Wheeling Central Catholic’s Ramsay Mansuetto chases after a ball during a regular season outing. Mansuetto was selected to the Class A/AA second team.
BECKLEY — After careers filled with victories and accolades, a pair of Wheeling Park Patriots end their high school careers with one more feather in their cap.
Park’s Tresz McLeod and Luke Dunaway were selected to the Class AAA all-state first team this week, the two seniors receiving reognition for their work on the pitch this season.
The Patriots have operated like clockwork during the two’s tenure with the team, always winning at least 15 games each of their years with the team, including winning 17 games this season, though they lost in the sectional finals to Morgantown in an overtime contest.
It was George Washington who won the Class AAA state title this year, their fifth since 2016, thanks to a hugely productive year from Michael Luechauer.
Luechauer finished his senior campaign with 35 goals and 12 assists and is one of four forwards selected to the Class AAA all-state first team, produced this year for the first time in a collaboration between the West Virginia High School Soccer Coaches Association and the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
photo by: Nick Henthorn
Wheeling Park’s Tresz McLeod keeps control of the ball with a Parkersburg South defender on his hip during a regular season match earlier this year. McLeod was named to the Class AAA first team along with teammate Luke Dunaway.
Other forwards selected to the first team are Wheeling Park junior Tresz McLeod (24 goals, 11 assists), Spring Mills junior Isiah Briggs (17 goals, 10 assists) and Parkersburg senior Landon Shedd (23 goals).
The rest of the team is comprised of all seniors.
The midfield is Woodrow Wilson’s Aiden Bell (6 goals, 4 assists), Bridgeport’s John Dumas (5 goals, 5 assists), Parkersburg’s Connor Gribble (19 goals, 15 assists), Wheeling Park’s Luke Dunaway (4 goals, 3 assists) and Greenbrier East’s Peter Furlong (1 goal, 3 assists).
Defensively, the first team is made up of Woodrow Wilson’s Tyler Randolph (four goals, 13 team shutouts), Spring Mills’ Andrew Landsberger (team allowed 64 shots all season), Morgantown’s Sam Pacyna (team allowed less than 4 SOG per game), Hurricane’s Jackson Ahebwa (10 goals, 2 assists, 10 team shutouts) and Morgantown’s Ziggy Hirschfeld (10 team shutouts).
Hurricane’s Grayson Maddox is the goalkeeper after holding opponents to nine goals with 10 shutouts.
The second unit is forwards Johann Avarca (Washington), Ian Gadd (Greenbrier East), Quentin Jones (Capital) and Andrew Warner (Huntington); midfielders Riley Brabson (Morgantown), Thomas Segura (Washington), Sidney Crockett (Spring Mills); Joel Beeson (Morgantown), Cooper Bell (Woodrow Wilson), Ben Ferguson (Brooke) and Jonny Aya-ay (Huntington); defenders Simeon Schray (Huntington), Tobi Adebulu (Parkersburg South), Jacob Boyd (Jefferson), Austin Keyes (Parkersburg), Jordan Gray (Hampshire) and Britton Pulley (Spring Valley); plus goalkeepers Jace Bennett (Spring Mills) and Joe Cochran (Greenbrier East).
CLASS AAA GIRLS
BECKLEY, W.Va. (WV News) — BECKLEY — Four Wheeling Park Patriots are counted among the ranks of the Class AAA Girls all-state team, tied for the most selections by one school with eventual state champs Morgantown.
The Mohigans repeated as Class AAA girls soccer champions in 2023 and placed four players on the all-state first team, produced this year for the first time in a collaboration between the West Virginia High School Soccer Coaches Association and the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
Forward Emily Carpenter (16 goals, 7 assists), midfielders Gracie Brown (22 goals, 6 assists) and Ariana Borneo (9 goals, 11 assists) and defender Josie Johnson (10 team shutouts, 8 team goals allowed) represented Morgantown, which closed out a 17-1-2 campaign by defeating Parkersburg South, 1-0, in the title game last Saturday.
Carpenter is flanked by Wheeling Park senior Merritt Delk (32 goals, 17 assists), Hedgesville senior Bailey Markley (27 goals, 8 assists) and Washington sophomore Jurnee Vrobel (28 goals, 12 assists) on the front line.
Paired with Brown and Borneo in the midfield are Wheeling Park senior Lily Hanna (11 goals, 11 assists), Hurricane senior Avery Hale (23 goals, 13 assists) and Parkersburg South junior Adrienne Altizer (13 goals, 14 assists).
Johnson’s backline mates are George Washington senior Milla Collias (team conceded 15 goals in 23 games), Parkersburg South senior Riley Shockey (1 goal, 4 assists), Cabell Midland senior Jordyn Taylor and Parkersburg South junior Addison White (4 goals, 2 game-winners), with Riverside senior Rachel Siders (reportedly 270 saves) getting the nod in goal.
The second team is comprised of forwards Sophie Weiler (Huntington), Emma Shields (Cabell Midland), Audrey Lantz (Wheeling Park), Emerson Tracy (Jefferson) and Kendall Anderson (Hurricane), Ama Ackon (Woodrow Wilson); midfielders Jozy Barton (Parkersburg), Chloe de Moulin (Jefferson), Madison Rothwell (George Washington), Cali Ellis (Huntington), Megan Cantley (Washington); Lilly Lucas (Hurricane) and Ryan White (Greenbrier East); defenders Molly Colbert (Jefferson), Kamryn Cox (Hedgesville), Molly Payne (George Washington), Brynna Price (Hurricane) and Julia Dunaway (Wheeling Park); and goalkeepers Erica Schnable (Jefferson) and Emilee Owens (Parkersburg South).
CLASS A/AA GIRLS
BECKLEY, W.Va. (WV News) — For the third straight year, Philip Barbour and Charleston Catholic were the last two teams standing in Class A/AA girls soccer.
So it’s not a surprise that both schools peppered the first-team all-state squad, produced this year for the first time in a collaboration between the West Virginia High School Soccer Coaches Association and the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
The Irish, champions for the fifth consecutive year, put junior forward Molly Messer (28 goals, 17 assists), freshman forward Ella Greene (13 goals, 10 assists), sophomore midfielder Mia Lough (28 goals, 9 assists), junior midfielder Aurelia Kirby (13 goals, 12 assists) and sophomore defender Molly Weber (team allowed 14 goals in 25 games) on the first unit.
The Colts, who went to four state tournament in a row, are represented by four seniors in forward Arrington Sparks (21 goals, 25 assists), midfielders Braylyn Sparks (28 goals, 12 assists) and Layna ‘Turkey’ Grassi (13 goals, 14 assists) and defender Jorjalynn Ward (11 team shutouts).
Point Pleasant, which lost by a goal for PB in the state semis for the second year in a row, picked up a trio of spots for senior midfielder McKenna Young (7 goals, 4 assists), senior defender Ella Hunt (1 goal, 1 assist) and junior goalkeeper Katie McCutcheon (95 saves, team allowed 13 goals in 22 games).
Weir, the fourth team to make it to the final four in Beckley, were led by senior forward Olivia Baker (35 goals, 11 assists).
Oak Glen senior forward Kami Ward (50 goals, 7 assists), plus East Fairmont senior midfielder Kiersten Maxey (19 goals, 21 assists) and senior defender Carlie Ice (14 team goals allowed, 12 team shutouts) round out the first squad.
The second team is forwards Addy Cogar (Elkins), Tillie Cinalli (Fairmont Senior), Hadley Horne (Grafton), Madelyn Call (Point Pleasant), Carleigh Curotz (Robert C. Byrd) and Zailee Roberts (Sissonville); midfielders Ramsey Mansuetto (Wheeling Central), Miley Summers (East Fairmont), Darby Bailey (Elkins), Abby Greene (Fairmont Senior), Helen Bossart (Linsly), Reece Oliver (Point Pleasant), Sophia Smith (St. Joseph), Sydne Alexander (Winfield) and Mia Duterte (Winfield); defenders Laney Fletcher (Elkins), Natasha Ward (Oak Glen), Martina Howe (Robert C. Byrd), Gabriella Spickard (Weir), Elana Clark (Winfield) and Marley Waugh (Winfield) and goalkeepers Gracelin Corley (Elkins) and Kaitlyn Sayre (Winfield).
CLASS A/AA BOYS
BECKLEY, W.Va. (WV News) — The third time was the charm for Point Pleasant.
The Black Knights got over the hump against Charleston Catholic, beating the Irish on penalty kicks in Saturday’s Class AA/A boys final after falling short against them in 2021 in overtime and 2022 in regulation.
Scoring the winning penalty kick was Point’s lone first-team all-state selection, sophomore midfielder Joey Pinkerton (18 goals, 13 assists).
The Black Knights also had four second-team picks.
The Irish’s two first-teamers are senior midfielder Samuel Delgra (20 goals, 18 assists) and senior defender Gio Cinco (2 goals, 6 assists).
The front line is Fairmont Senior senior Grant Broadhurst (17 goals, 10 assists), Lewis County senior Tanner Griffith (37 goals, 6 assists), Shady Spring senior Michael Vecellio (30 goals) and Trinity senior Carmelo Kniska (21 goals, 9 assists).
With Pinkerton and Delgra in the midfield are Fairmont Senior senior Caleb Young (15 goals, 12 assists), Grafton senior Landon Hulley (10 goals, 15 assists), St. Joseph sophomore Brier Wagner (40 goals, 5 assists) and Wheeling Central senior Luke Minor (13 goals, 4 assists).
In the back with Cinco are Fairmont Senior senior Robert Deskins (team had 10 shutouts) and Robert C. Byrd seniors Kaden Meighen (5 goals) and Chandler Walls (team had run of 11 shutouts in 12 games midseason), with Trinity senior Ben Lohmann (8 shutouts) chosen in goal.
The second team is forwards Brayden Christopher (East Fairmont), Jude Minard (Grafton), Colton Angus (Point Pleasant) and Wyatt Kinder (Winfield); midfielders Maddox Boyers (East Fairmont), Keller Bennett (Lewis County), Joey Aman (Lewis County), Cooper Tatterson (Point Pleasant), Grant Philbrook (Ravenswood), Carson Bennett and Anthony Corsini (both Robert C. Byrd) and Nathan Vecellio (Shady Spring); defenders Ethan Bastin (Charleston Catholic), Bryce Kelley (Grafton), Jaren Reed (Point Pleasant), Anthony Bertagnoli (Point Pleasant) and Willy Chambers (Winfield) and goalkeeper Gabe Deel (Herbert Hoover).
The list was produced this year for the first time in a collaboration between the West Virginia High School Soccer Coaches Association and the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
All-state plaques are available for purchase by past and present all-staters at wvswa.org or bearwoodcompany.com. They are state-shaped, wood plaques inscribed with the WVSWA logo, name, high school and year of the honoree.
