Ripley players look on from the dugout during Saturday's Class AAA state championship game at Marshall University's Jack Cook Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

HUNTINGTON — Fourth-seeded Ripley’s run to a second consecutive Class AAA state championship was derailed here Saturday afternoon by No. 2 St. Albans as the Red Dragons won the school’s third title for head man Rick Whitman following an 11-3 victory.

SAHS, which finished 32-5 and had previously won crowns in 2017 and 2019, sent 14 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first and pushed across eight runs.

The Vikings (25-13) struck in the top of the first when West Virginia University commit Bryson Casto reached on an infield single and scored on losing pitcher Parker Keller’s double to center.

Keller, Nevan Cale and Jace Goode recorded one out apiece as the Vikings finally got out of the inning, but the damage was done.

“We just came out swinging,” said Whitman, who got 4 1-3 innings of seven-hit ball from Gavin Comer while Brogan Samms finished it off allowing just one hit the rest of the way.

Ripley's Bryson Casto celebrates following his Little League home run during Saturday's Class AAA state championship game versus St. Albans at Marshall University's Jack Cook Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

“We hadn’t swung it great the whole tournament, but we did today. Good timing. I think Ripley brought their whole town. I’m really happy with our crowd. St. Albans likes winners.”

The first six Red Dragons — Braxton Burke, Comer, Samms, Chance Campbell, Kayden Riggan and Jonah Carte — all reached and a pair of errors fueled the big frame.

SAHS had runs-batted-in from Burke, Comer and Carte while Campbell drove in a pair, which included getting plunked with the bases loaded. Burke also scored twice and the inning was nearly bigger as Riggan drove a ball into deep center with the bases still loaded, but Eli Phalen was able to track it down.

“There’s nothing to hang their heads about,” admitted RHS skipper Shane Casto. “They fought the entire game. We dug ourselves a big hole again like we did in game one and they could’ve easily just rolled over and turned in everything and been done with it, but they didn’t.

“They fought and hats off to St. Albans. They got a great team, great coaching staff. They earned it today. There’s nothing we can say about it. We didn’t hand it over. They had to go all seven innings to get it and they did. Our guys fought and I’m proud of them.”

Ripley head coach Shane Casto talks strategy with Brady McVay (7) and Eli Casto during a break in the action of Saturday's Class AAA state championship game against St. Albans at Marshall University's Jack Cook Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

It appeared the Vikings had something going in the second when No. 7 hitter Cash Clendenin coaxed a base on balls and John Cummings followed with a single, but Comer fanned Phalen and got Casto to ground out.

Ripley catcher Peyton Keller had a leadoff single in the third, but courtesy runner Eli Casto was erased on a fielder’s choice and then the Red Dragons turned an inning-ending 3-6 double play thanks to Josiah Cochran and Samms.

St. Albans added a run in the third when Comer reached on the Vikings’ third error and later scored on a wild pitch.

The Jackson County gang continued to fight and pushed across their final two runs in the fifth. Cummings drew a four-pitch free pass and Casto followed with a Little League home run after he doubled and crossed on an outfield error. Ripley was looking for more when Peyton Keller doubled to deep left, but Brady McVay hit into an inning-ending 6-3 double play.

However, St. Albans got those runs back in the home half of the frame. Samms doubled and scored on Carte’s sacrifice fly. Campbell, who had reached via an infield single, set the final score when he touched home after an error.

St. Albans' Gavin Comer slides into third base before Ripley's Kyler Doss can make the tag during Saturday's Class AAA state championship game at Marshall University's Jack Cook Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Kyler Doss had a one-out single in the sixth and Cummings drew a two-out walk, but they were left stranded.

“They’re winners,” coach Casto said of seniors Landon Meadows, Doss, McVay, Phalen and Christopher Patterson. “They’ve always won from the time they’ve been 8U coach-pitch winning a District 3 title when they were 8 years old. They’ve played basketball and made it to the state tournament. They’ve won a state title in baseball. They’ve been here twice. Game 3 with (Cabell) Midland there in ’24 went 12 innings.

“These guys have left a big, big footprint on Ripley baseball and they’ll be remembered for a long time. I’ve watched them all grow up because my son’s their age. I look at them like my own kids and I care a lot about them as well as the rest of the guys, but those guys I’ve watched them grow up. I’m looking forward to seeing what life brings for them and I wish them nothing but the best.”

St. Albans matched the Vikings’ eight hits, but had two less errors while leaving 11 runners stranded compared to Ripley’s half dozen.

“Our fans are great,” added coach Casto, who had Meadows, Peyton Keller and Bryson Casto earn all-tournament honors. “They really showed up today, especially with gas the price it is and an hour and a half drive they still showed up.

“It’s what they do. It’s a great community and everybody knows everybody. It has a history and it’s just wonderful to see a big sea of blue, and St. Albans had a great crowd. It was a great environment.”

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

Class AAA state championship at Marshall’s Jack Cook Field

St. Albans 11, Ripley 3

RHS 100 020 0 – 3 8 4

SAHS 801 020 x – 11 8 2

WP: Gavin Comer 4.1IP, 7H, 3R, 2ER, 2BB, 3SO

Brogan Samms 2.2IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 2SO

LP: Parker Keller .1IP, 4H, 7R, 2ER, 1BB, 1SO

Nevan Cale .1IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 2BB, 0SO

Jace Goode 0.1 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0SO

Eli Phalen 2IP, 0H, 1R, 0ER, 4BB, 1SO

Brady McVay 3IP, 3H, 2R, 1ER, 2BB, 0 SO

#4 Ripley (25-13) hitting: Bryson Casto 2-4, 2 R, 2B, RBI; Peyton Keller 2-4, 2B; Parker Keller 2-4, 2B, RBI; Kyler Doss 1-2; John Cummings 1-1 R

#2 St. Albans (32-5) hitting: Braxton Burke 1-4, 2 R, RBI; Comer 2-5, 2 R, RBI; Samms 1-2, 2 R, SB, 2B; Chance Campbell 2-4, 2 R, SB, 2 RBIs; Devon Hatfield R; Jonah Carte 1-2, R, 2 RBIs; Mason Bledsoe 1-4; Gavin Grigsby R

All-tournament: Lucas Rohrig (Bridgeport), Parker Phillips (Spring Valley), Tyler Wilhite (Shady Spring), Bryson Casto (Ripley, Landon Meadows (Ripley), Peyton Keller (Ripley),

Chance Campbell (St. Albans), Braxton Burke (St. Albans), Brogan Samms (St. Albans), MVP: Gavin Comer (St. Albans)

Ripley Vikings State Championship History

1993: State runner-up – lost to Jefferson, 9-3

1997: State champion – def. Jefferson, 2-1

2004: State champion – def. Fairmont Senior, 6-3

2025: State champion – def. Frankfort, 5-0

2026: State runner-up – lost to St. Albans, 11-3