By NICK HENTHORN
The Intelligencer
NEW CUMBERLAND – In West Virginia’s northernmost high school, the Oak Glen Golden Bears have a rising star on their hands– and one that has already made her mark on her school.
Golden Bears sophomore Mattie Carney captains the Class AA all-state first team, as selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association, following a dominant season which culminated in the second state championship in the Golden Bears program’s history.
“I think it’s her investment and her interest,” Oak Glen Sherrie Garner said about what makes her sophomore standout tick. “Mattie is an athlete who knows she wants to win. She’s a team player, and being in the role of the pitcher, she understands what that adds up to. It begins there. On the offensive side, she’s very much a contributor as well, but she takes on that challenge to be on the hill, for lack of better words, and begins that process every game. She’s a competitor, she has a pedigree of wanting to win.”
Carney concludes her sophomore season with a record of 20-7 inside the circle, with 223 total strikeouts against just 28 walks– giving her a ratio of nearly eight strikeouts for every walk issued. She batted .431 on the year with four home runs, 27 RBI, 52 runs scored and 27 stolen bases.
She pitched every postseason game for Oak Glen on their charge to the state title, and pitched in both of the Golden Bears’ conference tournament games on their way to an OVAC championship as well.
“We knew as a coaching staff, her endurance had to be at a point to get her there throughout the postseason,” Garner said. “She pitched every one of our postseason games, two of our OVAC games– she came in during the OVAC championship when we were down 2-0, she was the winner of that game– she pitched our three sectional games, two regional games and three games of the state tournament.
“Her ability to perform at the rate she did, there’s a lot to her as far as what she wants to accomplish. She enjoys the crowd behind her and her teammates encouraging her, and her preparation throughout the year was definitely a part of what makes her who she is.”
Carney takes up one of four pitcher spots on the Class AA first team, joined by St. Marys senior Cali Masters, Logan junior Myleigh Adkins and Wheeling Central senior Josie Frizzell.
Masters pitched to a 0.99 ERA for the Blue Devils, as well as hitting .552 with 30 RBI in her senior go-round. Adkins finished with a 1.50 ERA and 232 strikeouts and 11 home runs at the dish for the Wildcats. Frizzell finishes her career with the Maroon Knights with a 2.02 ERA, 246 strikeouts, and a .316 batting average along with a pair of home runs.
All three have been named first team all-state each year of their playing careers.
Along the infield is another Golden Bear champion, senior Riley Bruce, who capped her career out of the leadoff spot for Oak Glen, hitting .325 with 15 extra-base hits– seven doubles, six triples and two home runs– while scoring 44 runs and driving in 28.
Joining Bruce around the infield is Petersburg sophomore Miley Tingler, Scott junior Ava Sampson, Wheeling Central junior Maddie Miehle, and Doddridge County freshman Brooke DeHaven.
Tingler helped lead her Vikings to a state runner-up finish with a .437 batting average, 38 RBI and three home runs. Sampson finished her penultimate softball season with a .449 average, nine home runs, and an 8-1 pitching record to boot. Miehle was a top bat for the Maroon Knights, hitting .477 with four home runs and 38 runs batted in. DeHaven started her high school career strong and set a new school record for home runs in a single season with 13. She hit .443 with 11 doubles, 50 RBIs and 48 runs, stealing 24 bases and posting an eye-popping slugging percentage of .915.
Behind the dish for the Class AA first team is Liberty freshman Alyssa Scarbro, who posted a .472 batting average along with 13 RBI.
Manning the outfield is Doddridge County senior Olivia See and Buffalo senior Kiera Cochran. See helped lead her Bulldogs with a .472 batting average, 11 doubles, five triples, two home runs, 31 RBI and 32 runs. Cochran did likewise for her Bison, hitting a remarkable .625 to go with 22 RBI and five home runs.
Rounding out the first team was a quartet of utility players– Logan junior Ashlin Brumfield, Petersburg freshman Ella Markwell, Midland Trail sophomore Madison Rader and Philip Barbour senior Avery McDaniel.
Brumfield shined for Logan, hitting .402 with seven long-balls and 30 RBI. Markwell was a top first-year player in Class AA with nine home runs, a .402 batting average and a copious 45 RBI.
Rader was a two-way standout for the Patriots, hitting .391 while also finishing with a 2.58 ERA and 153 strikeouts. McDaniel was also a force at the plate and in the circle,finishing with a .494 batting average, seven home runs and 37 RBI while striking out 117 batters to the tune of a 2.77 ERA.
Petersburg junior catcher Ella Chew captains the Class AA second team.
She is joined by pitchers Macy Casto (Ravenswood), Carli Raye (Wyoming East) and Bryleigh Thomas (James Monroe), catcher Katelyn Cooper (Philip Barbour), infielders Lacy Curry (Logan), Kelsey Brock (Buffalo), Riley Myers (South Harrison), Katie Mullens (Liberty), and Nevaeh Hall (Midland Trail), outfielders Cici Kump (Moorefield), Lauren Adkins (Logan), and Fair Smelko (Roane County), and utility players Rocklyn Marcum (Ritchie County), Cambri Barker (Scott), and Allie Bowles (Liberty).
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 or Bearwoodcompany.com.
Class AA
First Team
P – Cali Masters, St Marys (Sr).
P – Myleigh Adkins, Logan (Jr.)
P – Mattie Carney, Oak Glen (Soph.) (CAPTAIN)
P – Josie Frizzell, Wheeling Central (Sr.)
C – Alyssa Scarbro, Liberty (Fr.)
IF – Miley Tingler, Petersburg (Soph.)
IF – Ava Sampson, Scott (Jr.)
IF – Maddie Miehle, Wheeling Central (Jr.)
IF – Brooke DeHaven, Doddridge County (Fr.)
IF – Riley Bruce, Oak Glen (Sr.)
OF – Kiera Cochran, Buffalo (Sr.)
OF – Olivia See, Doddridge County (Sr.)
U – Ashlin Brumfield, Logan (Jr.)
U – Ella Markwell, Petersburg (Fr.)
U – Madison Rader, Midland Trail (Soph.)
U – Avery McDaniel, Philip Barbour (Sr.)
Second Team
P – Macy Casto, Ravenswood (Sr.)
P – Carli Raye, Wyoming East (Jr.)
P – Bryleigh Thomas, James Monroe (Sr.)
C – Ella Chew, Petersburg (Jr.)(CAPTAIN)
C – Katelyn Cooper, Philip Barbour (Sr.)
IF – Lacy Curry, Logan (Sr.)
IF – Kelsey Brock, Buffalo (Sr.)
IF – Riley Myers, South Harrison (Jr.)
IF – Katie Mullens, Liberty (Jr.)
IF – Nevaeh Hall, Midland Trail (Jr.)
OF – Cici Kump, Moorefield (Jr.)
OF – Lauren Adkins, Logan (Sr.)
OF – Fair Smelko, Roane County (Sr.)
U – Rocklyn Marcum, Ritchie County (Soph.)
U – Cambri Barker, Scott (Sr.)
U – Aliie Bowles, Liberty (Soph.)
Honorable Mentions
Addie Smith, Oak Glen; Danica Holden, Oak Glen; Erin Maxwell, Wheeling Central; Bella Rine, Wheeling Central; Isabella Holtz, Doddridge County; Tessa Mayle, Doddridge County; Hailey Capps, Scott; Ella Bullman, St. Marys; Anna Casto, Ravenswood; Maddie Lawson, Bluefield, Sophie Hall, Bluefield; Taylor Mabry, Bluefield; Brylee McGrady, St. Marys; Aubrey Plummer, Mingo Central; Chelsie Jeffrey, Ritchie County; Makenlee Null, Buffalo; Kaydee Shrewsbury, Wyoming East; Paisley Shannon, Westside; Alivia Monroe, Wyoming East; Addison Kitzmiller, Petersburg; Carlee Haines, Moorefield; Grace Simmons, Moorefield; Karsyn Paynter, Westside
