Each year, PCHS coaches vote for a male and female senior athlete who exhibits excellent sportsmanship. The award was established to honor Wooddell, who was an assistant football coach at PCHS in the 1970s.
Rexrode was a member of the soccer, basketball and track teams. Warder was a member of the basketball, track and softball teams. Photo courtesy of Kristy Tritapoe
Pocahontas County High School athletic program had an interesting 2019-2020 school year. Fall and winter teams had a full season, while the spring teams were unable to compete due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PCHS was unable to host an athletic banquet – an annual event where student athletes are recognized for their skills, and awards are presented to senior athletes.
Warrior Football
Football coach Doug Burns and assistant coaches Matt Buzzard, Aaron Pugh, J. R. Kiner, Ray Hendrick and Justin Kerr want to honor their teams and congratulate the senior athletes for persevering in the most unique year of their high school career. The Warriors finished football season with a 4 – 6 record, and ranked 23 in the state.
Team Roster
Freshmen – Evan Hamrick, Ryan Halterman, Connor Taylor, Braedan Hay- hurst, Nakota Smith, Gage Wilson, Ryan Friel, Brycen Carroll, Waylon Lucabaugh, Ryan Roy, Josten Moyers, Austin Morgan, Nathan Boy-len, Traves Lewis, Logan Wimer and Holden Sharp.
Sophomores – Cash Keating, Frankie Burgess, Cage Burdette, Ethan Hamrick, Jonathon Valido, A. J. Madison and Ryan Robertson.
Juniors – Keaton Baldwin, Logan Ryder, Jacob Barkley, Ty Cochran, John Fitzgerald, Jesse Bostic, Jarett Lucabaugh, Haiden Gladwell, Jacob Davis and Matthew Hipes.
Seniors – Dillon Shinaberry, Devyn Young, Reese Kelley, Dustin Fitzgerald, Isaac Evans, Brody Buzzard and Dalton Hendrick.
2019 Potomac Valley All-Conference Team
First Team – Dillon Shinaberry and Brody Buzzard.
Second Team – Jesse Bostic, Keaton Baldwin, Dustin Fitzgerald and Dalton Hendrick.
Honorable Mention – Logan Ryder, Jacob Barkley, Austin Morgan and Cage Burdette.
All-State Team
Honorable Mention – Keaton Baldwin.
Special Honorable Mention – Dillon Shinaberry.
Warrior Soccer
Both girls and boys soccer teams were coached by Shannon Arbogast.
Girls Team Roster
Freshmen – Katlyn Simmons, Sara Stull, Talisa Arbogast, Emma Riffe and Kelsi Taylor.
Sophomores – Makayla Vandevander, Macaden Taylor, Rayna Smith, Chasity Wimer, Makenna McKenney, Hazel Riley and Allyson Alderman.
Juniors – Savannah Mc-Million and Sienna Bircher.
Seniors – Emily Casto, Cloey Sharp, Elizabeth Hefner, Sage McLaughlin, Laila Calhoun, Alexa Taylor, Kira Bircher and Amelia Rose.
Boys Team Roster
Freshmen – Jesse Kelly and Max O’Ganian.
Sophomores – Iam Johnston and Kyle Wayne.
Juniors – Conner Spencer, Bryson Cassell, Timothy Sparks, Jacob Davis, Wyatt Foe, Brandon Price, Hadden Mick and Alan Gibson.
Seniors – Garrett Coleman, Kolton Alderman, Dakin Rexrode, Bill Hardesty and Dakota Workman.
West Virginia Sports Writer’s Association All-State A-AA Team
Second Team – Kira Bircher.
Honorable Mention – Sienna Bircher and Laila Calhoun.
Boys A-AA Region 3
All-Region
First Team – Kolton Alderman.
Second Team – Jacob Davis, Timmy Sparks and Bryson Cassell.
Girls A-AA Region 3 All-Region
First Team – Kira Bircher, Laila Calhoun and Savannah McMillion.
Second Team – Macaden Taylor and Sienna Bircher.
All State Honors
Boys, Honorable Mention – Kolton Alderman.
Girls, Second Team – Savannah McMillion.
Honorable Mention – Kira Bircher and Laila Calhoun.
Kira Bircher was named Player of the Week by the Fall United Soccer Coaches/ Max Preps for the week of October 6-13.
Cheerleaders
Cheerleading coaches Darlene Arbogast and Crystal Kerr had a banner year with the squad, placing fourth in the region in competition. This is the highest ranking the team has ever received.
Cheerleaders earning pins:
Senior – Sierra Rodriguez.
Juniors – Kinley Taylor, Cassidy Hardesty, Chloe Hardesty, Tessa Kiner, Breanna Sharp and Autumn Lane.
Sophomores – Jayden Cover, Rachel Burns, Cassandra Moats, Delania Luikart and Jaedyn Irvine.
Freshmen – Haley Spen-cer, Amanda Burns and Lia Miner.
Warrior Basketball
The Lady Warriors’ basketball season ended as they were, literally, on the way to the State Playoffs.
The season ended with 18 wins in regular season and 3 wins in tournament play. The Ladies were undefeated on their home court.
The team was ranked number three in the state Class A Coaches Poll, Metro News Power Index, BasketballNight.com, Power Ratings and The Associated Press Poll.
Led by coach Mike Kane and assistant coaches Allen Taylor and Chloe Bland, the team was set to play number five Summers County in the State Tournament, and ended the year as the number four ranked team.
Girls Team Roster
Sophomores – Macaden Taylor and Allyson Alderman.
Juniors – Kierstin Taylor, Tessa Kiner and Sienna Bircher.
Seniors – Jerica Reed, Kira Bircher, Laila Calhoun, Alexa Taylor and Charity Warder.
All senior members set school records this year and are now members of the Lady Warriors Hall of Fame.
Jerica Reed – four three-pointers in one quarter.
Alexa Taylor – 350 career assists, breaking Jennifer Young’s record.
Charity Warder – 181 season rebounds.
Kira Bircher – 17 steals in a game, breaking Madeline Jerome’s record.
Laila Calhoun – scored 40 points in a game, breaking Chloe Bland’s record; joined the 1,000 point club.
Boys basketball – led by coach Scott Garber and assistant coach Kathy Mason – had a great year, with a strong group of students who stuck together throughout the season.
Boys Team Roster
Freshmen – Jax Osborne, Nacota Smith, Holden Sharp, Cole Keller, Ryan Halterman, William Wilson and Braedan Hayhurst.
Sophomores – Hunter Curran, Franklin Burgess, Sean Bevearge, Cash Keating, Jamie Vandevender and Ethan Armstrong.
Juniors – Devon Biggs and Brandon Burns.
Seniors – Dakota Workman, Brody Buzzard, Dalton Hendrick, Kolton Alderman and Dakin Rexrode.
Warrior Golf
Golf team coach David Moore said the three-man team – David Gibb, Michael Kane and Talon Shuttleworth – put forth a great effort this year. The season ended with Gibb placing 14th overall in Single A at the State Tournament.
Warrior Track
The girls and boys track teams were unable to compete this year, however, coaches Aaron Pugh and Josh Abbott recognized the athletes who would have represented PCHS.
Girls Roster
Freshmen – Haley Spen-cer, Makenzie Thomas, Sydney Puffenbarger, Grace Beverage, Amanda Burns, Christy Casey and Caitlin Mallow.
Sophomores – Jayden Cover, Makenna McKenney, Hazel Riley, Macaden Taylor and Joslyn Simmons.
Juniors – Kiara Davis, Savannah McMillion, Tessa Kiner and Cheylin Woodruff.
Seniors – Sage McLaughlin, Shayna Hammons, Laila Calhoun, Charity Warder, Cloey Sharp and Kira Bircher.
Boys Roster
Freshmen – Mason Solliday, Waylon Lucabaugh, Brycen Caroll, Max O’Ganian, Gage Wilson, Jax Osborne, Ryan Roy and Holden Sharp.
Sophomores – Max Er-vine, Carter Canada, Mateus Stitzinger, Sean Beverage, Iam Johnston, Aidan Madison, Ethan Armstrong and Cage Burdette.
Juniors – Ayden Carroll, Silas Riley, Jarett Lucabaugh, Conner Spencer, Wyatt Foe, Glenn Malcomb, Jacob Davis and Hadden Mick.
Seniors – Isaac Evans, Thomas Smith, Dakin Rexrode and Garrett Coleman.
Warrior Baseball
The baseball team didn’t get to hit the diamond this year. Coach Randy Irvine and assistant coach Lonnie Armstrong will regroup and prepare for the 2020-2021 season.
Team Roster
Freshmen – Randy Long, Nacota Smith and Austin Morgan.
Sophomores – David Gibb, Franklin Burgess, Jonathon Valido, Charles Long and Benjamin Dunz.
Juniors – Jesse Bostic and Jacob Barkley.
Seniors – Andrew Via, Bill Hardesty, Dalton Hendrick and Brody Buzzard.
Warrior Softball
Softball also missed having a season, but will be ready for next year with the help of coach Justin Kerr and assistant coaches Crystal Kerr and Ray Hendrick.
Team Roster
Freshmen – Grace Beverage, Talisa Arbogast, Me-linda Beverage, Emma Riffe, Kelsi Taylor and Kassidy Long.
Sophomores – Dakota Snider, Samantha Hammons, Maxine Puffenbarger, Sierra Calhoun and Rachel Ames.
Juniors – Autumn Lane, Jennalee Meck, Chloe Hardesty, Sienna Bircher, Emma Dean and Kierstin Taylor.
Seniors – Hallie Kane, Carly Keatley and Charity Warder.
