Get to know each of the West Virginia Mountaineers football commitments in the 2025 recruiting class with this feature from WVSports.com.
West Virginia
W.Va. approves $150M in school projects
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – More money for local schools.
West Virginia’s governor stood with county superintendents Wednesday, moments after he joined state officials in awarding nearly $150 million in school construction grants.
Buffalo Elementary in Wayne County, built more than 60 years ago, is set to close with an expansion to neighboring Buffalo Middle that will make the larger, combined facility a Pre-K through 8 school.
Michele Blatt, now state superintendent in West Virginia, served as the school’s principal for four years.
“We spent a lot of time with our PTO and with our community trying to make it as good as it could be for the students,” she told WSAZ.
Blatt says the Buffalo had been passed over for a number of years.
In fact, every project awarded Wednesday was passed over just months ago due to a lack of money.
But then, in March, lawmakers and Gov. Jim Justice added $150 million to the construction fund.
The governor’s chief of staff told an audience Wednesday that move is allowing the state’s School Building Authority to clear the deck.
“You cherry pick what you think are the most needed and the most important projects,” Governor Justice said afterward. “Really and truly, when it really comes right down to it, these extra dollars now help us to go back and get all the projects and everything, and at the end of the day, that’s monstrously important to those folks that have been passed over.”
In Cabell County, it means expansion at Cabell Midland High School and a new school for Ona Elementary. The aging elementary school lacks handicap accessibility and a sprinkler system.
“(It) is going to mean a new facility for generations of students that will be coming through Ona Elementary School,” said Ryan Saxe, superintendent of Cabell County Schools.
In Mingo County, it means a more secure entrance at Tug Valley High School.
“It means that when they come to school, everyone who should be in that building is in that building and people who should not will not be able to be in the building,” said Johnny Branch, superintendent of Mingo County Schools.
“And without the funding you weren’t able to move forward with the project?” asked WSAZ NewsChannel 3 reporter Curtis Johnson.
“No,” he replied. “We just did not have the funds locally.”
Along with new construction, the $150 million is also a key factor in West Virginia satisfying concerns that the federal government had regarding the state’s spending of COVID relief.
Justice predicts that issue will be settled with no pay back to the federal government.
The Buffalo and Ona Elementary projects rank rank as the most expensive projects approved Wednesday.
Copyright 2024 WSAZ. All rights reserved.
West Virginia
End of an era: West Virginia falls 2-1 to Tar Heels in Mazey's final game as head coach – WV MetroNews
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — When West Virginia earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament, there were no shortage of question marks regarding the team’s pitching staff outside of ace Derek Clark.
Tyler Switalski and Carson Estridge provided answers and then some to many of those questions, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Mountaineers’ season from ending Saturday night in a 2-1 loss to No. 4 North Carolina at Boshamer Stadium.
“That’s the best Switalski has pitched as a Mountaineer for him to do that on this stage,” WVU head coach Randy Mazey said following the final game of his coaching career. “These kids in this West Virginia program will remember this feeling watching the other team dogpile and that kind of stuff drives you. They’re going to have to drive without ole coach Maze. But they’ll remember this feeling. The first time you play in a super regional, it’s hard. This is the natural progression of a program.”
Vance Honeycutt led off the contest with a home run on the game’s first pitch with the Tar Heels serving as the road team in their home stadium, but it was the right arm of freshman Jason DeCaro that was instrumental in leading UNC (47-14) to its 12th appearance in a College World Series and first since 2018.
DeCaro, who enrolled early at UNC after bypassing his senior year of high school, was dominant throughout. He worked 6 1/3 innings and limited the Mountaineers to two hits, including one over the first six innings.
“He’s a special kid. Ultra competitive,” UNC head coach Scott Forbes said. “He gave up his senior year of high school because he trusted us.”
For DeCaro, it was important to put forth a better showing Saturday than what he displayed over two appearances last week when he was tagged for five runs in six innings.
“The biggest thing is I wasn’t too happy with last weekend and the coaches were great helping me out, working with me and helping me stay within myself,” DeCaro said. “All credit to them for giving me the game plan to go out there and do it.”
The Tar Heels’ first sign of trouble came in the seventh with a 2-0 lead.
Reed Chumley’s one-out single marked the end of DeCaro’s memorable outing, and although reliever Dalton Pence struck out Grant Hussy upon entering, he then walked Spencer Barnett and surrendered a single to Kyle West that allowed the Mountaineers (36-24) to cut their deficit in half.
Pence struck out Ben Lumsden to keep UNC in front through seven frames.
WVU relief pitcher Carson Estridge, who entered with two on and one out in the seventh, escaped a bases loaded jam that inning before preventing the Tar Heels from scoring in the eighth and ninth as well.
“We said going into it we’re playing with house money because we’d never been this far as a program,” Mazey said. “That doesn’t mean it’s OK to lose, but you can play more relaxed. We did. We played relaxed and confident. I don’t think there was a doubt from anybody in our dugout that we’d win this game.”
While Pence retired the Mountaineers in order in the eighth, they put together quite a threat in the ninth.
Sam White accounted for a leadoff single and after Chumley struck out, pinch runner Armani Guzman advanced to second on a wild pitch. Grant Hussey then worked a walk to put the winning run on base, before pinch hitter Ellis Garcia was caught looking on a 2-2 pitch.
But when West worked a walk on a full count offering, the winning run was in scoring position for Lumsden.
Yet Pence maintained his poise and induced a ground ball to first base for the final out, which he recorded after taking a throw from Harber, allowing the Tar Heels to dogpile in celebration on the mound.
“I’m not a runner. I had to dig it pretty good to get over there,” Pence said. “After I caught the ball and hit the bag, just an unbelievable feeling and we’re going to Omaha.”
Switalski got off to an inauspicious start when he surrendered a home run to Honeycutt, the leadoff batter’s single-season program record 26th this season, which came one night after he belted a two-run walk-off home run in an 8-6 UNC win.
The southpaw settled in from there and retired eight straight battled until the second out of the third inning.
“First pitch caught a little too much of the zone. I had to redial it back in and keep competing,” Switalski said. “Kept competing and going down the order.”
With two outs in the third, Honeycutt alertly bunted for a single, which was followed by consecutive singles from Casey Cook and Parks Harber, the latter of which allowed Honeycutt to score what proved to be the winning run.
“In that inning there were two quick outs in front of me. I was trying to get it to the next guy and that was a good opportunity for me to do it with them shifting three guys to the other side,” Honeycutt said of the bunt single.
WVU’s offense, meanwhile, struggled mightily to produce. Brodie Kresser’s second-inning single marked the Mountaineers’ lone hit through six innings, and Kresser was forced to leave ahead of the fourth inning due to an injury he suffered while sliding into second on a stolen base.
Kresser was replaced by Barnett, before Garcia pinch hit for him in the ninth.
West Virginia looked to have a shot at the tying run reaching base in the eighth, but Skylar King’s well-struck fly ball was tracked down by Honeycutt in right-center.
“I’ve been saying since the beginning of the season he’s the best player in the country and I really believe that,” Forbes said.
The result brings an end to West Virginia’s season as well as Mazey’s coaching career, with the veteran skipper having announced last summer that this would be his final season.
Mazey finishes with 558 career wins and a 372-275 record over 12 seasons with the Mountaineers.
“I told my guys out there in my 35 years of coaching, that’s the team I want to end my career with,” Mazey said. “I love every one of them and I think they know that. The way we coach is I don’t care if you don’t get hits or throw strikes, I won’t love you any less. When kids play that way, it enables them to play more free.”
Randy Mazey met by daughter Sierra and wife Amanda following his last game as head coach. pic.twitter.com/NU1QmgXZ6q
— Greg Carey (@gcarey938) June 9, 2024
Pence threw the final 2 2/3 innings after replacing DeCaro. He struck out six, walked three and yielded two hits.
“He’s one of the best relievers in the country,” Mazey said.
Switlaski, who did not log more than five innings in any regular season appearance, had his second straight strong outing in the postseason. After throwing 7 2/3 innings in a win last week against Grand Canyon, the southpaw limited the Tar Heels to two runs over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out four, walked one and allowed five hits.
“On a big stage,” Switalski said, “you have to have confidence and not let the moment scare you.”
Estridge worked 2 2/3 scoreless and hitless innings in relief with six strikeouts.
Honeycutt, who finished 2-for-4, was the only player in the game with more than one hit.
Mountaineer standout shortstop JJ Wetherholt was hitless in four at bats and struggled over five NCAA Tournament games, going 4-for-20 without an extra-base hit.
“I wanted to win this one so bad and it’s how the game goes sometimes,” Wetherholt said. “It’s a tough game.”
West Virginia
Rosters set for annual North-South All-Star Basketball games – WV MetroNews
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia Athletic Directors Association (WVADA) has announced the following student-athletes will be playing in the 2024 North-South All-Star Games at the South Charleston Community Center on Friday, June 14. The evening events begin at 5 p.m., including the girls game, boys game, and skills competitions.
South Boys Roster
Tate Adkins, Spring Valley
Zion Blevins, Chapmanville
Peyton Brown, St. Albans
Dylan Casto, Sissonville
Gavin Davis, Shady Spring
Brandan Isaac, Summers County
Cole Lambert, Wyoming East
Ammar Maxwell, Shady Spring
Braydon McClung, Greenbrier West
Elijah Redfern, Woodrow Wilson
Jayallen Turner, Charleston Catholic
North Boys Roster
Colin Cross, Weir
Brayden Edgell, Lincoln
James Fortney-Garbart, University
Jaiden Gladney, Jefferson
Ronnie Greist, Moorefield
Carter Hartsock, Trinity
Cameron Layton, Frankfort
Jacob Maier, Grafton
Kwynsie Pittsnogle, Hedgesville
Rayden Triplett, Webster County
South Girls Roster
Laneigh Brooks, Wayne
Maddie Clark, Wyoming East
Alaira Evans, Chapmanville
Cat Farmer, Pikeview
Mary Beth Meadows, James Monroe
Hailey Newsome, Nitro
Sophie Nichols, Ripley
Abigail Pruitt, River View
Charity Reichard, Meadow Bridge
Erin Ryan, Ripley
Cara Smith, Oak Hill
North Girls Roster
Jenna Barnett, Trinity
Izzy Blomquist, Hampshire
Emma Freels, North Marion
Macy Helmick, Tucker County
Kenna Maxwell, Lewis County
Tenley Paugh, Doddridge County
Ashlynn Peters, Hundred
Ashlyn Riley, Lincoln
Kenley Rogers, East Fairmont
Ashlynn Van Tassell, Cameron
Gracie Shamblin, Parkersburg South
West Virginia
WVSports – Meet the West Virginia Mountaineers football 2025 commitments
Cheshire (Ct.) Academy wide receiver Teriq Mallory received an offer from West Virginia in January after a stop by campus for a junior day event and held the program in high regard. However, he would announce a commitment to Wake Forest in mid-April and things seemed to come to a standstill with the Mountaineers. But due to the persistence of wide receivers coach Bilal Marshall, Mallory made it back to Morgantown for an official visit during the May 31 weekend and saw enough during that trip to flip his commitment in favor of West Virginia. Mallory is being targeted as a big outside wide receiver option that can stretch the field and go up and get the football. He collected other offers from Maryland, Duke and several more.
2025 WR Mallory flips commitment to West Virginia
Commitment 101
WR Mallory talks his top four
2025 WR Mallory discusses offer, visit to West Virginia
Highlights
Delray Beach (Fla.) Atlantic Community running back Deandre Desinor was a top target for the West Virginia coaching staff from early on in the process. Offensive coordinator Chad Scott served as the lead recruiter and developed a strong bond with the talented running back which proved to be critical. Desinor made multiple visits to West Virginia throughout the process and his comfort level with the program led to him committing to the Mountaineers after his official visit at the beginning of June. Selected West Virginia over an offer list that included Alabama, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Penn State, Texas A&M, UCF and Louisville, among others. A major pick up for the program given his versatile skill set and what he can do with the ball in his hands.
Rivals250 RB Desinor commits to West Virginia
Commitment 101
Highlights
Committed: May 22
Olney (Md.) Good Counsel offensive lineman Gavin Crawford received a scholarship offer from West Virginia in January of 2023 and the Mountaineers only continued to further develop a bond from that point. Crawford collected a long list of scholarship offers from schools such as Florida, Maryland, UCLA, Tennessee, Georgia, Pittsburgh, Michigan State and Duke but committed to the Mountaineers in large part due to his comfort level with the program and the coaching staff. Crawford was a frequent visitor to Morgantown and developed a close bond with offensive line coach Matt Moore. Slated to play on the interior of the offensive line, Crawford gives the Mountaineers a major piece up front in the 2025 class to join what was already in place. The expectation is that he will enroll early to start his career in Morgantown.
OL Crawford commits to West Virginia
Commitment 101
Crawford discusses West Virginia commitment
2025 OL Crawford building strong ties with West Virginia staff
Highlights
Committed: April 27
De Forest (Wi.) tight end Jackson Accuardi received an offer from West Virginia in November and things only continued to build from that point between the two. Tight ends coach Blaine Stewart served as the lead recruiter and developed a strong bond that ended up being critical in his commitment. Accuardi collected other offers from Michigan State, Iowa State, Missouri, Louisville, Colorado, Duke, Illinois and Indiana but committed to West Virginia on the day of the spring game. Accuardi is a big bodied tight end that is effective not only as a receiver but a blocker which is a perfect match for what the Mountaineers wanted at the position in this class.
2025 TE Accuardi commits to West Virginia
Commitment 101
2025 TE Accuardi discusses West Virginia
Highlights
Committed: April 13
Olney (Md.) Good Counsel offensive lineman Eidan Buchanan grew up following the West Virginia football program due to his family connections to the state. And once the Mountaineers jumped into the mix with a scholarship offer after an impressive performance at the big man camp in the summer of 2023 the program surged up his list. Buchanan narrowed his options down to West Virginia, Rutgers, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Maryland before committing to the Mountaineers. Offensive line coach Matt Moore served as the lead recruiter for Buchanan and that connected proved critical in his commitment. The 6-foot-8 lineman is being slotted as a tackle in the West Virginia offensive scheme and fills a major need for the program.
2025 OL Buchanan picks West Virginia football
Commitment 101
2025 OL Buchanan has ties to West Virginia, adds offer
Highlights
Committed: April 4
Huntington (W.Va.) athlete Zah Jackson popped up on the West Virginia radar as a freshman and things only continued to build from there. The in-state native took multiple visits to Morgantown for junior days and camps before things took a big turn when he received a scholarship offer in the summer of 2023. From there, Jackson listed the Mountaineers among his top options and selected the program over a number of other schools including his finalists North Carolina State, Mississippi State and Liberty. A two-way athlete, Jackson could play several different positions in college and gives West Virginia another in-state prospect in the class.
2025 in-state athlete Jackson picks West Virginia
Commitment 101
In-state athlete Jackson talks West Virginia commitment
2025 in-state athlete Jackson talks West Virginia, top four
2025 in-state athlete Jackson adds West Virginia offer
2025 in-state athlete Jackson impresses at camp
Highlights
Committed: April 4
Haverford (Pa.) The Haverford School offensive lineman Thomas Barr received his first scholarship offer from West Virginia in July of 2023 and things only continued to build from that point. Offensive line coach Matt Moore, along with offensive coordinator Chad Scott, served as the lead recruiters for Barr and was able to get him on campus multiple times for visits leading to him committing to the program. Barr has the versatility to play several different positions along the offensive line but will start his career at center.
2025 OL Barr commits to West Virginia
Commitment 101
Commitment key in 2025 OL Barr’s path to West Virginia
Highlights
Committed: November 18
Mentor (Oh.) quarterback Scotty Fox received an offer from West Virginia in May and from that point forward became a priority for the Mountaineers in their class. The Ohio native took trips to Morgantown on multiple occasions including for a summer camp and for games against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Quarterbacks coach Sean Reagan served as the lead recruiter for Fox and developed a strong connection with him which was critical in his decision-making process. After that visit for the Cincinnati game, Fox cast his lot with the Mountaineers giving the program a signal caller which they prioritized on the recruiting trail into the fold early in the process. On top of West Virginia, Fox held offers from Michigan State, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Boston College, Indiana, Connecticut and several others.
2025 QB Fox commits to West Virginia
Commitment 101
QB Fox enjoys another stop at West Virginia
Offered 2025 QB Fox discusses West Virginia camp stop
2025 QB Fox adds West Virginia offer, maps out return visit
Highlights
Committed: September 17
Hurricane (W.Va.) wide receiver Tyshawn Dues had long been interested in the West Virginia football program as an in-state prospect but things picked up tremendously when he earned a scholarship offer following an impressive summer camp stop. In that camp Dues was timed at 4.5 in the 40-yard dash and it didn’t take him too long to act on the opportunity. A few months later, Dues informed lead recruiter wide receivers coach Bilal Marshall that he was ready to pull the trigger and become the first commitment in the 2025 class. Dues is being targeted as a wide receiver and was a good start to the class with the Mountaineers becoming the first power five program to offer.
West Virginia adds 2025 in-state WR Dues
Commitment 101
2025 WR Dues discusses pledge
2025 WR Dues grabs first power five offer from West Virginia
2025 in-state WR Dues on radar for West Virginia
Highlights
———-
• Talk about it with West Virginia fans on The Blue Lot.
• SUBSCRIBE today to stay up on the latest on Mountaineer sports and recruiting.
• Get all of our WVU videos on YouTube by subscribing to the WVSports.com Channel
• Follow us on Twitter: @WVSportsDotCom, @rivalskeenan
•Like us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago
Summer Camp (2024) – Movie Review
-
News1 week ago
RFK's voters know they're not electing the next president. They're with him anyway
-
World1 week ago
Right-wing violence in Germany reaches record highs over past decade
-
World1 week ago
Spain passes bill granting amnesty to Catalan secessionists
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago
‘Atlas’ movie review: Jennifer Lopez carries Netflix’s AI sci-fi, but the script is dead weight
-
News1 week ago
Chad Daybell found guilty of murder in deaths of two kids and ex-wife
-
World1 week ago
Biden eases ban on Ukraine’s use of US weapons inside Russia
-
News1 week ago
In a historic verdict, Trump found guilty on 34 felony counts in “hush money” trial : Consider This from NPR