Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writers
Being a student athlete requires a lot of work and commitment. Not only do you have to worry about getting your schoolwork done, you have practices and games – both home and away – that take up a lot of your time.
It takes a dedicated and determined student to step onto the field or onto the hardwood to represent their school.
At the Pocahontas County High School Athletic Banquet May 28, the student athletes were recognized for their incredible year and the achievements they made.
Before turning the podium over to the coaches, vice-principal Jeanette Wagner took a moment to remember Colten Luikart, who unexpectedly passed away in 2019. A lone table was set for Luikart, who would have been a senior this year. The table was to remind his classmates that he will always be with them.
Wagner presented Luikart’s Pocahontas County High School athletic letter to his family.
During the meal, guest speaker Dave Barksdale spoke about his illustrious career as a basketball coach. Barksdale started his career in basketball as a player at Woodrow Wilson High School. He then took on the coaching position in 1988, which he held for 17 years.
In those 17 years, he led Woodrow Wilson to five state championship wins.
Barksdale didn’t give up coaching when he left Woodrow Wilson. Instead, he continued his passion by offering basketball camps, including several here in Pocahontas County.
His passion for basketball is evident when he speaks about his career and shares stories about former players. He recalled driving players home after practice because they didn’t have a ride and making sure that everyone who wanted to play got an opportunity to do so.
In closing, Barksdale left the students with some words of wisdom.
“We also hear this – ‘I can’t do it; I can’t do it,’” he said. “I’m asking all of you, just say one word after ‘I can’t do it.’ Yet. ‘I can’t do it, yet, but by golly, I will. That would be something I hope I can convey to you tonight.”
Scholarships and awards were presented during the evening. The William Dilley Scholarship Award was presented to Nathaniel Wimer by its founder Mali Minter.
Receiving the June Riley Award were Wade Garber and Ramona Hardy. The Arch Wooddell Award was presented to Berkley Buzzard and Dylan Keller.
Allyson Taylor was named Athlete of the Year. Coach of the Year went to Tim McClung and Assistant Coach of the Year to Matt Buzzard.
Golf coach Pete Monico recognized his players and said, this year, the team participated in regionals. The team is composed of – seniors Carter Vandevander and Warren Burns; sophomores Dallas Sharp and Mazie Monico; and freshmen Cade Wagner and Julia Brown.
Volleyball returned to PCHS this year after years without a team. Coach Crystal Keatley recognized the girls who stepped forward and worked hard to rebuild a team. It was a rough season with getting a schedule together and finding places to practice, but Keatley said the team did a great job.
Team members are juniors – Maia O’Doherty, Natalye Burdette, Riyan Gladwell, Caroline Bennett, Charleigh Halterman, Cadence Kerr, Sabrina Hammons and Kennedi Ross; sophomores – Carly Robinson, Rylynn Barlow and Miley Moyers; and freshmen – Laila Clendenen, Ryley Kerr, Brynn Clutter, Izabella Barr, Kat Canoy, Nicole Strader, Lily Barr and Claire Kelk.
Boys soccer coach Justin Dilley said he is proud of the season the team had this year. They ended the season with eight wins and nine loses, losing in a playoff game.
Several members of the team made the A-AA All-State Teams. Named to the first team was Wade Garber, a forward; to the second team, Tristen O’Steen, a defender; and honorable mention: Kaden Wayne, Quincy Sharp and Luke Taylor.
The boys soccer team: seniors – Kaden Wayne, Dylan Keller, Tristen O’Steen, Ayden Fedak and Wade Garber; juniors – Quincy Sharp and Ben Workman; sophomores – Owen Keffer, Luke Taylor and Dallas Sharp; and freshmen – Ezra Bond, AJ Bauserman, Eli Beezley, Tyler Friel and Silas Dean.
Girls soccer coach Shannon Arbogast introduced the team and said they had a stellar year with 11 wins, seven losses and one draw.
Girls who made the A-AA State Teams were: second team, Shayla Bennett, goalkeeper; and Ramona Hardy, midfielder; and honorable mention: Riley Cassell, Chloe Annett and Allyson Taylor.
Arbogast also recognized Shayla Bennett for signing with Potomac State College where she will play on the Catamounts team as goalie.
The team: seniors – Ramona Hardy and Shayla Bennett; juniors – Alexis Arbogast, Riley Cassell, Erin Rider and Allyson Taylor; sophomores – Lexie Burdette, Ahna Valach, Keiara Vandevender, Willa Hardy, Abby Bauserman, Hailey Price and Lille Cassell; and freshmen – Zara Fanning, Moriah Thompson, Jolene Workman, Haiven Brown, Adalee Hayes and Chloe Annett. Team manager was junior Baylee Nelson.
Cheerleading coach Bridget Koerber recognized the girls for their dedication to cheering nearly all year long – at both fall and winter sports.
Cheerleaders: seniors – Berkley Buzzard, Callie Davis, Heidi Jordan and Madilyn Hicks; sophomores – Nadiya Kerr, Halleigh Teter, Grace Faubert, Faith Dilley, Mallory Koerber and Olivia Kimble; and Freshman – Amelia Hicks.
Before recognizing his players, football coach Doug Burns took a moment to remember the late Delmos Barb, who was a football coach for years at PCHS.
The team finished the season with three wins, seven loses and was ranked 17 in the state.
Haydon Moore and Griffin Taylor were named to the honorable mention Class A All-State team.
Making the Potomac Valley Conference teams were: first team – Gary Warner, defensive line; Griffin Taylor, inside linebacker; and Hayden Moore, running back and punter. Second team – Austin Price, linebacker; Morgan Beverage, defensive back and running back; Gary Warner, offensive line; and Griffin Taylor, quarterback. Honorable mention – Camden Gregory, defensive back; and Thomas Arbogast, offensive line.
Burns also recognized Griffin Taylor as Most Outstanding player and R.T. Hill and Most Improved player.
The football team: seniors – Haydon Moore, Gary Warner and Jacob Bennett; juniors – Logan Keatley, Griffin Taylor, Morgan Beverage, Anthony Bennett, Gavin Jordan, Camden Gregory, Austin Price, Aiden Jordan, Thomas Arbogast and Ricky Osborne; sophomores – Dominick Barnes, Brom Koerber, Jonathan Whitworth, Jonah Whitworth, Nick Beverage, Har-ley Bennett and R.T. Hill; and freshmen – Flash Gregory, Payden Kerr, Joey McClure, George Shifflett, Mitchell Koerber, Levi Hill, Colton Cassell, Malachi Lupton, James Smith and Noah Foe.
Boys basketball coach J.D. Sharp recognized the team for working through coaching changes and a difficult schedule. The team finished the season with five wins, 13 loses and four ties.
Sharp presented the following awards – Most Improved player and Work Ethic Award, Eli Beezley; Leadership award, Dylan Keller; and Defensive player of the year, Cash Beers.
The team: seniors – Dylan Keller and Carter Vadevander; juniors – Cash Beers, Benjamin Workman and Damian Blankenship; sophomores – Dawn Deputy, Jonathan Whitworth, Michael Mason and Luke Taylor; and freshmen – James Smith, Danny Bennett, Payden Kerr, Eli Beezley and George Shifflett.
The girls basketball team was recognized for being the Region II, Class A champions with a banner raising as coach Tim McClung took the podium.
The team finished with season with 19 wins and three loses, falling to St. Mary’s at the state tournament. The girls also won the Summers County Tournament, with Lexi Arbogast, Savanna Sharp and Calli Propst being named to the All-Tournament Team. Sharp also won MVP at the tournament.
McClung recognized Allyson Taylor, who broke the single game rebound record. Taylor was also named to the PVC Division 2 team; as well as to First Team Class A All-State.
The girls basketball team: seniors – Shayla Bennett and Calli Propst; juniors – Alexis Arbogast, Charleigh Halterman and Allyson Taylor; sophomores – Savana Sharp, Keiara Vandevender, Rylynn Barlow, Lexie Burdette, Mazie Monico, ReeAnna Alderman and Halleigh Teter; and freshmen – Ryley Kerr, Hailey Goldsberry, Eowyn Smith, Julia Brown, Chloe Annett, Jolene Workman and Haiven Brown.
Baseball coach Paul Hill presented the following awards – RBI Logan Keatley and Cade Wagner; Low Strike Out, Warren Burns; and Most hits, R.T. Hill.
The team: seniors – Dylan Keller, Warren Burns and Gary Warner; juniors – Ricky Osborne, Logan Keatley and James VanReenen; sophomores – Michael Mason, Kegan Calhoun, Wesson Peck and R.T. Hill; and freshmen – Malachi Lupton, Cade Wagner, George Shifflett, Silas Sattler and Levi Hill.
Softball coach Natasha Trainer said the team finished the season with four wins, 11 loses and went to the second game in regionals.
Trainer presented the follow awards: Golden Glove, Halleigh Teter; Most Improved players, Paisley Lane, Eowyn Smith and Keiara Vandevender; and the Warrior Award, Riley Kerr.
The team: senior – Berkley Buzzard; juniors – Charleigh Halterman and Cadence Kerr; sophomores – Paisley Lane, Keiara Vandevender and Halleigh Teter; and freshmen – Ryley Kerr, Khloe Gainer, Nicole Strader and Eowyn Smith.
Boys and girls track coach Karen O’Neil said the team only had nine meets this year because three were canceled.
Because the banquet was after the state track meet, O’Neil was able to share results from the event. Ten members of the team participated, and several came home with medals.
The boys 4×800 relay team of Ezra Bond, Elia Beezley, Dawson Deputy and Silas Dean placed 10th.
Gavin Doolittle placed sixth in discus; Nate Wimer placed ninth in long jump; Allyson Taylor placed ninth in shot put and second place in discus; and Riley Cassell placed 16th in long jump.
In order to letter in track, athletes must earn at least 15 points in a season. O’Neil recognized track members who earned more than 50 this season. Eli Beezley, 67 points; Dawson Deputy, 78 points; Riley Cassell, 82 points; and Gavin Doolittle, 98 points.
Two freshmen earned more than 100 points – Ezra Bond, 109 points and Silas Dean, 124 points.
Finally, O’Neil recognized Allyson Taylor, who earned 215 points and broke her own school record. Last year, Taylor broke the PCHS record in discus with 117 feet, 2 inches. This year at regionals, she threw 119 feet, 1 inch. At the state track meet, she also threw 119 feet, 1 inch.
It was at a regular meet in Keyser where Taylor set the new record at 119 feet, five inches, breaking her 2025-2026 record by two feet, two inches.
The boys team: seniors – Carter Vandevander and Nathaniel Wimer; juniors – Austin Price, Damian Blankenship, Gavin Jordan, Quincy Sharp and Gavin Doolittle; sophomores – Brom Koerber, Jonah Whitworth, Jonathan Whitworth and Dawson Deputy; and freshmen – Mitchell Koerber, Liam Burdette, Richard White, Ezra Bond, Silas Dean, Eli Beezley and Noah Foe.
The girls team: seniors – Addyson Puffenbarger and Heidi Jordan; juniors – Dixie Schoolcraft, Catherine Lucabaugh, Riley Cassell, Sabrina Hamons and Allyson Taylor; sophomores – Grace Faubert, Mallory Koerber, Isabella Grogg and Nadiya Kerr; and freshmen – Emma McCaerty, Jolene Workman and Lily Barr.
At the end of the evening, student representatives from each team presented Athletic Director Fred Koerber and his wife, Bridget, with cards of appreciation and a team-signed basketball, baseball, soccer ball, softball and football.
