CHARMCO, WV- At long last, the wait is over. The 2023 West Virginia high school football season opens this Friday night in Charmco. Fans will see a lot of familiar faces and they’ll notice some not-so-subtle changes to the facility. In a few instances, they’ll hear a sprinkling of new names in the lineup or personnel in new positions. I’m here to break it all down for you, so let’s get started.
The most noticeable change in Charmco will be Cavalier Field. The facility, which opened in 1974, was left a muddy quagmire last November after an opening round playoff win over South Harrison. Over the years, the playing surface gradually deteriorated as the season wore on and the Cavaliers would sometimes be forced to travel across the county for “home” playoff games. Barring any unforeseen catastrophes, home playoff games will stay in Charmco from now on. The surface has been revamped with a fresh, new carpet of Field Turf. The installation of the surface has taken the better part of the summer, leaving the Cavaliers to find practice fields in the school bus circle, Western Greenbrier Middle School, and the turfed surface at The Greenbrier Sports Performance Center.
The second biggest change comes at the head coaching position. Toby Harris resigned this summer after a successful, second stint as the team’s leader. Harris guided the Cavaliers to a 35-10 record the past four seasons, four consecutive playoff appearances, the Class A quarterfinals in three of four seasons, and collected his 100th head coaching win at Greenbrier West in the victory over South Harrison. Harris’ replacement is no stranger to Cavalier football fans. Kelly Vaughan, a Class AA All-State selection in 1982 and ‘83 as a player, was named the school’s fifth head coach on June 28. Vaughan had been the defensive coordinator at West from 1991-2016 and again from 2019-22. Vaughan was eager to retain the coaching staff from the previous season and was successful in doing so. Much like his predecessor, Vaughan has seen many milestones in the program’s history and has a vast knowledge of the sport. Expect to see continuity between the Harris and Vaughan brands of Cavalier football.
Greenbrier West returns two All-State selections this year, and both will play major roles for the Cavaliers. Ethan Holliday was a Class A 1st Team defensive utility player that collected 122 tackles, 3 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 11 tackles for loss, a blocked kick, and a pick six for good measure. Holliday also did damage on the offensive side of the ball, tying for the team lead in receptions with 17 while leading the Cavaliers with 387 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. Holliday churned out 192 yards on the ground and another 5 scores. Holliday will be counted on to deliver some special teams punch as well.
Cole Vandall was a Class A second team defensive end in 2022, leading West with 14 tackles for loss. Vandall notched 65 tackles, 3 sacks, recovered three fumbles, and snagged an interception. Vandall also scored on a fumble recovery. Vandall split time at quarterback, throwing for over 400 yards while rushing for six touchdowns and 430 yards. Vandall even caught a touchdown pass, proving his versatility.
The returning All-State duo is joined by a massive senior class of sixteen, diverse teammates. Tucker Lilly threw for 590 yards and 8 touchdowns last season while hauling in 5 passes for 57 yards. Lilly will see extensive time as a slot receiver in 2023, and his elusive running style will make him an attractive target. Marcus Adkins possesses the skill to see time at tailback as well as the size to make him a viable target in the passing game. Moses Gray has returned from a one-year hiatus and has easily been the surprise of training camp. In two scrimmages, Gray has carried the ball 19-106 yards, displaying vision, great balance, and surprising power out of the backfield. A new face in 2023 will be Jake Pate. Pate had 119 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns as well as 12 receptions for 201 yards and a touchdown last season at Greenbrier East. Pate has excellent speed and a real ball-hawking style on defense. Look for Pate to add to West’s potent special teams as he averaged 25.3 yards per kickoff return. Pate also collected a fumble recovery, a blocked kick, and a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Don’t underestimate the value that a reliable kicker brings to the table. Senior Hayden Ridgeway nailed 74% of his PATs in 2022, slotting him as the fourth leading Cavalier scorer with 43 points. Greenbrier West hadn’t had that kind of kicking production since the 2013 season.
Line coach Steve Price has a multi-faceted group in 2023. Jacob Whitt has taken over the leadership role on both the offensive and defensive lines. At 5’8 and 180 lbs., Whitt won’t be physically imposing, but his tireless work ethic and attention to detail makes him the spiritual leader of the team as well as a perfect example for the younger players. Trent Parker has emerged as a reliable threat on both sides of the ball. At 6’1” and 195 lbs., Parker will be a powerful lineman and defender. Ethan Hamons has the size and footwork that coaches covet. The senior lineman is an impressive 6’3” 255 lbs. and has improved his mobility through basketball. Peyton Ford is a 6’0”, 250 lb. junior lineman that has worked hard in the weightroom. Ford may have shown the biggest improvement from last season and will be relied on heavily to help generate the Cavalier ground game. Logan Berry started at center as a freshman. Berry has rested a nagging injury throughout much of August but has returned to practice healthier this week and should solidify the offensive unit.
Two tough-nosed seniors that epitomize a West football player are Jacob Nutter and Daron Vaughan. The pair played both ways last season, but the coaching staff is hopeful that with the depth available, they may be utilized more defensively in 2023 to keep everyone fresh. Nutter led the Cavaliers with 4 sacks and Vaughan tied for the team-lead in fumble recoveries with 3. Cameron White could join this group and create havoc in opposing backfields. White tallied 42 tackles last year and has great burst.
Other seniors that could see time are four-year players Hunter Gwinn, Roy Loudermilk, and Chad Baker. Gwinn has beefed up to 6’ and 205 lbs. and is part of the lineman group. Loudermilk and Baker will be joining their teammates after a summer spent in boot camp. First-year Cavalier seniors are Seth Ramsey and Nathaniel Aldridge. Ramsey is recovering from a training camp injury while Aldridge has worked hard to learn the nuances of line play.
Isaac Agee is a versatile junior that will fill a lot of roles in 2023. Agee will get opportunity to play some tailback and do some pass catching but will also be counted on in the secondary as well as special teams. Agee averaged 30.5 yards per punt last year and has honed his skills in the offseason. A special teams stalwart, Agee also logged West’s first kickoff return touchdown since the 2019 season in ‘22. Brandon Poticher is another pleasant surprise coming out of camp. Poticher has learned multiple positions on both sides of the ball and can run with the speed of a tailback. Look for Poticher to dramatically improve his numbers from last year where he notched 24 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Other juniors to look for are Evan Vandall and C.W. Sturgill. Evan Vandall was a rock-solid defensive back last year, compiling 59 tackles, an interception, forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Vandall is especially good in run support. Sturgill gained 187 yards on 26 carries for Greenbrier East in 2022 and will get some carries this season. Sturgill is a stout defender and will slot in at linebacker for the Cavaliers. Bradley Hodge has logged numerous junior varsity minutes the past two years and will look to make a special teams impact and possibly some plays on defense. Joevun Robinson will fill a similar role and could even see some kickoff duties down the road. Dakota McKinney will try to crack the lineup as the season progresses. The last junior is newcomer Ray Flynn, a scatback-style runner.
Sophomores Matthew Sykes and Colten Dunbar will see plenty of varsity action. Sykes is an emerging lineman and will add quality depth to the Cavalier units. Dunbar has enviable size at 6’4” and 195 lbs. Dunbar has shown dependable hands and a fantastic ability to go get 50/50 balls. Greenbrier West has gotten 17, 19, and 18 receptions from the wideout position the past three seasons. Look for Dunbar to increase that production.
The Cavaliers will reintroduce a familiar old foe in week one, the Pendleton County Wildcats. The Cavaliers and Wildcats have met three times previously, with West winning all three encounters (2007, ‘08, ‘20). After a semi-final appearance in 2020 under now eighth-year head coach Zac Smith, the Wildcats have languished at 6-12. Pendleton County’s 2023 hopes rest on senior Dillon Smith and a large junior class. With only five rostered seniors, Coach Smith will depend on his quarterback to help guide his new-look Wildcats. Pendleton County averaged only 15.2 points per game in 2023. That’s not a good omen when they face a Cavalier defense that produced eight shutout wins in 2022, including all six home games. In fact, West’s stingy defenders haven’t allowed a score in Charmco since November 5, 2021.
Kelly Vaughan will look to join Toby Harris (twice), Howard Hylton, and Lewis McClung as winners in their first game as Cavalier head coach. Greenbrier West is 39-16 all-time in season openers, 24-5 at home. That home record includes a 21-5 mark in Charmco and 3-0 at Rainelle’s Memorial Recreation Field. Pendleton County’s Zac Smith is 4-3 in season openers, 1-2 on the road.
Once again, this season Greenbrier West games can be heard on Rock 95. Rock 95 can be accessed via FM radio, the TuneIn Radio app on smartphones, or online at radiogreenbrier.com. Pregame coverage begins at 6:30.
Kickoff time for all home games has been moved up to 7 P.M. for the ‘23 season.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.