Joe’s Way-Too-Early 2023-24 Class Rankings
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1 Wheeling Park – The loss of Sophie Abraham Sophie Abraham 5'9" | SF Wheeling Park | 2023 State WV and Josie Stone hurts, but the Patriots still build around a core of LaLa Woods, Natalie Daugherty Natalie Daugherty 5'8"…
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Continue Reading1 Wheeling Park – The loss of Sophie Abraham Sophie Abraham 5'9" | SF Wheeling Park | 2023 State WV and Josie Stone hurts, but the Patriots still build around a core of LaLa Woods, Natalie Daugherty Natalie Daugherty 5'8" | SF Wheeling Park | 2024 State WV and reigning W.Va. Gatorade Player of the Year Alexis Bordas Alexis Bordas 5'8" | SG Wheeling Park | 2025 State WV .
2 Spring Mills – One year after the Cardinals showed their undefeated record was no fluke, they may once again arrive at next year’s state tournament undefeated with the return of the big 4 of Reagan and Corrin Edsell, Preslee Treadway Preslee Treadway 5'8" | SF Greenbrier West | 2025 State WV and Kilah Dandridge Kilah Dandridge 5'8" | CG Saint Maria Goretti (Maryland) | 2025 WV .
3 University – University did a lot of growing as a team thanks to a tough schedule, that growth will shine through next season.
4 GW – With the kinks worked out, George Washington should hit the ground running and never look back until Charleston.
5 St. Albans – The Red Dragons are my dark horse state title contender for next season.
6 Morgantown – The Mohigans will be good with Lily Jordan Lily Jordan 6'0" | PF Morgantown | 2024 State WV and Sofia Wassick Sofia Wassick 5'7" | PG Morgantown | 2024 State WV back in the fold, but they will be looking to fill some major holes thanks to graduation.
7 Spring Valley – The Timberwolves have a lot of work to do over the summer, namely, they need to find players willing to shoot the ball and score in tight games in Charleston.
8 Parkersburg South – The Patriots are long, lean and ready to become an OVAC machine in Ed Davis’ second second year at the helm.
9 Woodrow Wilson – Brian Nabors and his Flying Eagles will build around a solid core of Mya Wooten, Abby Dillon Abby Dillon 5'4" | PG Woodrow Wilson | 2025 WV , and Josie Cross Josie Cross 5'10" | PF Woodrow Wilson | 2025 State WV .
10 – Huntington – Getting Ella Giles Ella Giles 5'7" | CG Huntington | 2025 State WV back from injury will greatly aid the Highlanders as they look to steal a spot into the state tournament.
CLASS AAA
1 Wayne – The Pioneers bring back four of their top 5 including leading scorers Brooke and Addie Adkins Addie Adkins 5'11" | PF Wayne | 2025 State WV . Don’t expect this group to take the loss to Sissonville in the state opener lightly, they had already penciled themselves into the title game, according to their schedule on the WVSSAC website.
2 Ripley – Ripley loses a great high school point guard in Makenna Hall, but brings back more than enough firepower, including the best scorer in the class in Sophie Nichols Sophie Nichols 5'11" | SG Ripley | 2024 State WV .
3 Lewis County – The Minutemaids bring back their top five players, including the injured Emma Pinkney Emma Pinkney 6'1" | C Lewis County | 2024 State WV , who can get buckets in crunch time. This return gives them a huge nod up, especially on the offensive end of the floor.
4 Philip Barbour – The Colts say goodbye to a few key players, but they bring back their engines of Arrington and Braylyn Sparks Braylyn Sparks 5'6" | CG Philip Barbour | 2024 State WV .
5 East Fairmont – Morgan Cochrane’s loss will hurt, yet the Bees are a well built team that played 7 or 8 players at multiple times this season. It wouldn’t hurt if Kenly Rogers put on a little muscle over the summer, either.
6 North Marion – The champs say goodbye to Big 10 player of the year Olivia Toland Olivia Toland 5'9" | CG North Marion | 2023 State WV and Addie Elliott, two losses the Huskies not easily replaced. Getting Savannah Walls Savannah Walls 5'9" | PF North Marion | 2025 State WV back to pair along with Emma Freels Emma Freels 5'6" | CG North Marion | 2024 State WV and the other returning starters should give them a solid core.
7 Hampshire – The Trojans say goodbye to three of their biggest role players, but they bring back top scorer Izzy Blomquist and many others from a team that pushed AAA state champion North Marion to the limit in the opening round of this year’s state tourney.
8 Sissonville – It is always a good thing when you are bringing back Kynna Britton Kynna Britton 5'10" | CG Sissonville | 2025 State WV . However, if the Indians really are going to capitalize then they need replacements around her for Madison McCutcheon and Haley Jarrett.
9 Winfield – The Generals made some huge strides, this season. Giant, even. But in order to keep the good times going, they will need to replace Meghan Taylor Meghan Taylor 5'6" | CG Winfield | 2023 State WV .
10 Lincoln – Behind leading scorer Ashlyn Riley, the Cougars made a late push to advance to the state tournament that just fell short against East Fairmont. Expect the group to be in the mix for a trip to Charleston, especially as they lose just one senior.
CLASS AA
1 Williamstown – Sure, the Yellowjackets lose critical players in Riah Sprouse and Georgie Inman, but they also bring back leading scorers Faith Pickens, Riley Landis Riley Landis 5'9" | SG Williamstown | 2024 State WV and head coach Fred Sauro. Those three come on top of another eighth grade class that brings more length and skill than Arissa Burt Arissa Burt 6'0" | PF Williamstown | 2026 State WV and company already brought to the table this season.
2 Wyoming East – The Warriors say goodbye to three pretty big pieces in Kayley Bane Kayley Bane 5'10" | SF Wyoming East | 2023 State WV , Colleen Lookabill, and Abby Russell Abby Russell 5'5" | CG Wyoming East | 2023 State WV . Yet, this is a team coached by Angie Boninsegna, so you never, ever count this group out.
3 Summers County – Chad Meador and company do say goodbye to Sullivan Pivont and Liv Meador, but bring back leading scorers Avery Lilly Avery Lilly 5'7" | SG Summers County | 2025 State WV and Gracie Harvey. Plus, they now have the hunger of losing in the title game stuck squarely on their backs – talk about motivation!
4 Chapmanville – Everyone returns for the Tigers.
5 Wheeling Central – Most of the guards responsible for turning the Maroon Knights into a run and gun team after Keiera Wilkinson Keiera Wilkinson 6'0" | PF Wheeling Central | 2023 State WV ‘s injury, including Brooklyn Edge Brooklyn Edge 5'6" | PG Wheeling Central | 2024 State WV , return for another run to Charleston.
6 Mingo Central – The Miners lose quite a bit of senior experience, but bring back their top two scores in Addie Smith Addie Smith 5'5" | PG Mingo Central | 2025 State WV and Jenna Sparks.
7 Ravenswood – The Red Devils bring back their top 3 scores and will receive plenty of seasoning from a schedule featuring some of the top teams in the Little Kanawha Conference.
8 St. Marys – The Blue Devils MUST stop running that horrible weave offense. The play calling isn’t best suited to the Blue Devils personnel. Two early state exits show something needs to change, and it isn’t the girls.
9 Petersburg – The Vikings need replacements for departing seniors Braylee Corbin Braylee Corbin 5'5" | CG Petersburg | 2023 State WV and Kennedy Kaposy Kennedy Kaposy 5'6" | CG Petersburg | 2023 State WV , who combined for 28 points per game. Yet, they have plenty of time to find them with four kids returning who averaged 6 to 8 ppg this past season.
10 Trinity – The Warriors nearly made it to the state tournament, this season, but fell just short against Frankfort. With Jenna Barnette and Sucora Brown Sucora Brown 5'6" | PF Trinity | 2024 WV back once again, that loss against the Falcons in the regional final won’t happen again.
CLASS A
1 Cameron – Duh!
2 Tucker County – Kadie Colebank Kadie Colebank 6'1" | PF Tucker County | 2023 State WV ‘s departure hurts, a lot. But, it appears coach Dave Helmick brings back a long and lanky team capable of absorbing that loss on a largely positive level.
3 Gilmer County – Everyone returns for Amy Chapman and Wendell Tomblin.
4 Hundred – The Hornets will be back in action with a senior laden team that features three proven Class A scorers in Ashlynn Peters, Summer Morris and Roxie Higgins. Now, if anyone in the classification will travel and play them that would be nice.
5 Greenbrier West – The Cavaliers bring back plenty of scoring, on top of their state tournament experience – expect this group to make another push for Charleston.
6 Doddridge County – There is no replacing Abby McDonough Abby McDonough 5'7" | CG Doddridge County | 2023 State WV , Emily Gola and Carri Lloyd, however, Lisa Cheeseman has reinforcements coming in that will immediately help keep Doddridge toward the top of Class A.
7 Pendleton County – Obviously, the departure of Ana Young hurts the Wildcats in the offense column. Luckily, they bring back everyone else and can spread the scoring around in order to earn another trip to the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center.
8 Huntington St. Joe – The Irish are just about ready for a return to the biggest stage of them all. All they need are a little more seasoning and Ava Gallion Ava Gallion 5'4" | CG Huntington St. Joe | 2026 State WV , Niko Kaufmann Niko Kaufmann 5'6" | CG Huntington St. Joe | 2024 State WV and company will be back among a familiar setting.
9 Tug Valley – The Panthers need numbers, but they can build around guard MacKenzie Browning MacKenzie Browning 5'7" | SG Tug Valley | 2025 WV .
10 RiverView – The Raiders say goodbye to not one, but two 1,000 point scorers, yet everyone else returns for a group that qualified for a regional final.