By NICK HENTHORN
The Intelligencer
WHEELING – Attending two of West Virginia’s largest high schools are a 2,000-yard rusher and a defensive wrecking ball who were named captains the Class AAAA All-State football squad, which is voted on by coaches and members of the West Virginia Sports Writers Association and selected by the WVSWA.
Wheeling Park running back Brennan Wack and Spring Mills edge defender Xavier Anderson lead the way on the first-team offense and defense respectively for this year’s list of the best football players in the Mountain State.
As a junior Wack, a two-time first-team selection, shattered multiple record and captured the Warner Award as the state’s top running back. He didn’t let up as a senior. Despite missing two games with an injury, Wack rushed for 2,079 yards and 26 touchdowns, averaging 8 yards per carry, reeled in 21 passes for 171 yards, and even tossed a touchdown on a trick play. He set his school’s career rushing record and rushing touchdowns record this season, despite only taking over at tailback last year.
Wack is joined in the first-team backfield by George Washington freshman sensation Jaden Black. Black rushed for 1,596 yards and 26 touchdowns this year for the Patriots and picked up 158 more yards and three TDs receiving.
George Washington and Wheeling Park’s offensive line were also recognized for the success of their backfields, with GW junior James Payne and Park senior Reuben Rouse earning spots first team spots.
Quarterbacks for the first team are Morgantown’s Maddox Twigg and Preston’s Slaton Manko. Twigg, a sophomore who led his team to the 4A state championship, passed for 2,239 yards and 26 touchdowns, as well as rushing for 1,084 yards and 18 touchdowns. Manko, a senior, turned in a strong season where he passed for 2,734 yards and 27 touchdowns against just three interceptions in 10 games. He also rushed for 690 yards and eight touchdowns.
A pair of juniors bring electricity to the first-team wide receivers – Martinsburg’s Boston Todd and University’s Hayden George were recognized for massive seasons.
Todd was a playmaker for the Bulldogs, as he caught 63 passes for 1,265 yards and 18 touchdowns, while rushing for 439 yards and six more scores. George racked up 93 catches for 1,323 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The three remaining offensive line spots on first team went to Huntington’s Mason Ramsey, Martinsburg’s Kane Whipp, and Morgantown’s Brayden Parks.
A pair of seniors and an underclassmen make up the utility spots — upperclassmen Tayveon Wilson of Huntington and Brian Dick of Martinsburg and junior Tony Allen of Jefferson.
Wilson, a senior who is now a three-time all-stater, was a dual-threat quarterback for the Highlanders, passing for 1,471 yards and 20 touchdowns, and rushing for 764 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Dick was likewise a dual threat for his Bulldogs, running for two touchdowns in the state final and finishing his junior season with 2,069 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,233 yards and 18 touchdowns.
The first-team kicker is George Washington sophomore Teddy Smith, who made all nine of his field goal tries and missed only three of his 30 extra-point kicks.
On the defensive side, Xavier Anderson put up gaudy numbers for Spring Mills in his final go-round. Anderson was a game-wrecker off the edge, finishing with 41 tackles, 12 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and seven fumble recoveries.
The rest of the first-team defensive linemen are formidable with Morgantown senior Ze’von Shipman totaling 62 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and five sacks. Woodrow Wilson senior Ja’Marques Manns dominated up front with 70 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and three sacks.
Martinsburg senior Jordan Kovacs was a key piece for the Bulldogs defense, finishing with 66 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
Three standouts for University earned first team defensively – senior linebackers Roman Konchesky and Marcos Kniska, and senior punter Jimmy Gregg.
Kniska and Konchesky were tackling machines for the Hawks. Kniska racked up 123 tackles and 15 tackles for loss, adding four sacks and three interceptions. Konchesky finished with 164 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, and four sacks.
Gregg’s leg was a game-changer punting for the Hawks; he averaged 45.8 yards per punt and placed 25 of them inside the 20. His season long was 71 yards.
Parkersburg South had a pair of first-team selections in senior linebacker Kamero Jackson and senior defensive back Channing Barrett.
Jackson ended his season with 77 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks. Barrett was a ball-hawk, intercepting six passes and finishing with 30 tackles.
The linebacking corps completed with Huntington junior Ilias King and Wheeling Park senior Nolan Yanchak – King collected 121 tackles with 12 tackles for loss, and recovered three fumbles, and Yanchak racked up 145 tackles, and eight tackles for losses.
The final two defensive backs on the first team are Woodrow Wilson senior A.J. Thomas, and Morgantown senior safety Keltin Blunt.
Blunt finished with 78 tackles and five tackles for loss. Thomas had 75 tackles.
There were two seniors selected as utility options for the first-team defense – George Washington’s Clyde May and Morgantown’s Carter Cooper. May, who played all around the Patriot front, had 88 tackles, two interceptions, forced four fumbles and scored two defensive touchdowns. Cooper, who played most often in the defensive backfield, had 71 tackles, three interceptions, and three tackles for loss.
Captaining the Class AAAA second team offense is Preston wide receiver Aiden Schmidl, and on defense, the captain is Morgantown linebacker Brooks King.
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.
2025 WVSWA Class AAAA All-State football
First team offense
Pos Player School Cls Hgt Wgt
QB Maddox Twigg Morgantown So. 6-2 205
QB Slaton Manko Preston Sr. 5-10 175
RB Brennan Wack (c) Wheeling Park Sr. 6-0 190
RB Jaden Black George Washington Fr. 5-9 185
WR Boston Todd Martinsburg Jr. 6-1 175
WR Hayden George University Jr. 5-9 180
OL James Payne George Washington Jr. 6-3 265
OL Mason Ramsey Huntington Sr. 6-3 290
OL Reuben Rouse Wheeling Park Sr. 5-11 265
OL Kane Whipp Martinsburg Sr. 6-0 260
OL Brayden Parks Morgantown Sr. 6-4 320
Util Tayveon Wilson Huntington Sr. 6-3 220
Util Brian Dick Martinsburg Jr. 6-0 200
Util Tony Allen Jefferson Sr. 5-10 185
PK Teddy Smith George Washington So. 5-11 170
First team defense
DL Xavier Anderson (c) Spring Mills Sr. 6-6 200
DL Zevon Shipman Morgantown Sr. 6-1 295
DL Ja’Marques Manns Woodrow Wilson Sr. 6-4 280
DL Jordan Kovacs Martinsburg Sr. 6-2 230
LB Marcos Kniska University Sr. 6-0 210
LB Ilias King Huntington Jr. 6-0 220
LB Kamero Jackson Parkersburg South Sr. 6-0 200
LB Nolan Yanchak Wheeling Park Sr. 5-11 205
LB Roman Konchesky University Sr. 6-0 170
DB Keltin Blunt Morgantown Sr. 6-2 190
DB A.J. Thomas Woodrow Wilson Sr. 5-10 150
DB Channing Barrett Parkersburg South Sr. 6-0 175
Util Clyde May George Washington Sr. 6-1 210
Util Carter Cooper Morgantown Sr. 6-0 175
P Jimmy Gregg University Sr. 6-1 195
Second team offense
Pos Player School Cls Hgt Wgt
QB Harrison Helbig University Jr. 6-4 180
RB Mayshaun Okonkwo Huntington So. 5-9 165
RB Gage Burdette Woodrow Wilson So. 6-1 165
WR Donte Newsome Huntington Jr. 6-1 175
WR Aiden Schmidl (c) Preston Sr. 6-1 180
WR Jayden Smalls Morgantown Sr. 6-0 170
OL Drey Grinter Parkersburg Jr. 6-3 300
OL Brayden Edwards George Washington Sr. 6-3 260
OL Kayden Fortney Wheeling Park Sr. 5-10 240
OL Aryn McPherson Huntington Sr. 6-3 300
OL Noah Hockman Jefferson Jr. 6-4 275
Util Dawson Tenney Buckhannon-Upshur Sr. 6-1 185
Util Blake Sanders Spring Mills Sr. 5-10 167
Util Sameje Wesley George Washington Sr. 5-10 140
PK Aiden Petsko Morgantown So. 5-8 140
Second team defense
DL Kadyn Baisden Buckhannon-Upshur Jr. 5-11 190
DL Chase Travis Morgantown Jr. 5-11 230
DL Josh Armentrout Musselman Sr. 6-4 218
DL Kameron Dietrich Wheeling Park Sr. 6-6 200
LB Carson Treadway Oak Hill Jr. 6-2 210
LB Brooks King (c) Morgantown So. 5-10 185
LB Devin Widman Parkersburg Jr. 5-10 202
LB Eli Thompson Cabell Midland Jr. 6-3 225
DB Isaac Sands Wheeling Park Sr. 5-10 175
DB Takiem Drake Jefferson Sr. 5-11 180
DB Mason Walley Martinsburg Sr. 6-1 170
DB Isaiah Wang Spring Mills Sr. 6-1 178
Util Tavion Woods Riverside Jr. 6-1 200
Util Preston Clary Woodrow Wilson Sr. 6-2 180
P Emilio Perez-Diggs Washington Sr. 6-0 210
Honorable mention
Cade Compton, Oak Hill; Nate Lasure, Musselman; Brody Faircloth, Hedgesville; Chris Williams, Hedgesville;
Logan Tudor, Riverside; Cy Persinger, George Washington; Phillip Shields, Washington; Ty Ricketts, Martinsburg;
Seth Casto, Hurricane; Zach Turner, Hurricane; Malachi Hope, Riverside; James Ludwig, Oak Hill; Sylas Cheuvront, Parkersburg; Hope Bokwe, Spring Mills; Deshawn Lewis, Musselman; Rhys Wells, Morgantown; Blake Bluffington, Morgantown; Zaiiden Lockett, Morgantown; Glenn Brown, University; Luke Braham, University; Jack Byrer, University; Keian Shelton, Cabell Midland
