W.VA. CLASS A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ALL-STATE: Hunter America leads first-team offense

Doddridge County runner heads large MOV?contigency

WEST UNION -- For most of the latter part of the 2019 season, Doddridge County held the No. 1 rating in Class A football.

Although the Bulldogs fell in the Class A title game to perennial powerhouse Wheeling Central, 38-21, this past Saturday, Doddridge's 13-1 season didn't go unrewarded.

Five Bulldogs were named to the Class A All-State Football team as chosen by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

Dynamic running back Hunter America was named captain of the first-team offense, while Wheeling Central linebacker Adam Murray earned that honor on defense.

Both had outstanding seasons.

America rushed for 2,176 yards and 25 touchdowns on 307 carries. He capped off his senior year by throwing a 30-yard touchdown pass to fellow first-teamer Griffin Devericks.

"In Doddridge County will remember Hunter America for many, many years to come," Doddridge County coach Bobby Burnside said. "He's a special player who has made so many big plays over his career.

"He's very deserving of this honor."

Murray, a key cog in Central's third-straight title, was the rock on which the Maroon Knights' stellar defense was built on.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior led Central with 153 tackles and 20 tackles for loss, and ended his career with more than 600 tackles, a school record.

"He's one of the greatest kids I've coached in all my years in the business," Wheeling Central coach Mike Young said. "He's put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into Wheeling Central football.

"His motor started running his freshman year and it has never stopped. The fact that he's our school's all-time leading tackler speaks for itself."

In addition to Devericks, who caught 42 passes for 992 yards and 11 touchdowns, Doddridge also had lineman Cole James named to the first team offense.

The remainder of the first-team offense includes quarterback Ethan Varney of Tug Valley, Noah Brown of Greenbrier West and Ty Moore of Williamstown in the backfield, with Tyler Consolidated's Mark Rucker, Parkersburg Catholic's Jeb Boice and Greenbrier West's Cole McClung the utility players. Varney's favorite target, Caleb May, was the other receiver.

Moore was a big reason Williamstown made the semifinals, as he rushed for 1,969 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Joining James on the front line are Mount View's Liam Fultineer, Midland Trail's Cy Persinger, Sherman's Hunter Bowling, and Williamstown's Leewood Molessa.

The kicker is Atikilt Tamiru of Moorefield.

Murray had two of his teammates join him on the first-team defense.

They were defensive back Jordan Waterhouse and utility Jalen Creighton, both of whom had three interceptions.

Doddridge County had linebacker Austin Kelley and defensive back Hunter Jenkins named to the first unit defense.

Kelley led Doddridge with 154 tackles and recovered five fumbles, while Jenkins intercepted nine passes.

Rounding out the first team defense were Van's Hunter McMiken, Pendleton County's Josh Alt, Buffalo's Drew Clendenin and Parkersburg Catholic's Jalen Brunney on the front line, Williamstown's Eric Brown, Ritchie County's Garrett Owens and East Hardy's Austin Alt at linebacker and Wirt's Nathan Murray in the backfield.

The second utility player was South Harrison's Landon McFadden with Ravenswood's Jacob Anthony the punter.

Wheeling Central's Curtis McGhee, who missed the final xx games of the season with an injury, captains the second team offense as a utility player.

St. Marys quarterback Brennan Boron joins him as a utility as do Ethan Cross of Paden City and Noah Neeley of Cameron.

The backfield consists of Pendleton quarterback Isaiah Gardner, Ritchie County running back Tre Moss and Moorefield's Matthew Jenkins, with Ritchie's Gus Morrison and Madonna's Brennan Secrist the wide receivers.