CHARMCO – Senior Night is always a bittersweet moment for athletes, parents, coaches, and fans. Acknowledgment of the sacrifices these athletes have made along with their families is first and foremost. Celebrating their careers and accomplishments is a jewel in their crown of achievement. It’s also a sobering moment for many, knowing this is the last scheduled game they’ll play in front of the home crowd.
Being honored before Friday night’s game, the four-year seniors include (ordered by jersey number) Brandon Poticher, Isaac Agee, Evan Vandall, Bradley Hodge, Joevan Robinson, and Peyton Ford. Three-year Cavaliers are Randy Keener and Jonathan Painter. C.W. Sturgell has been at Greenbrier West the past two seasons but is a four-year football player after transferring in.
The 2024 Greenbrier West senior football players have had a magical career. The four-year players have enjoyed a 33-12 record, three straight playoff appearances, an 18-4 Cavalier Field record, and a 4-3 postseason career. Posting 18 shutouts, these Cavaliers have held opponents scoreless in an astounding forty percent of their career games. The four-years seniors, along with Sturgell, were also part of something that has only happened three times at Greenbrier West, a state championship game appearance. Something unique about this group is they’re part of the only team that ever defeated a #1 rated team, and they did so twice in the same season.
Brandon Poticher has carried the ball 87 times for 483 yards and two touchdowns in his career. Poticher has also reeled in eight catches for 46 yards and a score. As a defender, Poticher has registered 199 total stops including 115 solo tackles. Poticher has tallied two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, four sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, two passes defensed, and an amazing five blocked kicks. In the special teams department, Poticher has five career kickoff returns for 102 yards. Poticher has seemed to save his best effort for rival Summers County. His breakthrough game came at the expense of the Bobcats in 2023 when he broke free for a 47-yard rushing touchdown and added 12 total tackles. His first career receiving score came this season against Summers County, a 14-yarder to give West a 6-0 lead in a 27-0 shutout victory.
Isaac Agee, his senior year cut short by a season-ending knee injury in week four, was a dynamic football player. Agee rushed for 935 yards on 121 carries and seven touchdowns in his Cavalier career. Agee had 14 career receptions for 301 yards and six scores. Agee was a special teams standout, handling a myriad of duties. He averaged 35.4 yards per punt on 38 kicks, covering 1,238 yards. In the return department, Agee logged seven kickoff returns for 205 yards and a 76-yard opening kickoff return for a touchdown in 2022 versus Sherman. Agee had three punt returns for 65 yards including a 44-yard touchdown return against Summers County this season. Defensively, Agee registered 123 total tackles, 82 solo. The speedster had three interceptions which included two pick-sixes, both in 2023. Agee collected a 30-yard interception touchdown against Pocahontas County and an 82-yard pick-six against Midland Trail. Agee had 11.5 tackles-for-loss, and 10 passes defensed. Agee blocked a kick for good measure this season.
Evan Vandall was a defensive specialist his first three seasons in Charmco, never seeing the offensive side of the football. Including the 2024 season, Vandall has collected 184 total tackles, 111 solos. Vandall has five career interceptions, four of those coming this season. Vandall has a knack for creating turnovers, forcing four fumbles and recovering four as well. Playing corner his first three seasons, Vandall has tallied 8 tackles for loss and has 9 passes defensed to his credit. In 2024, Vandall answered the call when the West staff needed a quarterback. Vandall’s numbers are a respectable 51-109, 620 yards and four touchdowns. Vandall has thrown nine picks, but his value has gone far beyond passing with 153 carries for 644 yards and 11 touchdowns. Vandall has set or tied two program records, establishing rushing attempts by a quarterback at 40 and tying passing attempts in a game with 28. The senior signal caller has also returned 11 kickoffs for 65 yards. Once teammate Isaac Agee went down, Vandall took over punting duties with 14-439 yards, a 31.4 average.
Bradley Hodge has increased his playing time tremendously in 2024. Hodge has 60 career tackles, 28 of them solo. Hodge has one career interception, one tackle-for-loss, and one pass defended. On the other side of the ball, Hodge has rushed 13 times for 26 yards. Hodge has one career kick return for two yards.
Joevan Robinson has seen a significant jump in playing time as well. Robinson is credited with 40 career tackles, 25 solo. Added to his resume are one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one sack, and six tackles for loss. Robinson’s crushing sack and forced fumble in the Man victory were paramount to West’s success. On the offensive side, Robinson has a modest tally of one reception for 14 yards, and four carries for four yards. Robinson has two career kickoff returns for 1 yard and one punt for five yards. Robinson had a memorable onside kick in the opening round of the 2021 playoffs at Williamstown and has assumed the kickoff duties this year for the Cavaliers.
Peyton Ford has been a mainstay on the Cavalier offensive line for the past two seasons. The benchmark for an offensive lineman at Greenbrier West has always been blocking for a 1,000-yard rusher. Ford did that in 2023 when Jake Pate rushed for 1,178 yards and 19 touchdowns. All told, the ‘23 Cavaliers rushed for 2,960 yards. Ford also protected West passers last season to the tune of 1,924 yards and 30 touchdowns. In 2024, the Cavaliers have put up 1,240 yards on the ground and another 620 yards through the air. Ford has seen limited action defensively, logging one solo and two assisted tackles in his career.
Randy Keener, at 6’ and 180 pounds, is one of the strongest Cavaliers on the roster. Coming in as a 5’5”, 140-pound freshman, Keener transformed his physique in the weight room over a four-year span. His hard work has paid off as he helps man the West offensive line against much larger opponents. Keener’s career offensive numbers are seven carries, 37 yards, one touchdown. Keener capped the Cavalier scoring with a 16-yard touchdown run in 2022 at Pocahontas County, his only career score.
Jonathan Painter is another athlete that has worked diligently in the weight room. Coming in as a 5’7”, 145-pound freshman, Painter has sculpted himself into a 5’10”, 160-pound senior. Painter has provided depth on the offensive line in 2024. Defensively, Painter has collected seven career tackles, four of them solo. Painter also has one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery to his career stat line.
C.W. Sturgell burst onto the scene before the 2023 season. If not for a block in the back call, Sturgell would’ve had a pick-six to his credit. Sturgell has seen a limited amount of playing time in the backfield with just four carries for 20 yards. Sturgell also has three kick returns for 26 yards as well as three punts for 108 yards. He booted a 48-yarder in an emergency backup role to flip the field vs Fort Frye. Sturgell has been a stout defender, amassing 106 total tackles, 54 solo. Sturgell’s lone interception came in his first game in 2023 against Pendleton County. Sturgell also has one fumble recovery, three sacks, seven tackles for loss, and one pass defended. Sturgell did score a safety for the Cavaliers in the 2023 win over Buffalo. Sturgell’s best moments came in the pair of wins over #1 James Monroe in 2023. Sturgell logged 15 tackles, 7 solo, in the October win over the top-rated Mavericks. In West’s semi-final win over James Monroe, Sturgell had 6 tackles, 2 sacks, a tackle for loss, and one pass defended.
These seniors have the potential to help break a school record with a sixth straight playoff appearance. To do so, they’ll need wins in their last two scheduled games. Thanks for the memories 2024 seniors.
