WEIRTON — What many viewed as a rebuilding season for the Weir Red Riders instead turned out to be their first trip to the West Virginia state soccer tournament in Beckley.

Despite bowing out to eventual champion Berkeley Springs in the semifinals, Weir had etched its name in the record books.

School records were a common thing for the Red Riders this season, starting with forward Chad Ford. Ford led the Red Riders with 50 goals and 23 assists and was named the captain of the Class AA-A All-State First Team as selected by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

“It’s really relieving and amazing to know that my hard work paid off,” Ford said. “It makes you feel proud of your accomplishments.

“I’m real competitive and I have the thrill to win. I want to be the best out there.”

Ford’s 50 goals shattered the previous school mark of 29 set by Bryant McCarthy in 1997. Weir coach Joe Pepe knew he had something special in Ford at the beginning of the season, but 50 goals?

“We expected him to score a lot, but that’s a great deal more than we expected,” Pepe said. “Chad has a nose for the goal and his speed was something to be reckoned with.

“He and Thomas Bell fed off each other. They were a dynamic duo. He’s a great all-around player who knows where to put the ball.”

Added Ford: “I was a little surprised when it first got going.”

“I didn’t have a set number but when I got to 30, I knew I could get more and pushed myself that much harder.”

Bell (30 goals, 19 assists) was also named to the first team along with teammate Chester Barnabei.

Teams looking for some relief next season when they play the Red Riders won’t find any. Ford is only a junior and will look to overtake McCarthy’s school-record 93 goals in his senior campaign. With a taste of the state tournament, Ford is intent on making a return trip to Beckley to finish what his team started in 2008.

“I wish we could have gotten farther but I am real proud of the team,” Ford said. “We have to get better and do more.

“I am getting ready to start an offseason training program to push myself harder. We need to come out hard from the beginning next year and show everyone we can be state champs.”

Added Pepe: “He enjoys playing and I expect him to come out with that same desire. Seniors like to go out with a bang. It’s going to be a little bit tougher for him next season because teams are going to be keying on him. But as the Ravenswood coach (Steve Cogar) told me, ’We tried to keep him in front of us, and he still managed to score three goals.”’

Ford and Bell weren’t the only dynamic duo on the Class AA-A first team.

Berkeley Springs didn’t win a championship by accident as it boasted its own exciting pair in seniors Matt Martin and Josh Wise. Both players totaled more than 100 goals in their careers and their senior season was the climax of their high school experience.

They scored 36 goals this season.

Coach Jamie Chenoweth’s Indians won their first Class AA-A soccer championship with a 5-2 win against Pocahontas County last Saturday.

Runner-up Pocahontas County was represented by three players in goalie Jeff Fertig, defender Jed Sheets (22 goals), and midfielder Abe Rittenhouse (16 goals, 6 assists).

Joining Ford and Bell as first-team forwards are Sissonville’s Ryan Bailey and Cameron Hughes. The midfielders are Martin, Wise, Rittenhouse, Oak Hill’s Victor Garcia (29 goals, 26 assists), and Sissonville’s Justin Metheny.

Barnabei earned first-team honors with his tough play and quickness in the backfield, leading the Red Riders with 176 steals and adding four assists. The rest of the defenders include Sheets, Oak Hill’s Daniel Garcia (5 goals, 7 assists), and Linsly’s Alec Holloway (3 goals, 5 assists).

Fertig shares the goalie position with Charleston Catholic’s Christian Gerencir.

The second-team forwards consist of Ethan Nelson (Charleston Catholic), Michael Shaw (Williamstown), Senai Tesfagiorgis (Linsly), and Casey Weatherly (PikeView).

Oak Hill’s Thomas Booth, Cross Lanes Christian’s Caleb George, Charleston Catholic’s Addison Hutcheson, Morgantown Trinity’s Landon Talton, and Linsly’s Jamie Turak round out the midfield.

On defense, John Pennacchio (Weir) and Anthony Marchesi (Wheeling Central) represent the Northern Panhandle, while Paul Shaw and Bobby Stanley carry the mantle for Williamstown.

Even with all that scoring, Berkeley Springs still needed someone to keep the ball out of the net and goalkeeper Gudiel Guzman did that. Andy Hughes of Frankfort joins him as a second-team netminder.



Class AA-A Boys All-State Soccer Team

BECKLEY — The Class AA-A boys all-state soccer team released by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association:

First Team

Forwards

Ryan Bailey, Sissonville

Thomas Bell, Weir

Chad Ford, Weir (capt.)

Cameron Hughes, Sissonville

Midfielders

Victor Garcia, Oak Hill

Matt Martin, Berkeley Springs

Justin Metheny, Sissonville

Abe Rittenhouse, Pocahontas County

Josh Wise, Berkeley Springs

Defenders

Chester Barnabei, Weir

Daniel Garcia, Oak Hill

Alec Holloway, Linsly

Jed Sheets, Pocahontas County

Goalkeepers

Jeff Fertig, Pocahontas County

Christian Gerencir, Charleston Catholic

Second Team

Forwards

Ethan Nelson, Charleston Catholic

Michael Shaw, Williamstown

Senai Tesfagiorgis, Linsly

Casey Weatherly, PikeView

Midfielders

Thomas Booth, Oak Hill

Caleb George, Cross Lanes Christian

Addison Hutcheson, Charleston Catholic

Landon Talton, Trinity

Jamie Turak, Linsly

Defenders

John Pennacchio, Weir

Anthony Marchesi, Wheeling Central

Paul Shaw, Williamtown

Bobby Stanley, Williamstown

Goalkeepers

Gudiel Guzman, Berkeley Springs

Andy Hughes, Frankfort

Honorable Mention

Daniel Halsey, Independence; Treveor Caplinger, Pocahontas County; Tyler Franklin, James Monroe; Kaleb Mullins, Oak Hill; Justin Lester, Shady Spring; Kyle Petrey, Independence; Josh Ward, James Monroe; Joe Webb, PikeView; Jesse Bolyard, Pocahontas County; Scott Dietz, Bluefield; Sean Payton, PikeView; Chris Shultz, James Monroe; Jimmy Wiley, Pocahontas County; Rodney Woodson, Oak Hill; Jacob Williams, Independence; Aaron Sopher, Shady Spring; Ryne Shuff, Oak Hill; Jonathan Lyons, Bluefield; Seth Ritchie, Charleston Catholic; Tommy Trupo, Charleston Catholic; Ethan Nelson, Charleston Catholic; Micah Moles, Cross Lanes Christian; Bijan Dastgheib, St. Albans; Brandon Harper, Cross Lanes Christian; Stephen Gresham, Charleston Catholic.

Casey Jarrett, Sissonville; Kevin Gable, Parkersburg Catholic; Spencer Kinnard, Tyler Consolidated; Bryn Perkey, Tyler Consolidated; Matt Giesmann, Linsly; Zach Cerqueda, Parkersburg Catholic; Cole Metz, Williamstown; Josh Wilson, Wheeling Central; Matt Pryzbyz, Wheeling Central; Stephen Felton, Weir; Matt Kopp, Weir; Cameron Rauch, Weir; Seth Tustin, Oak Glen; Kyle Porter, Oak Glen; Kyle Fields, Oak Glen; Justin Shanholtz, Liberty Harrison; Davey Wriston, South Harrison; Patrick Garcia, Notre Dame; Brandon Foresha, Lincoln; Daniel Menendez, Notre Dame; Daniel Yoke, South Harrison; Ryan Gump, Lincoln; Justin Frye, Lincoln; Jake Wise, Berkeley Springs; Cody Riffle, Berkeley Springs.