New division, familiar faces.
Hurricane, George Washington, Morgantown and Hedgesville will vie to become the first team to win a West Virginia state high school championship in Class AAAA this weekend at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston.
The Redskins have won four Class AAA state titles (2002, 2014, 2018 and 2022) and finished runner-up four times (1999, 2017, 2019 and 2021). The Patriots have finished second twice, losing to Hurricane in 2022 and Cabell Midland in 2024. The Eagles won it all in 2013 and lost to Cabell Midland in 2023. The Mohigans havenƵt made the title game since 1976, when they lost to Huntington.
Hedgesville and Hurricane are scheduled to meet to begin the tournament at 5 p.m. Friday. Morgantown-GW follows 50 minutes after the conclusion of that one.
Hedgesville vs. Hurricane
The Redskins (27-7) emerged from a tough Region 4 by winning two of three games against Spring Valley. They feature the player regarded by many as the stateƵs premier pitcher in Weston Smith, a West Virginia University signee. He is 10-0 with a 1.79 earned run average and 88 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings. Smith also stars at the plate, hitting .350, and defensively in center field.
Bryson Shirkey leads top-seeded Hurricane with a .389 batting average. The Redskins score 7.1 runs per game and give up 2.9.
ƵThese guys play for each other,Ƶ Redskins coach Brian Sutphin said. ƵWeƵve been sound in all phases of the game. When you get to the state tournament, though, everybody is good and weƵll have to play well.Ƶ
Fourth-seeded Hedgesville (22-10) survived a 13-inning Region 2 tournament game with Washington to win 5-4 before knocking off Jefferson 4-2 to win the championship.
Landon Pence leads the Eagles with a .357 average. Mason Elliott backs him at .349 on a team with merely four home runs. Pence has stolen 15 bases, second to Cash DunhamƵs 18. Hedgesville likes to run, having swiped 71 bags.
Glove work has been a bugaboo, as the Eagles have committed 53 errors and possess a .937 fielding percentage. Jay Viands is 5-0 with a 0.99 ERA. Mason McGill has five wins and Pence owns four.
Hedgesville outscores opponents 6.7 runs per game to 4.4.
Morgantown vs. George Washington
The second-seeded Patriots are champions of the rugged Mountain State Athletic Conference, having edged Hurricane 1-0 in the title game for their second victory of the season over the Redskins. MSAC teams have won six of the last seven large-school state championships, including three in a row.
GW beat St. Albans in the Region 3 tournament finals. The Patriots (27-9) are led by ƵU signee Slade Barton, who hurled a no-hitter against the Red Dragons. George Washington averages 6.7 runs per outing and gives up 3.5.
The Patriots still feel the sting of losing 3-2 to Cabell Midland in last yearƵs championship game.
ƵIt hurt,Ƶ GW coach Mike Davis said. ƵYou wanted it so bad for them, and we want it just as much for these guys this year. TheyƵve worked hard to get back here.Ƶ
Morgantown (26-10) has its own ƵU recruit in infielder Weston Mazey, son of former Mountaineers skipper Randy Mazey. HeƵs scored 33 runs, stolen 16 bases and reached base at a .496 clip. Mason Bowers leads the Mohigans with a .395 batting average.
Maddox Boggs heads the Morgantown pitching staff with a 9-2 record and 1.35 ERA. Vinnie Aloi is 7-2 with a 2.22 ERA. Bullpen ace Judd Messerly, who signed with Potomac State, is 2-1 with a 1.34 ERA and three saves.
Morgantown scores 6.1 runs a game and allows 3.6.
