240, sr.
LB - Ryan Echard, Bridgeport, 5-8, 175, sr. (Captain)
LB - Trevon Johnson, George Washington, 6-1, 195, jr.
DB - Garrett Grantham, Jefferson, 5-10, 181, sr.
DB - Malik Hampton, George Washington, 6-0, 175, sr.
DB - John Koon, Bridgeport, 6-1, 165, sr.
Util - Mo Hython, Robert C. Byd, 6-1, 185, sr.
Util - Travis Maraney, University, 6-1, 209, sr.
Util - Chris Perkins, Martinsburg, 5-10, 175, sr.
P - Jamin Jones, Ripley, 6-1, 170, sr.
Special Honorable Mention
Michael Bailey, Woodrow Wilson; Cody Blankenship, Princeton; Tanner Boatwright, Elkins; Alec Buchmelter, Brooke; Matt Carter, Wheeling Park; Paden Christian, Huntington; Tyrek Collier, Washington; Tino DiTrapano, George Washington; Cory Ellis, South Charleston; Aaron Fonner, John Marshall; Karl Gall, University; Cory Goldstrom, Preston; Evan Hamilton, Morgantown; Toquon Hayes, Huntington; Tanner Hughes, Greenbrier East; Dylan Jaggie, Nitro; Maverick Keller, Musselman; Cody Knavenshue, Elkins; Mark Latta, Capital; Adam Lindamood, Parkersburg; Chris Linger, Lewis County; Trevor Link, Fairmont Senior; Troy Markley, Hedgesville; Devin Miller, North Marion; Leon Mitchell, Riverside; Lee Peluchette, Wheeling Park; Luke Powell, Martinsburg; Jordan Quiocho, Parkersburg South; Trevond Reese, South Charleston; Khaleel Reynolds, Logan; Adam Secret, Robert C. Byrd; Elliott Sutton, Bridgeport.
Honorable Mention
Michael Adkins, George Washington; Vondel Bell, Wheeling Park; Isaac Boles, Parkersburg South; Jason Brooks, Cabell Midland; Jack Bruer, St. Albans; Joe Butcher, Lewis County; Vincent Delligatti, Fairmont Senior; Anthony DeVito, East Fairmont; Jake Douglas, Parkersburg South; Marcus Eller, Huntington; Tyler Foster, Parkersburg; Tyler Freeman, Greenbrier East; Gio Fuscardo, Brooke; Jermodd Garrett, Robert C. Byrd; Kyle Garrettson, Lincoln County; Gage Gold, Cabell Midland; Michael Hardin, Spring Valley; Corey Hite, Hedgesville; Luke Hrapchak, East Fairmont; Malcom Lee, Musselman; Jonathan Lewis, University; Matt Loughney, Buckhannon-Upshur; Jake Lucas, John Marshall; Spencer Malick, Hampshire; Nicholas Martin, Elkins; Lee Mendenhall, Wheeling Park; Anthony Michael, Ripley; Darian Patterson, Martinsburg; Regan Patton, George Washington; Rashaun Payne, Riverside; Cory Quick, Princeton; Nick Smith, Bridgeport; Isaac Snyder, Museselman; Curtis Stanley, Bridgeport; Khalil Sturdavent, Hurricane; R.J. Symns, Capital; Jalen Thomas, Morgantown; Zach Tilly, Woodrow Wilson; Tony Vazquez, Washington; George Van Duzer, Martinsburg; Seth Vanorsdale, Martinsburg; Teague Wagner, Robert C. Byrd; Zach Walke, St. Albans; Darrin Zombro, Musselman.
"We just had all the right pieces to the puzzle," Walker said. "We were really good up front, had a great linebacking corps and great athletes in the secondary. We had a lot of speed, and they just ran to the ball well."
Jenkins, who is the defensive captain, is Martinsburg's all-time leading tackler, breaking the previous record held by former Kennedy Award winner Nate Sowers.
For good measure, the Bulldogs also have a pair of offensive players on the first team: junior wide receiver Cedric Brown, who played the championship game a week after dislocating his hip on game's first kickoff, and senior quarterback Brandon Ashenfelter, who played the championship game with a dislocated shoulder suffered in the first half.
Ashenfelter only ran for 134 yards and two touchdowns and threw a scoring pass to Brown despite the injury. Arndt also scored two touchdowns as he rushed for 141 yards and won his team's most valuable player award in the final against George Washington.
Beside Switzer, who will to be one of the state's most-sought recruits in recent seasons, George Washington also put two other players on the first team.
They include defensive linemen Austin Rosencrance and linebacker Dustin Crouser. Linebacker Trevon Johnson and defensive back Malik Hampton earned second-team honors for the Patriots.
Bridgeport earned three spots on the first team - running back Brett Hathaway, offensive lineman Garrett Stanley and kicker Connor Kornbrath, who gave a verbal commitment to Iowa earlier in the season. Players from playoff qualifiers dominated the first-team offense.
In fact, just Brooke running back Tim Faulkner is the only player not to see postseason action.
At the skill positions, the other wide receiver is Bell of Parkersburg, while utility honors on the first team were earned by Cody Carter of Cabell Midland, Andrew Johnson of Woodrow Wilson and Clayton Collett of Elkins.
Beside Stanley, the first-team offensive linemen include Weber of Parkersburg, Eli Stewart of Wheeling Park, Josh Baisen of Cabell Midland, Garrett Campbell of Hurricane and Daniel Berry of Morgantown.
The first-team defense includes a healthy dose of playoff participants, as well.
Vinnie Fusco of Robert C. Byrd is the only returning first-team all-state defender, though Switzer was named as the unit's punter in 2010 as a sophomore.
Beside the multiple players from Martinsburg and George Washington, both of which had staunch units, Spring Valley is the only other team possessing more than one athlete on the first-team defense.
Linebacker Elijah Wellman and punter Sean Hayton represent the Timberwolves.
Christian Allen of Morgantown and Hicks of Ripley are the other first-team interior defenders, while Ryan Reidel of Cabell Midland rounds out the linebacking corps and defensive backs include Cox of Parkersburg South, D.C. Banks of Wheeling Park and David Gaydosz of Winfield. Trevor Malnick of Fairmont and David Toney of Logan are utility players.
Winfield's Andy Ellington, who set a state record with 14 field goals, is the second-team Class AAA offensive captain, and linebacker Ryan Echard of Bridgeport has been named captain of the second-team defense.
