Five make AAA all-state
By DAVE POE, dpoe@newsandsentinel.comPARKERSBURG - When a high school football team qualifies for the postseason, it generally follows that the top players on that team are the recipients of postseason awards.
That's the case today with all three Class AAA football programs in the Mid-Ohio Valley as Parkersburg South and Parkersburg High each placed two players on the Class AAA first team all-state football team announced today by members of the West Virginia Sports Writers Association, while Ripley High School is represented by one selection.
Earning first-team honors in balloting conducted by sports writers and state football coaches were running back-linebacker Hunter Ferguson and lineman Ryan Small of Parkersburg South; running back Allan Wasonga and wide receiver-defensive back Stephen Roush of Parkersburg High School; and Ripley offensive lineman and nose guard David Heis. All are seniors except Wasonga, who is a junior.
For the past three seasons, Ferguson -who was a first team defensive utility selection - has been a mainstay in the Patriots' starting lineup. When he was playing junior high football, Patriot fans were talking about how good he would be once he got to South and Ferguson lived up to all their hype.
Offensively, he was South's leading ballcarrier, accounting for 1,319 yards on 202 carries and scoring 27 touchdowns. Defensively, he was one of those players who hit you so hard, once you ran his way one time, you didn't want to go there again.
"Hunter should win the Kennedy Award,'' said South head coach Jon Bolen, who took over the program when Ferguson was a sophomore. "He came to play every day and he wanted the ball every play. He never backed down from a fight. He was one of the most confident football players I've ever been around. No matter what the situation required, he would look at me and say, 'Coach, we can do it.'''
Bolen said Ferguson should have sat out South's late-season games.
"He played sick and banged up.'' the coach said. "Against Fairmont Senior, he was fighting the flu, but he gave it everything he had. He had a lot of talent and a lot of heart.''
Bolen was particularly excited about Small's selection. A pulling guard and a three-year starter at that position, Small often joked with Ferguson that he and fellow guard Austin Freeland were the real fullbacks on the Patriot roster as they were the ones clearing the way for South's star runner.
"Ryan is a great kid and a tough kid,'' Bolen said. He has a great attitude. He's a silent leader.''
Bolen said this is an award that should be shared by Small's fellow linemen as the group worked together as a unit and was responsible for South's successful wing-T offense that led the Patriots into the Class AAA playoffs the past two seasons.
It should come as no surprise that Parkersburg High's Wasonga was selected as a first-team running back. Earlier, he was named both the Mountain State Athletic Conference Player of the Year as well as the Gatorade State Player of the Year. Wasonga, who transferred from Point Pleasant High School prior to the school year, made an immediate impact at PHS, rushing the ball 237 times for 2,203 yards and 29 touchdowns.
"There were some questions about how physical a runner Allan was - we had some concerns whether he could handle the Class AAA level -but he answered every question," said PHS coach Bernie Buttrey. "What impressed me most about Allan was how tremendously hard he ran over people as well as away from people."
Wasonga has been invited to participate in the U.S. Army Combine in San Antonio, Texas, in January. Buttrey hopes that will lead to an invitation next year to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The only Big Red who has done that is two-time Hunt Award winner Josh Jenkins, who now is a starting offensive lineman at West Virginia University.
Speaking of the All-American Bowl Combine, Roush who was selected as a first team defensive back for his seven interceptions- participated in it last year and turned the heads of several college scouts. On an offense geared around Wasonga's skills, Roush still managed to catch 37 passes for 643 yards and four touchdowns.
"I told Stephen at our team banquet that he is the best all-around player I ever coached in 34 years," Buttrey said. "He has the best set of hands and runs great routes as a receiver. The last two years, he's done a tremendous job at defensive back."While both PHS and South were eliminated in the opening round of the Class AAA playoffs, Ripley made it to the quarterfinal round.
No Viking made more of an impact than did Heis, who sat out his junior year to concentrate on wrestling.
"Some of his buddies talked him into coming out for his senior year,'' said coach Jimmy Frashier. "It seemed like every coach we played would come to me after the game and ask me 'Who was that No. 34.'"
Heis - who was selected as a defensive lineman - led Ripley in tackles for losses.
"David was big, strong, quick and very coachable,'' said Frashier. "You would show David how do something once or twice and he would have it down.''
Named to the second team were Sonny Zickefoose of Parkersburg High as an offensive lineman, Michael Molinari of Parkersburg South as an offensive utility player, and Ripley's Ronnie Mullins as a linebacker. All three are seniors.
South Charleston junior quarterback Tyler Harris was named the captain of the first team offense after leading the Black Eagles to back-to-back state titles. Bridgeport linebacker Alex Sutton was named the captain of the first team defense.
