2025 West Virginia State Championships Recap

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 30% Off Your Subscription with Code PRZWV30 at Checkout!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Four teams have cemented themselves in history as they bring back a state championship trophy to their respective schools. Laidley Field in Charleston, WV, hosted four tremendous matchups and displayed some of the best football that the state has to offer, with high-profile athletes and competitive games that went down to the wire. Here's our recap of the 2025 West Virginia State Championships. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#1 MORGANTOWN vs #3 MARTINSBURG </strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/box-score {"name":"acf/box-score","data":{"game":["2073634"],"_game":"field_6a1b2c3d4e5f7"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6935c20d0ecf6"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Morgantown avenged its regular-season loss to Martinsburg by capitalizing on key momentum swings to claim the Class AAAA state championship, 28-21. After a tight first half, the Mohigans exploded with two touchdowns in the final 22 seconds before halftime, then opened the third quarter with another scoring drive to build a 21-point lead. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='923337' first='Maddox' last='Twigg'] powered the surge with big throws to [player_tooltip player_id='1686033' first='Carter' last='Cooper'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1588447' first='Tanzer' last='George'] and three rushing touchdowns, helping Morgantown seize full control before the break.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Martinsburg refused to fold, cutting the deficit with second-half touchdowns from quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='895900' first='Brian' last='Dick'], who was the Bulldogs' most productive player both through the air and on the ground. The Bulldogs mounted a late charge, recovering a punt and driving deep into Morgantown territory with under two minutes left. However, their final possession stalled near the red zone, and a mismanaged spike on fourth down sealed the Mohigans' victory with one second remaining.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Twigg finished with 316 total yards and ten tackles, while Cooper and George combined for 181 receiving yards. Dick accounted for 272 total yards and found reliable production from [player_tooltip player_id='1154974' first='Boston' last='Todd'], who caught 11 passes for 136 yards. Morgantown improved to 6–2 in championship games, while Martinsburg saw an 11-game title-game win streak come to an end.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#2 PRINCETON vs #5 NITRO</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/box-score {"name":"acf/box-score","data":{"game":["2073663"],"_game":"field_6a1b2c3d4e5f7"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6935c20d0ed3e"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Princeton capped a wild postseason by rallying for a 36–35 win over Nitro to secure its first-ever Class AAA state championship. The Tigers erupted for 23 points in the fourth quarter and ultimately held the Wildcats off when Nitro's potential game-winning 2-point pass in the final two minutes fell incomplete. Princeton sealed the victory by recovering the onside kick and running out the clock at UC Stadium.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The game was tight throughout, with the teams tied 7–7 at halftime after trading early touchdowns. Nitro struck first in the second half behind a long scoring pass to [player_tooltip player_id='866254' first='Malachi' last='Thompson'], but [player_tooltip player_id='1096605' first='Brad' last='Mossor'] repeatedly answered for Princeton, piling up touchdowns on the ground and through the air. Key defensive plays, particularly two interceptions from [player_tooltip player_id='1475994' first='Landon' last='Crane'], kept Princeton within striking distance and set up short fields during the comeback push. Nitro briefly built a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Princeton countered with a deep touchdown from [player_tooltip player_id='1011963' first='Chance' last='Barker'] to Mossor and then the go-ahead score with just over three minutes left.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mossor delivered a massive performance, finishing with over 240 yards of offense and five total touchdowns to power Princeton's late surge. Barker complemented him with an efficient passing night, while Nitro quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='894669' first='Eian' last='Duffy'] threw for 275 yards and three scores in defeat. Thompson closed his high school career with 114 receiving yards, but Nitro's offense couldn't convert its final chance, allowing Princeton's dramatic rally to stand as the championship-winning moment.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#1 FRANKFORT 48 vs #2 BLUEFIELD 42</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Frankfort claimed the Class AA state championship in one of the most dramatic finishes in West Virginia high school football history, defeating Bluefield 49-42 on a touchdown with three seconds remaining. After Bluefield tied the game at 42 with a late scoring drive and 2-point conversion, the Falcons immediately answered. A short kickoff return set Frankfort up near midfield, and on the final offensive snap, [player_tooltip player_id='1154895' first='Braydn' last='Tyler'], aligned in a wildcat look, rolled right and delivered a perfectly timed 43-yard touchdown pass to [player_tooltip player_id='2004059' first='Keiton' last='Nester'], who initially sold a blocking look before slipping behind the secondary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That play capped a wild fourth quarter that featured 42 total points and multiple lead changes. Bluefield briefly moved in front twice, including a 34-28 edge after a blocked extra point, but Frankfort continually responded. Tyler broke loose for a 52-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-6, and Cole Shanholtz added a physical 4-yard scoring run that put the Falcons ahead 42-34 with just over three minutes left. Bluefield's [player_tooltip player_id='1166648' first='Max' last='Simpson'] then engineered a final push, converting a fourth down and hitting [player_tooltip player_id='1866730' first='Tylee' last='Simon'] for a 40-yard touchdown before finding Pax Calhoun in the end zone for the tying conversion with 14 seconds to go, setting the stage for Frankfort's historic answer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The championship showcased explosive offense on both sides with 911 combined yards. Simpson threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns, with Calhoun catching three scores, while Bluefield added 137 rushing yards from [player_tooltip player_id='1958273' first='Jeremiah' last='Jones']. Frankfort leaned heavily on its ground game, where Tyler rushed for 180 yards, Cole Shanholtz added 75 and three touchdowns, and [player_tooltip player_id='1580708' first='Carder' last='Shanholtz'] contributed 68 more. The Falcons completed just four passes overall, but their final one, a perfectly executed wrinkle out of a run-heavy formation, delivered the program's most iconic play and sealed an undefeated 14-0 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>#1 WHEELING CENTRAL vs #3 CLAY-BATTELLE</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:acf/box-score {"name":"acf/box-score","data":{"game":["2073608"],"_game":"field_6a1b2c3d4e5f7"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6935c20d0ed79"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wheeling Central had no early answer for Clay-Battelle's passing attack, as the Cee-Bees struck repeatedly through the air to build a 20–7 lead behind big plays from [player_tooltip player_id='1881425' first='Corey' last='Coen'], [player_tooltip player_id='1137698' first='Braden' last='Ponceroff'], and Cody Clovis. But while Clay-Battelle thrived through the air, Central quickly showed it could dominate on the ground. [player_tooltip player_id='1580716' first='Kade' last='Koroneos'] took over the game, powering the Maroon Knights' offense and beginning a historic rushing performance that steadily chipped away at the deficit.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Once Central settled in defensively and started forcing stops, the momentum shifted decisively. Koroneos piled up chunk gains behind a physical offensive line and produced three first-half touchdowns to flip the scoreboard, sending Central into halftime ahead 28–20. The Maroon Knights continued to control the trenches after the break, with quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1157631' first='Nico' last='Kusic'] adding explosive runs that stretched the lead while the defense tightened and limited Clay-Battelle's earlier rhythm through the air.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Central's relentless rushing attack ultimately overwhelmed the Cee-Bees. Koroneos finished with a state-record 415 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, while Kusic added 153 more on the ground as part of a 560-yard team rushing effort. Although Clay-Battelle continued to land big plays through Coen, Ponceroff, and Clovis, they couldn't match Central's physicality or depth as the Maroon Knights pulled away for a 56–34 win and another state championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->