Class AAAA’s December surprises
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PARKERSBURG – There were a few Class AAAA surprises all over the state during the opening months of the basketball season. Four girls stood out as having impacted their team where the groups needed them the most. Here are those…
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Continue ReadingPARKERSBURG – There were a few Class AAAA surprises all over the state during the opening months of the basketball season. Four girls stood out as having impacted their team where the groups needed them the most. Here are those players, plus a few honorable mentions:
Ella Simpson, University, G/F, 5-7, Jr. – Confidence easily can change the game of any athlete for the better. Just look at University’s Ella Simpson. The results are all there. The points, the rebounds, the energy, there isn’t anything about her game that wasn’t improved in the opening month. Sure, she has a great wing lady in Hannah Stemple, and the Hawks are by no means lacking in talent, but the results can’t be ignored. She’s looked vastly improved – everywhere. Her energy was up, her scoring was up, and her overall outlook on the basketball court was up. Maybe that is laying it on kind of thick, but considering what she showed in her first two seasons, it isn’t. Her output finally matches her talent. There may not be two better examples than in a loss on the road to Parkersburg South and a win over Wheeling Park. During both those games, she showed her engine ran differently. She led the group in scoring in both games and played the vast majority of both with a little dip in production. Overall, she’s immensely helped University grab some early attention in a region once thought to belong to Morgantown and Wheeling Park.
Brooklyn Ellis Brooklyn Ellis 5'9" | SF Spring Valley | 2026 State WV , Spring Valley, SG, 5-9, Fr. – Who successfully stopped Brooklyn Ellis Brooklyn Ellis 5'9" | SF Spring Valley | 2026 State WV ‘ scoring assault over the opening month of the season? Not many teams. Seriously. Given the opportunity to score as her valuable and skilled four teammates making up the rest of the starting lineup received plenty of defensive attention, Ellis jumped at the chance. She jumped quickly. She jumped boldly. She jumped like she’s been playing high school basketball already for three seasons. Into the fire she went, and out she came better for it. Her drives to the basket are strong and forced teams to deal with her or leave Allie Daniels Allie Daniels 6'1" | PF Spring Valley | 2025 State WV open for an easy layup. Her ability to see over many defenders opened up lanes for Hallie Bailey, Haleigh Crum Haleigh Crum 5'9" | SG Spring Valley | 2024 WV and Dria Parker Dria Parker 5'10" | SF Spring Valley | 2025 State WV . Her presence made the Timberwolves one of the few teams in the state with fully capable starting five. Overall, she’s now as much of a threat as her team chases a state championship as her teammates. How can she not be as she already led her team in scoring no less than four times in the opening month.
Lucie Cline Lucie Cline 6'0" | PF Parkersburg South | 2026 State WV , Parkersburg South, G/F, 5-11, Fr. – This was all supposed to happen. Lucie Cline Lucie Cline 6'0" | PF Parkersburg South | 2026 State WV was expected to step in and immediately help the Patriots become Region IV contenders. Even on a team with experienced veterans like Carrie Rhodes Carrie Rhodes 5'10" | C Parkersburg South | 2023 State WV , Gracie Shamblin Gracie Shamblin 5'10" | C Parkersburg South | 2024 State WV and Brooke Sandy, Cline wasn’t going to be stopped from setting up her expectations for the next four years. She wasn’t going to sit on the bench and wait for her number to be called. She was going to score like Taryn. She was going to defend like Devin. She was going to contribute and lead like Skylar. Now. Oh yes. And unsurprisingly, she’s done all of that. Against University she poured in 6 treys with a smooth easily repeatable shot that always went in now matter how many times the Hawks dared her to shoot. Against Fort Frye, she guarded just about every Cadet at least once and never let them score. Quite simply, she’s executed her plan and then some.
Kaitlyn Blake Kaitlyn Blake 5'9" | SF Wheeling Central | 2025 State WV , John Marshall, PF, 5-11, So. – How has Kaitlyn Blake Kaitlyn Blake 5'9" | SF Wheeling Central | 2025 State WV reacted to being the de facto leader for John Marshall? Not too shabby. Not too shabby, at all. Similar to Lexi Adams Lexi Adams 5'7" | PG Washington Patriots | 2025 State WV at Washington, Blake accepted the job and performed it with aplomb. She’s never failed to lead the Monarchs when asked to do so by head coach Brock Melko. There was never any hesitation. There was never a disconnect. There was never one complaint. All there’s been is acceptance and a lot of winning. So far, the Monarchs are one of the surprise teams of Class AAAA with an 8-3 record, with Blake leading the way with double-doubles night in and night out. She’s been a strong presence with a high engine and no quit in her game. She’s always learned, moved, and taught, every contest. Quite simply, coaches on the lookout for a strong game manager and in-game thinker, and adjustment maker should look at Blake.
Honorable Mentions: Rilee Storm Rilee Storm 5'10" | SF John Marshall | 2026 State WV , John Marshall, Reagan Edsell, Spring Mills; Bryce Smith, Parkersburg; Natalie Daugherty Natalie Daugherty 5'8" | SF Wheeling Park | 2024 State WV , Wheeling Park; Taylor Parsons, Cabell Midland; Kennedy Stewart Kennedy Stewart 5'5" | PG Greenbrier East | 2026 State WV , Greenbrier East; Josie Cross Josie Cross 5'10" | PF Woodrow Wilson | 2025 State WV , Woodrow Wilson; Haylee Prior, Bridgeport; Natalie Smith Natalie Smith 5'11" | PF Nitro | 2025 State WV , South Charleston; Jordan Rawlins, Jefferson; NuNu Pannell NuNu Pannell 5'6" | PG St. Albans | 2026 State WV , St. Albans; Lexi Adams Lexi Adams 5'7" | PG Washington Patriots | 2025 State WV , Washington