MOOREFIELD, W.Va. — Moorefield baseball has cemented a legacy with three consecutive Class A state baseball championships.
Playing a major role in extending that run was senior Isaac Van Meter, who is the first-team captain for the West Virginia Sports Writers Association’s Class A all-state team, selected after voting by the WVSWA and state coaches.
In all, seven players from the four teams to make it to Charleston are on the first team.
“That’s a great honor, but it’s not really my goal. My goal is to win what I can control. I want to help my teammates in any way I can,” Van Meter remarked.
Moorefield became just the second team in Class A state baseball tournament history to win three straight state championships as Van accomplished the feat in 1991-93.
Van Meter has been a leader on and off the field for the Yellow Jackets and proven that with a community service project with the team prior to the state tournament in a way to give back to Moorefield for the support received.
Van Meter has signed to play NCAA Division I baseball for Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland.
Van Meter primarily played shortstop during his senior campaign after having Tommy John surgery last year. The pandemic erased the opportunity for a return trip to Charleston for the two-time defending state champions in 2020.
Van Meter is a returning all-state first team member having been a pitcher in his sophomore season with an impressive 8-0 record and 0.64 ERA with 73 strikeouts while batting .325.
Van Meter improved his plate appearances by having a .478 batting average this year with 25 RBI and 26 runs scored.
“He just does a lot of things that people don’t see that happen in a game. The practices, challenging the younger players to do better and helping them, always encouraging to his teammates and always supporting who is pitching,” Moorefield coach Wade Armentrout said. “He’s always lifting those guys up and those are things that people don’t see in his pitching numbers or batting average or whatever it is. They don’t see that and that is the real guy he is, that is a special player.”
Joining Van Meter as infielders on the first team squad are state semifinalist senior J. W. Armstrong from Charleston Catholic with a batting average of .426 with 28 RBI and 21 stolen bases, Man state runner-up junior Caleb Blevins with a .500 batting average, Sherman junior Josh Jenkins with a batting average of .505 with 41 RBI and 35 runs and Buffalo junior Caleb Nutter.
The Class A all-state first team pitching unit consists of Charleston Catholic senior Jacob Hufford (2019 first team utility), who the Irish to the state semifinals with an 11-1 record with a 2.23 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 69 innings pitched; Greenbrier West senior Evan McDade, who tossed 72 strikeouts with a 1.80 ERA; James Monroe senior Andrew Hazlewood, who had a 1.36 ERA with 86 strikeouts in 51 innings; and Tyler Consolidated sophomore Ty Walton.
The Class A all-state first team catchers selected were Wahama junior Ethyn Barnitz with a .338 batting average plus 18 RBI and South Harrison senior Tommy Davis, who led the Hawks to the Region II championship game with a .351 batting average with 33 RBI.
The Class A all-state first team outfield unit includes Man junior Casey Hurley, who hit .471 as a powerful gap hitter with good instincts, South Harrison senior Logan Ross, who batted .426 with 49 runs and 20 RBI with 32 stolen bases and Tyler Consolidated sophomore Jayden Helmick.
The Class A all-state first team utility group consists of Moorefield senior Hayden Baldwin (.414 with 35 RBI and 23 runs plus a pitching record of 7-1 with a 1.31 ERA with 55 strikeouts), Williamstown senior Leewood Molessa (.452 with 33 RBI, 22 stolen bases plus a 6-3 pitching record with a 1.72 ERA) and Wheeling Central Catholic junior Michael Toepfer.
Baldwin moved up from the second team in 2019 to be on the Class A all-state first team this season in a utility role position playing as a pitcher, shortstop and third baseman for the Yellow Jackets.
The Class A all-state second team pitchers are Moorefield state champion junior Karson Reed (4-2 5.191 ERA, 49K), South Harrison sophomore Josh Thomaschek (6-3, 2.73 ERA), Buffalo senior Jakob Smith and Wahama freshman Bryce Zuspan (4-0, 2.471 ERA); the second team catchers are East Hardy senior Alex Miller (.298, 17 runs) and Doddridge County senior Dylan Knight; the second team infielders are Charleston Catholic senior Evan Sayre (.351, 27 RBI), Williamstown freshman Maxwell Molessa (.348, 26 runs, 24 SB), Pendleton County senior Cameron Kisamore and Cameron junior Nathan Haeberle (.419, 22 RBI, 15 SB); second team outfielders are Magnolia senior Silas McKeever, Summers County senior Logan Fox and Wahama sophomore Logan Roach (.316, 6 3B) and second team utility players are Pendleton County senior Isaiah Gardiner, Hundred junior Christian Fluharty (.480, 20 RBI, 20 SB), Williamstown senior Brady Ankrom (4.25, 23 RBI, 29 runs) and Sherman senior Noah Boggs (.436, 33 RBI, 30 runs).
Class A
First team
P — Jacob Hufford, Charleston Catholic, Sr.
P — Evan McDade, Greenbrier West, Sr.
P — Andrew Hazlewood, James Monroe, Sr.
P — Ty Walton, Tyler Consolidated,
C — Ethyn Barnitz, Wahama, Jr.
C — Tommy Davis, South Harrison, Sr.
IF — Isaac VanMeter, Moorefield, Sr. (captain)
IF — Josh Jenkins, Sherman, Jr.
IF — J.W. Armstrong, Charleston Catholic, Sr.
IF — Caleb Blevins, Man, Jr.
IF — Caleb Nutter, Buffalo, Jr.
OF — Casey Hurley, Man, Sr.
OF — Logan Ross, South Harrison, Sr.
OF — Jayden Helmick, Tyler Consolidated, So.
UTIL — Cy Persinger, Midland Trail, Sr.
UTIL — Hayden Baldwin, Moorefield, Sr.
UTIL — Leewood Molessa, Williamstown, Sr.
UTIL — Michael Toepfer, Wheeling Central, Jr.
Second team
P — Josh Thomaschek, South Harrison, So.
P — Jakob Smith, Buffalo, Sr.
P — Karson Reed, Moorefield, Jr.
P — Bryce Zuspan, Wahama, Fr.
C — Alex Miller, East Hardy, Sr.
C — Dylan Knight, Doddridge County, Sr.
IF — Maxwell Molessa, Williamstown, Fr.
IF — Holden Allen, Sherman, Jr.
IF — Cameron Kisamore, Pendleton County, Sr.
IF — Evan Sayre, Charleston Catholic, Sr. (captain)
IF — Nathan Haeberle, Cameron, Jr.
OF — Silas McKeever, Magnolia, Sr.
OF — Logan Fox, Summers County, Sr.
OF — Logan Roach, Wahama, So.
UTIL — Isaiah Gardner, Pendleton County, Sr.
UTIL — Christian Fluharty, Hundred, Jr.
UTIL — Brady Ankrom, Williamstown, Sr.
UTIL — Noah Boggs, Sherman, Sr.
Honorable mention
Andrew Anglin, Ravenswood; Dustin Bailey, Tolsia; Chase Barkley, Williamstown; Nik Blackburn, Tolsia; Jason Clayton, St. Marys; Seth Cullers, Petersburg; Garrett Cunningham, Ritchie County; Zach Feathers, South Harrison; Caden Hall, South Harrison; Justin Herrod, South Harrison; Gene Hutchinson, Notre Dame; Levi Jones, Summers County; Gabe Lopez, Notre Dame; Johnathan Mallow, Petersburg; Cody Moore, James Monroe; Quentin Owens, Ritchie County; Bo Persinger, Midland Trail; Cooper Ridgway, James Monroe; Cameron Taylor, Ravenswood; Chris Vines, Midland Trail; Josh Wilson, Tolsia; Mason Kisamore, Tucker County; Hunter Racey, Doddridge County; Ryan Cozart, Man; Cameran Frye, Man; Josh Lambert, Man; Jayden Moore, Moorefield, Bryce Hines, Moorefield; Matthew Jenkins, Moorefield.
