By Chapin Jewell, Mineral News & Tribune/WV News
The Winfield Generals finished the 2025 campaign with an overall record of 29-7, and for the third year in a row, as West Virginia state champions, this time in the new Class AAA.
The Frankfort Falcons finished 29-2 overall, with both losses coming at the state tournament, the last being to Winfield, 2-1, in the state championship game.
Those successes are reflected in post-season accolades as both Winfield and Frankfort were rewarded with three players each earning first-team All-State honors, as selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
Those earning first-team honors from Winfield were junior pitcher Mattie Carroll, and senior outfielders Kenlie Zigmond and Evie Loyd. Carroll has been named the first-team Captain.Frankfort’s trio of first-teamers include senior utility player Avery Noel, senior pitcher Rylee Mangold, and senior catcher Tayler Likens.
With respect to Carroll, Zigmond, and Loyd, Winfield coach Steve Hensley stated the following.
“Mattie is just a gamer when she is in the circle. She’s a bulldog in there. She’s got such great movement up in the zone, and I thought her changeup really came along this year, and was a big pitch for her, actually in the state tournament. The biggest thing about Mattie is that while she competes really, really hard, she’s probably a better person.
Kenlie is one of our best athletes. She’s a solid hitter with a good, strong and accurate arm in the outfield. She covers a lot of ground, and she is one of our leaders on the team. Everybody in the locker room respects and admires Kenlie, and they listen when she talks. She’s been on state championship cheerleading teams, I think that experience bleeds over into softball.”
Evie has kind of made our team go over the last couple of years. We put her in the leadoff spot about halfway through her 11thgrade year, and our offense really took off. When she is on base, we have a really good chance to score, and an even better chance to win. She’s been to the state championship game in each of her four years, so you just can’t replace that type of experience.”
With respect to Noel, Mangold, and Likens, Frankfort coach Kim Root stated the following.
“Avery stepped into pitch this season to help this team be successful. This speaks to her teamwork, passion and desire. When she wasn’t pitching, she was tearing it up at shortstop, and offensively, she led the team in all categories. Avery was an asset to the program for four years, and her presence and talent will be a huge hole to fill in the lineup.
Rylee spent one year in the Falcon program and has left the impression of a lifetime. Her drive and passion for the game and the team lit a spark in every player, coach, and fan. Her ERA and batting average speak for itself. Every day she asked what she could do to help and improve the team. It was never about herself or her numbers, it was always about the team.
To say Tayler made a huge impact on the program would be an understatement. She’s a leader on and off the field. She did everything that was asked of her. She had a very high on-base percentage as the lead-off batter. As a catcher, she held runners on base and called every pitch. The work ethic that Tayler brought to the program will forever impact our underclassmen.”
State tournament qualifier Weir, who gave Frankfort their first loss of the season in the tournament opener, Keyser, and Independence were next on the list with two first-team All-Staters.
Those earning first-team honors from Weir include senior infielder Rayna Hoover and junior utility player Eliza Utt. From Keyser, a pair of sophomores, infielders Bibs Felton and Brielle Root were first-teamers. Earning first-team honors from Independence was senior outfielder Emma Lilly, and sophomore catcher Ava Parks.
Completing the first-team list are Chapmanville’s senior pitcher Chloe Murphy, Herbert Hoover’s senior infielder Hannah Shamblin, Shady Spring’s sophomore infielder Jenna Joyce, and Lincoln County’s sophomore utility player Arien Cooper.
In total, the first-team All-State list consists of nine seniors, two juniors, and five sophomores.
State-tournament qualifier Herbert Hoover and Lincoln County lead the second-team All-State list with two players each.
The trio of second-team All-State pitchers are Grafton senior Lillie Crimm, PikeView freshman Shelby Maddox, and Keyser sophomore Leighton Johnson.
The second-team catchers are Sissonville junior Lydia Ellis, and Shady Spring freshman Peyton Raban.
In the infield, the second-team consists of senior Cortney Boggs of Lewis County, Chapmanville senior Brooke Christian, Lincoln senior Riley Pearlman, Frankfort senior Adison Pritts, junior Abbie Jeffers of Lincoln County, and Independence senior Kassidy Bradbury.
The second-team outfield consists of a pair of sophomores, Jullian Starcher from Lincoln County, and Reagan Cline of Greenbrier East.
Freshman Kaylyn Harper of Herbert Hoover, and Point Pleasant junior Chloe Patrick round out the second-team list as utility players.
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 from the Bear Wood Company through WVSWA.org or Bearwoodcompany.com.
First team
P – Mattie Carroll, Winfield (Jr.) (Captain)
P – Rylee Mangold, Frankfort (Sr.)
P – Chloe Murphy, Chapmanville (Sr.)
C – Taylor Likens, Frankfort (Sr.)
C – Ava Parks, Independence (Soph.)
IF – Bibs Felton, Keyser (Soph.)
IF – Rayna Hoover, Weir (Sr.)
IF – Hannah Shamblin, Herbert Hoover (Sr.)
IF – Brielle Root, Keyser (Soph.)
IF – Jenna Joyce, Shady Spring (Soph.)
OF – Emma Lilly, Independence (Sr.)
OF – Kenlie Zigmond, Winfield (Sr.)
U – Eliza Utt, Weir (Jr.)
U – Evie Loyd, Winfield (Sr.)
U – Avery Noel, Frankfort (Sr.)
U – Arien Cooper, Lincoln County (Soph.)
Second team
P – Lillie Crimm, Grafton (Sr.) (CAPTAIN)
P – Shelby Maddox, PikeView (Fr.)
P – Leighton Johnson, Keyser (Soph.)
C – Lydia Ellis, Sisonville (Jr.)
C – Peyton Raban, Shady Spring (Fr.)
IF – Cortney Boggs, Lewis County (Sr.)
IF – Brooke Christian, Chapmanville (Sr.)
IF – Riley Pearlman, Lincoln (Sr.)
IF – Adison Pritts, Frankfort (Sr.)
IF – Abbie Jeffers, Lincoln County (Jr.)
IF – Kassidy Bradbury, Independence (Sr.)
OF – Jullian Starcher, Lincoln County (Soph.)
OF – Reagan Cline, Greenbrier East (Soph.)
U – Sadi Wehrle, Herbert Hoover (Sr.)
U – Kalyn Harper, Herbert Hoover (Fr.)
U – Chloe Patrick, Point Pleasant (Jr.)
Emilee McKinney, Brooke; Jazmyn Woods, Brooke; Kylie Dean, Weir; Makenzie Hanshaw, Nicholas County; Lyndi Campbell, Nitro; Abby Hilleary, Nicholas County; Emeri Nelson, Winfield; Evy Altizer, Chapmanville; Peyton Lusk, Chapmanville; Reagan Lane, Shady Spring; Ayva Veltri, Herbert Hoover; Kierstin Ross, Lincoln County; Emma Compton, PikeView; Kylee Copley, Wayne; Reese Vanzant, East Fairmont; Ally Martin, Greenbrier East; Paytin Brehm, Independence; Hailey Riffle, Elkins; Ashley Crook, Lewis County; Lexi Napier, Wayne; Tailia Olivito, Fairmont Senior; Kyleigh Anderson, Bridgeport; Jaelynn Smith, Lewis County; Lexi Hardy, Robert C. Byrd; Alaira Harrington, Berkeley Springs; Addison Veigel, Bridgeport; Aubrie Root, Frankfort; Claire Westfall, Frankfort; Ivy Bromhal, Keyser; Ava Call, Hampshire
