BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
Tug Valley High School was well represented on the Class A All-State football team released this week by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association (WVSWA).
Sophomore running back/QB/defensive back Bryson Elia, senior defensive lineman Buddy Marcum and senior offensive lineman Luke Bartram all made the first team.
Others from the Panthers squad who were named honorable mention were junior Ashton Davis, senior Dakoda Walker, junior Adam Slone and freshman Cane Thompson.
All these players were integral in Tug Valley’s great 11-2 season with a home playoff win.
Sophomore Bryson Elia started as the featured running back. He moved to quarterback due to an injury to the starting quarterback Preston May. He also played defensive back and was a leader on that side of the football.
Elia had 1,281 rushing yards and 19 TDs. He passed for 386 and seven TDs once he moved to QB. He had 450 receiving yards and 6 TDs. He also had five interceptions on defense, several tackles and pass breakups.
Senior Buddy Marcum had 85 total tackles, 30 TFLs and eight sacks. He also scored six TDs as tight end and fullback. Marcum was one of the captains and leaders for the Panthers this year.
Luke Bartram was the anchor of the offensive line. He also played on the defensive line.
Davis, a defensive end, was one of the top sack leaders in the state of West Virginia. Slone had another solid season on both sides of the football. Walker and Thompson were huge on defense. Walker played on the defensive line and Thompson was a linebacker.
“I’m really happy for our guys and very proud of them. Each and every one of them is well deserving of this achievement. Having three players on the first team is a great team accomplishment as well. To have seven overall on the Allstate list is a testament to the season we had,” Tug Valley coach Hady Ford said. “These guys worked hard out of season and in season, and this is the result of that hard work.”
(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.)
First Team
Offense
QB – Maxwell Molessa, Williamstown (Sr.) (CAPTAIN)
QB – Ethan Rosenau, Tucker County (Sr.)
RB – Sean Winfrey, Tyler Consolidated (Sr.)
RB – Chase Lowe, Wirt County (Sr.)
WR – Ryan Oliveros, Summers County, (Jr.)
WR – Maddox Anderson, Tucker County (Sr.)
OL – Aiden Corbett, Williamstown
OL – Brady Baker, James Monroe (Jr.)
OL – Ben Wagstaff, St. Marys (Sr.)
OL – Luke Bartram, Tug Valley (Sr.)
OL – John Bowman, Midland Trail (Sr.)
K – Eli Tucker, Wheeling Central (
UTL – Chaz Boggs, James Monroe (Sr.)
UTL – Sawyer VanMatre, Wahama (Sr.)
UTL – Colson Wichterman, Cameron (Sr.)
Defense
DL – Jacob Whitt, Greenbrier West (Sr.)
DL – Justin Parker, East Hardy (Sr.)
DL – Buddy Marcum, Tug Valley (Sr.)
DL – Ty Watkins, St. Marys (Sr.)
DL – Cole Vandall, Greenbrier West (Sr.)
LB – Ethan Holliday, Greenbrier West (Sr.) (CAPTAIN)
LB – Lynken Joy, Williamstown (Jr.)
LB – Josiah DeMoss, St. Marys (Sr.)
LB – Klypson Wallace, Cameron (Jr.)
DB – Connor Lambert, Wahama (Jr.)
DB – Trey Ward, Man (Soph.)
DB – Bryson Elia, Tug Valley (Soph.)
P – Louis Goodnow, Williamstown (Sr.)
UTL – Cooper Ridgeway, James Monroe (Sr.)
UTL – Jared Reall, Tucker County (Jr.)
Second Team
Offense
QB – Brandan Isaac, Summers County (Sr.)
RB – Ashton Boron, St. Marys (Sr.)
RB – Braden McWreath, Wheeling Central (Junior) (CAPTAIN)
RB – Jake Pate, Greenbrier West (Sr.)
RB – Kaiden Sims, Meadow Bridge (Jr.)
WR – Garrett Wilfong, Tucker County (Jr.)
WR – Tucker Lilly, Greenbrier West (Jr.)
OL – Ethan Cross, Doddridge County (Sr.)
OL – Thaddeus Dempewolf, Cameron (Sr.)
OL – Jacob Hall, James Monroe (Sr.)
OL – Lucca Ferrera, Wheeling Central (Sr.)
OL – Shane Bates, Tyler Consolidated (Sr.)
K – Hayden Ridgeway, Greenbrier West (Sr.)
UTL – Gavin Derby, Valley Wetzel (Jr.)
UTL – Trey Lester, Sherman (Soph.)
Defense
DL – Ashton Evans, James Monroe (Sr.)
DL – Kolton Toler, Wirt (Jr.)
DL – Calob James, Doddridge County (Soph.)
DL – Gunner Henrie, Williamstown (Sr.)
LB – Tyson Adkins, Summers County (Jr.) (Captain)
LB – Joey Baker, Paden City (Sr.)
LB – Chase Parsons, Wirt County, (Sr.)
LB – Colton Hall, Gilmer County, (Sr.)
DB – Trevor Kennett, Montcalm (Sr.)
DB – Brandon Jones, East Hardy, (Sr.)
DB – Landon Dodrill, Williamstown (Sr.)
DB – Layton Dowdy, James Monroe (Jr.)
P – Lucas Rush, South Harrison (Sr.)
UTL – Chase Littleton, Madonna (Sr.)
UTL – Jackson Danielson, River View (Sr.)
Honorable Mention: Clay Arbaugh, Petersburg; Dusten Baisden, Man; Tyler Barnhouse, Richwood; Josh Biggs, Petersburg; Ayden Britton, Hundred; Caden Campbell, Ritchie County; Logan Carver, Montcalm; Seth Cover, Wheeling Central; Seth Currence, Tygarts Valley; Ashton Davis, Tug Valley; Brysen Dixon, Doddridge County; Houston Ellis, Man; Jake Endicott, Man; Maverick Gum, Clay-Battelle; Caleb Hall, Gilmer County; Zac Hall, Clay-Battelle; Lukas Haney, Man; Braiden Haught, Ritchie County; Skylar Hulse, Gilmer County; Jaxson Johnson, Sherman; Dalton Kessinger, Van; Owen Knotts, Tucker County; Adam Landes, Moorefield; Will McGraw, Midland Trail; Gavin Mullenax, Tucker County; Hunter Oates, Magnolia; Jackson Phipps, James Monroe; Brandon Poticher, Greenbrier West; Levi Price, East Hardy; Chase Owens, Pendelton County; Braden Ponceroff, Clay-Battelle; Jonah Pugh, Summers County; Brody See, Moorefield; Adam Slone, Tug Valley; Dillon Smith, Pendelton County; Talyn Snyder, Doddridge County; JC Spears, Clay-Battelle; CW Sturgill, Greenbrier West; Bryce Taylor, Summers County; Owen Taylor, Calhoun County; Landon Thomas, Doddridge County; Cane Thompson, Tug Valley; Rayden Triplett, Webster County; Delbert Van Tassell, Cameron; Dakoda Walker, Tug Valley; Chris Williams, Buffalo; Jaylen Younger, Montcalm.