WEIRTON — Weirton Madonna baseball coach Jeff Baire calls Max Nogay a winner.

So will the West Virginia high school record books.

Nogay, who was a big part of Madonna’s Class A state championship football team and a state wrestling champ at 171 pounds, capped off his senior season by being named a repeat captain of the Class A all-state baseball team, announced Monday by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.

Nogay, who is headed to West Virginia University in the fall on a baseball scholarship, was also named the captain of the Class A football team in December.

“I can’t imagine the last time anyone had a year like that,” Baire said. “I’m sure it’s been done. It can’t have been done too recently. Max has an incredible desire to win.”

Nogay hit .454 with 11 home runs and 48 RBIs. He added eight doubles, a triple and stolen 14 bases. Never one to succumb to the pressure, he hit .625 with three runs and drove in two runs at the state tournament. Joining him on the first team were teammates Eddie Nogay and sophomore Logan Linder.

Eddie Nogay, one of four first-team pitchers, was 8-2 with a 2.91 ERA in 58.2 innings pitched. The senior right-hander was 23-6 in his career on the mound, always asking for the ball in the big games.

“Even during his sophomore year, I put him in some very challenging situations,” Baire said, recalling one game in which Eddie was able to hold a lead against a Class AAA school the Blue Dons hadn’t beaten in years. “From that point forward, every time we had a big game ... Eddie wanted the ball.”

Linder, one of four utility picks, along with Cameron Belmont of Valley High, was 5-1 with a 1.84 ERA and in 53.2 innings pitched. He also hit .416 with three home runs and 46 RBIs.

“That kid is going to be the next great baseball player (around here),” Baire predicted. “His swing is so quiet. There is no movement. That leads to success. He hits everything hard. Even his outs are hard-hit balls.”

Max Nogay was joined by Buffalo pitcher Jason Lewis (8 victories, 0.84 ERA, 130 strikeouts), Charleston Catholic pitcher Sam Wood (7-2, 1.13 ERA), Gilmer County outfielder Josh Burton (.532 batting average, 4 HR, 28 RBIs, 18 stolen bases) and infielder Travis Hurley (.473, 11 HR, 41 RBIs) from state runner-up Man as returning first-team players. Evan Riggins (.435, 11 HR, 50 RBIs) accompanied Hurley as representatives for the Hillbillies.

East Hardy, which advanced to the state tournament with a young team, landed two players on the squad in pitcher Jamie Miller (8-3, 86 strikeouts) and infielder Kolby Foltz (.452, 5 HR, 34 RBIs).

Outfielder Bo McKown secured a spot along with Wood for the Irish after a season in which he hit .443 with 13 doubles and 28 RBIs.

Williamstown, which was beaten by eventual champion Madonna in the Region 1 final, saw catcher Logan Flanagan and outfielder Collin Miller seize first-team spots.

Even Baire, whose own catcher, Lou Comis (a second-team pick) opened the eyes of state baseball fans with a walk-off homer in the state semifinal and another long ball in the final, agreed Flanagan is a good one.

“(Flanagan) was solid behind the plate and I told him that,” Baire said.

Flanagan hit .356 with 30 RBIs and added 19 assists defensively, while Miller hit .593 with eight home runs and drove in 54.

Clarksburg Notre Dame infielder Nolan Tucci (.511, 11 HR, 40 RBIs) and utility picks Belmont (.422, 2 HR, 41 RBIs) of Valley-Fayette and Drew Weis of Fayetteville (.353, 4 3B, 4 HR) rounded out the first-team squad. Moorefield’s Trevor Sites was named the captain of the second team.



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W.Va. Class A All-State Team

WAYNE — The Class A All-State baseball team announced Monday by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association:

FIRST TEAM

P — Jason Lewis, Buffalo, sr.

P — Sam Wood, Charleston Catholic, sr.

P — Eddie Nogay, Madonna, sr.

P — Jamie Miller, East Hardy, soph.

C — Logan Flanagan, Williamstown, sr.

IF — Max Nogay, Madonna, sr. (capt.)

IF — Travis Hurley, Man, sr.

IF — Nolan Tucci, Notre Dame, jr.

IF — Kolby Foltz, East Hardy, sr.

OF — Collin Miller, Williamstown, sr.

OF — Bo McKown, Charleston Catholic, jr.

OF — Josh Burton, Gilmer County, sr.

UTL — Evan Riggins, Man, sr.

UTL — Logan Linder, Madonna, soph.

UTL — Cameron Belmont, Valley-Fayette, sr.

UTL — Drew Weis, Fayetteville, sr.

SECOND TEAM

P — Korey Reed, Moorefield, jr.

P — Dillon Ganoe, Valley-Fayette, jr.

P — P.J. Ratcliffe, Wheeling Central, jr.

P — Anthony Bond, Wahama, jr.

C — Louis Comis, Madonna, sr.

IF — Tyler Kerr, East Hardy, jr.

IF — Reid Harper, Pocahontas County, sr.

IF — Dylan Brizendine, St. Marys, jr.

IF — Malakai Anderson, Paden City, sr.

OF — Trevor Sites, Moorefield, sr. (capt.)

OF — Zach Cheuvront, Wirt County, sr.

OF — Chris Eloi, Madonna, jr.

UTL — Tyler Gardiner, Pendleton County, jr.

UTL — William Zuspan, Wahama, sr.

UTL — Jared Tucker, Buffalo, sr.

UTL — Nich Carte, Fayetteville, sr.

SPECIAL HONORABLE MENTION

P — Jack Weishar, Wheeling Central; Jon Paul Blankenship, Fayetteville; Brendan Miller, Tucker County.

C — Matt Hamon, Richwood; Tyler Sears, Valley-Fayette; Colin Mitchell, Pendleton County; Zach Utter, Notre Dame; Brody Prudnick, Charleston Catholic; Duke Vance, Man.

IF — Mitchell French, Cameron; Jordan Hockenberry, Clay-Battelle; Kollin Foltz, East Hardy; J.D. Brown, Tygarts Valley; Tyler Hall, South Harrison; Jordan Simpson, Man; Cody Centers, Matewan.

OF — Tim Mirandy, Wheeling Central; Josh Thorne, Moorefield; Michael Shaw, Notre Dame.

UTL — Cole MacIver, Williamstown; Robbie Bousman, Doddridge County; Josh Bennett, Paden City; Andrew Smith, Bishop Donahue; Brandon Doyle, Fayetteville; Philip Harper, Pendleton County; Zach Tolley, Valley-Fayette; Loren Harshbarger, Van; Jared McCormick, Williamson.

HONORABLE MENTION

P — Lane Knost, Williamstown; Ryan Hughes, Cameron; Patrick Huxley, Charleston Catholic; Scott McLaughlin, Trinity.

C — Austin Flowers, St. Marys; Terry Henry, Wahama; Devin Dye, Wirt County; Richie Rosencrance, Tygarts Valley.

IF — Case Edgar, Williamstown; Geno DeMaio, Parkersburg Catholic; Cody James, Gilmer County; Austin Pitchok, Madonna; Korey Foltz, East Hardy; Nick Mires, Doddridge County; Jacob Staten, Matewan; Donnie Robbins, Montcalm; Zach Warth, Wahama.

OF — Nick Bragg, Clay-Battelle; Stephen See, East Hardy; Chris Miller, South Harrison; Seth Nicholson, Notre Dame; Nick Lee, Williamson; Cody Underwood, Big Creek.

UTL — Jason Williams, Parkersburg Catholic; Alex Henderson, Valley-Wetzel; Joey Baker, Wheeling Central; Spencer McPherson, Richwood; Jared George, Midland Trail; Steve Halterman, Pocahontas County; Claude Drummond, Moorefield; Tucker Abruzzino, Notre Dame; Corey Aichele, Doddridge County; Alex Bobinger, Charleston Catholic; Greg Rose, Buffalo; Josh Dingess, Gilbert; Steven Craddock, Man; Austin Walker, Iaeger; Stephen Jenkins, Huntington St. Joe; Shane Kuhn, Hundred; Red Prendergast, Trinity.