The Coalfield Conference announced their All-Conference football teams Monday, and Greenbrier West was prominent with 11 selections.
On the offensive side, Ty Nickell continues to add accolades following a 10-2 campaign that saw him rush for a career-high 1,918 yards and 31 touchdowns. Nickell’s rushing numbers were good enough to place him third in the state among all classifications. Nickell was a 2020 Class A Honorable Mention conference selection on offense and a 2021 Class A First Team All-Conference running back.
Joining Nickell on the first team offense was senior offensive lineman Reney Cordial. Cordial led an offensive line that helped the Cavaliers rush for 2,913 yards and 49 touchdowns. West also passed the ball for 989 yards and nine scores. Cordial was instrumental in opening running lanes for Nickell and his running mates. More importantly, Cordial was a leader on the field and in the weight room. Of note, Cordial scored the only touchdown of his career in a week-five, homecoming win over Meadow Bridge. Cordial was an Honorable Mention selection in 2021 for his offensive line play.
Ethan Holliday leads a group of four Cavaliers to earn first-team all-conference defensive honors. Holliday combined a high motor with a nose for the ball to make stop after stop for Greenbrier West’s record setting defense. Holliday led West with 77 solo tackles and 122 total stops. Holliday also led West with three interceptions, scoring on a pick-six in the win over Meadow Bridge.
Cole Vandall earned first-team honors for his excellent play at defensive end. Vandall made his presence known with three sacks and three fumble recoveries while leading the team with 14 tackles for loss. Vandall returned a fumble for a touchdown in West’s 54-0 romp of Meadow Bridge on homecoming. Vandall tied two teammates for the team-lead in fumble recoveries with three. Vandall was a Coalfield Conference Honorable Mention selection at quarterback in 2021.
Jacob Nutter burst on the scene in 2022 and established himself as a reliable playmaker for the West defensive unit. Nutter collected 81 total tackles and led the Cavaliers with four quarterback sacks. Nutter had one of his best performances in a week-six win over Shady Spring, sacking Tiger quarterback Brady Green three times to go along with six total tackles. Nutter had 18 total tackles in the win over Sherman and 13 tackles in the playoff win over South Harrison.
Dalton Heath was a newcomer to Greenbrier West football in 2022. A physical presence in the middle, Heath manned the middle for the Cavaliers and collected 89 tackles. Heath recovered three fumbles and notched three tackles for loss. In the 50-0 win over Sherman, Heath bagged 16 tackles, an interception and a tackle for loss. Heath paired with Ty Nickell on a unique fumble recovery for a touchdown in the win over Meadow Bridge.
Five Cavaliers snagged Honorable Mention accolades. Jacob Whitt paired with Cordial to anchor the right side of Greenbrier West’s offensive line. Whitt caught the eye of Cavalier offensive line coach Steve Price for his attention to detail and his tireless work ethic. Marcus Adkins excelled at cornerback for the Cavalier defense. Adkins had 60 tackles to his credit, four tackles for loss and two passes defensed. Adkins’ play of the year came when he ran down James Monroe’s Chaz Boggs from one corner of the field to the other on a pass completion, keeping Boggs out of the end zone. Evan Vandall was the other bookend cornerback for the Cavaliers. Vandall collected 59 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and three tackles for loss. Vandall recorded seven tackles and an interception in West’s 21-7 win over Midland Trail.
The final two Honorable Mention selections did a lot of work in the kicking game. Sophomore Isaac Agee handled punting duties for the Cavaliers, booting 22 punts for 671 yards and a 30.5 yard average. Agee showed out in several categories, earning himself the Utility designation on the Honorable Mention list. Agee had the Cavaliers’ first opening kickoff return for a touchdown since 2010 in the West win over Sherman, taking the kick back 76 yards to open the scoring. Agee also had an interception along with three passes defensed.
Hayden Ridgeway handled the PAT kicking duties in 2022, drilling 43-58 extra-point attempts. Ridgeway’s total was the most for the Cavaliers in that department since the 2013 season. Ridgeway’s 43 points made him the team’s fourth leading scorer this season.
The Coalfield Conference Class A division is comprised of Greenbrier West, James Monroe, Midland Trail, Meadow Bridge, Richwood and Summers County. The Cavaliers went 3-1 in conference play.
