By NICK HENTHORN
For the WVSWA
WHEELING – Koy Lipinski’s season very much mirrored his Wheeling Central Maroon Knights’ season as a whole– a good start, but an even better finish.
The Maroon started their season with a sturdy 9-2 record, but from there on, they hit another gear, finishing 27-4 and winning the Class AA championship 7-0 over Philip Barbour. Lipinski, captain of the Class AA All-State first team, followed that track individually.
“He’s always been a really good player,” Wheeling Central head coach Todd Cover said. “He started the season probably hitting in the high .300’s, and then at some point, midway through the season, he just wasn’t getting out very often.
“It was two, three hits every game just about, and as coaches, it was fun to watch. He’s got very quick hands. The ball jumps off his bat. He has power, not the biggest guy in the world, but he hit three home runs this year and a bunch of doubles for us. Just a really good player. The latter two-thirds of the season, it was a task to get him out.”
Lipinski batted .507 on the season, finishing with an OPS of 1.437, a number aided by 12 doubles and three homers. He tallied 31 RBI.
Equally as important was his work behind the dish, catching for a Central pitching staff that includes a pair of first-team hurlers in fellow juniors Brayden Cover and Steven Brodegard.
“Koy’s been our catcher since he was a freshman, so he’s been back there for three years,” Todd Cover said. “Steven and Brayden have both become really good friends with him and I think their chemistry has played a part in their success.
“When I call pitches– again, Koy’s been doing this for three years now and he can pretty much read my mind. He could probably call the game sometimes because he knows what I’m going to call. Just that familiarity and level of comfort working with our pitchers– he’s a really good player. He’s a great asset, we’re lucky to have him and both of those pitchers back for another year.”
Brayden Cover and Steven Brodegard make up two-thirds of the first team pitching staff, completed by South Harrison senior Layton Wageman.
Cover pitched to a 2.21 ERA this year, compiling a 6-1 record, and striking out 69 batters in 44 innings, including 14 strikeouts in Central’s state semifinal game vs. Wyoming East. Brodegard finished with a microscopic 0.31 ERA, going 8-0 and striking out 67 batters in 44 innings. He struck out seven pitching in the championship bout. Wageman had a 2.17 ERA, striking out 94 batters and going 9-1 in 10 decisions totaling 71 innings pitched. He hit .333 with 33 RBI and three home runs at the plate.
Lipinski is joined at catcher by two other standouts behind the plate– Charleston Catholic’s Zayden Ransom and Phillip Barbour’s Tyler Sisson. Ransom, a junior, hit .533 with 20 doubles and four home runs. Sisson, a senior, hit .404 with 12 doubles, three home runs and 27 RBI.
Along the infield for the Class AA All-State first team is Ravenswood senior Evan Swain, James Monroe sophomore Kadyn Hines and Wheeling Central senior Gary Hatfield.
Swain batted .483 this season, with six home runs helping him to 37 RBI and 32 runs scored. He also finished with a 2.20 ERA on the mound. Hines burst onto the scene in a sophomore season where he hit .407 with 26 RBI and 16 extra-base hits– seven doubles, four triples and five home runs. He struck out 115 batters with a 3.41 ERA as a pitcher. Hatfield manned shortstop for Wheeling Central and shined there to the tune of a .467 average, 1.410 OPS, 10 triples, four home runs and 32 RBI.
Outfielders for the first team include Philip Barbour junior Kale Wolfe, Wyoming East sophomore Jaeden Lester, and Westside senior Kadien Vance. Wolfe batted .380 with six doubles, 27 RBI and 33 runs scored. Lester hit an even .400 with 36 runs scored and 28 RBI. He had a 2.38 ERA and 129 strikeouts on the mound. Vance finishes his career with a sparkling senior season, batting .419 with nine doubles, 21 RBI and 21 runs scored.
Finally, the utility players for the first team– the quartet of Wyoming East’s Zach Hunt, Charleston Catholic’s Jonah DiCocco, Logan’s Talon Thompson, and teammate Ivan Miller.
The two Wildcats, Thompson, and Miller, each had seasons to remember at the plate. Thompson, a senior, hit .578 with a .875 slug and 22 stolen bases on 23 attempts. Miller, a junior, hit .527 with a .889 slug, and a 7-0 pitching record with a 1.12 ERA. Irish senior Jonah DiCocco finished his season with .453 batting average and .573 OBP, striking out 56 batters to a 1.18 ERA as a pitcher. Hunt, also a senior, batted .419 with 15 doubles, 30 RBI and 41 runs scored.
The Class AA All-State second team is captained by Charleston Catholic junior pitcher Connor Jarvis.
He is joined by Ty Ott (Williamstown), Jarred Phillps (Wyoming East), Louden White (Scott), Mike Smyth (Wyoming East), Peyton Gardinier (James Monroe), Luke Blaydes (Charleston Catholic), Parker Schramm (Williamstown), Caiden Craig (Buffalo), Landyn Carpenter (Philip Barbour), Noah Dawson (Ravenswood), Luke Rokisky (Doddridge County), Brayden Neff (Tyler Consolidated), Seth Cover (Wheeling Central), Colton Jones (Summers County) and Luca Signorini (Buffalo).
Wooden plaques in the shape of West Virginia that include the player’s name, school, licensed WVSWA logo, year of the honoree are available to all-state first team, second team and honorable mentions and can be purchased at from the Bear Wood Company through WVSWA.org orBearwoodcompany.com.
CLASS AA
First Team
P – Brayden Cover, Wheeling Central (Jr.)
P – Steven Brodegard, Wheeling Central (Jr.)
P – Layton Wageman, South Harrison (Sr.)
C – Zayden Ransom, Charleston Catholic (Jr.)
C – Tyler Sisson, Phillip Barbour, (Sr.)
C – Koy Lipinski, Wheeling Central (Jr.) (CAPT)
IF – Evan Swain, Ravenswood (Sr.)
IF – Kadyn Hines, James Monroe (Soph.)
IF – Gary Hatfield, Wheeling Central (Sr.)
OF – Kale Wolfe, Phillip Barbour (Jr.)
OF – Jaeden Lester, Wyoming East (Soph.)
OF – Kadien Vance, Westside (Sr.)
Util – Zach Hunt, Wyoming East (Sr.)
Util – Jonah DiCocco, Charleston Catholic (Sr.)
Util – Talon Thompson, Logan (Sr.)
Util – Ivan Miller, Logan (Jr.)
Second team
P – Ty Ott, Williamstown (Sr.)
P – Jarred Phillips, Wyoming East (Jr.)
P – Connor Jarvis, Charleston Catholic (Jr.) (CAPT)
C – Louden White, Scott (Jr.)
IF – Miken Smyth, Wyoming East (Jr.)
IF – Peyton Gardinier, James Monroe (Sr.)
IF – Luke Blaydes, Charleston Catholic (Sr.)
IF- Parker Schramm, Williamstown (Sr.)
IF – Caiden Craig, Buffalo (Sr.)
IF – Landyn Carpenter, Philip-Barbour (Soph.)
OF – Noah Dawson, Ravenswood (Sr.)
OF – Luke Rokisky, Doddridge County (Jr.)
OF – Bryan Neff, Tyler Consolidated (Jr).
Util – Seth Cover, Wheeling Central (Sr.)
Util – Colten Jones, Summers County (Jr.)
Util – Luca Signorini, Buffalo (Jr.)
HONORABLE MENTION: Jayden Acord, Liberty; Xander Allara, Charleston Catholic; Grady Allen, Summers County; Cooper Anderson, Ravenswood; Caden Arbaugh, Petersburg; Aaron Blankenship, Mingo Central; Jake Boone, Summers County; Brody Brockleman, Doddridge County; Greg Cramer, Midland Trail; Cameron Crislip, James Monroe; Cam Cumpston, Roane County; Reese Davis, Tyler Consolidated; Kedron Elkins, Scott; Ryan Faban, Mingo Central; Seth Gain, South Harrison; Nick Gonzalez, Philip Barbour; Grant Harris, Philip Barbour; Parker Hodges, Liberty; Carson Koen, James Monroe; Carter McClung, Scott; Tony McBrayer, Ritchie County; Payton Metheny, Petersburg; Hayden Miller, Westside; Dane Murphy, Doddridge County; Dan Pate, South Harrison; Anthony Pitchford, Buffalo; Wyatt Powell, Williamstown; Zayne Rosnick, Wheeling Central; Peyton Tingler, Petersburg; Bentley Williamson, Logan; Jayce Wolfe, Logan.
