Williamstown’s Maxwell Molessa named LKC Player of the Year

Williamstown’s Maxwell Molessa stands in the batter’s box during a high school baseball game earlier this season. Molessa was named the Little Kanawha Conference Player of the Year.
(Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PARKERSBURG — Williamstown senior and West Virginia University commit Maxwell Molessa certainly is no stranger when it comes to earning a spot on the All-Little Kanawha Conference baseball first team.

This year, league coaches honored the Yellowjacket as its player of the year. WHS skipper Levi Maxwell, whose program defeated Gilmer County to win the LKC crown, was selected as coach of the year.

Molessa, who made his fourth consecutive appearance on the top unit, has had a big season with the bat and also has been asked to toe the rubber where he owns a 2-1 record with a pair of saves.

“I think Maxwell definitely was deserving. He has done an excellent job for us this year,” admitted coach Maxwell, whose program is two regional victories away from making a trip to the state tournament in Charleston. “I feel we are peaking at the correct time and our challenging schedule has started to pay off for us heading into playoff baseball.

“(The) LKC championship was something we have always had on our list of goals to accomplish and this year we came through in fulfilling that goal. It’s been a team effort and we are starting to fire on all cylinders all through the lineup.”

The future Mountaineer enters regional play with a .467 average and a .569 on-base percentage. He’s clubbed 11 doubles, six triples, three home runs and has swiped 20 bases to go along with driving in 31.

Williamstown’s other honoree on the first team came at utility with Ty Ott. The junior, who owns a 5-0 record with two saves, a 1.45 earned run average to go along with 45 strikeouts in 38 2-3 innings of work, leads the Mid-Ohio Valley with 45 runs-batted-in. Ott has nine steals and carries a .479 average that includes six doubles and two triples.

St. Marys senior Sam Miller, who joined Molessa on the infield, was one of three repeat selections on the top unit. Miller hit .435 with seven doubles, five triples, one bomb, 37 RBIs and 14 steals.

The other two repeat honorees on the first team were a pair of Gilmer County seniors – outfielder Colton Hall and pitcher Bryant Yoak, who transferred from Calhoun County. Hall, who had 15 steals and a .525 OBP, batted .424 with eight doubles, four three-baggers, a quartet of round-trippers and 34 RBIs. Yoak, who will join Molessa in Morgantown, finished 7-1 on the hill. In 54 2-3 innings, the Titan allowed just 18 hits and 13 walks while holding opponents to a .094 batting average. He posted a 0.38 ERA and recorded 122 strikeouts.

Wahama’s Bryce Zuspan and Tyler Consolidated’s Reese Davis joined Yoak as first team pitchers. Zuspan, who punched out 103 in 75 2-3 innings, ended his final campaign for the White Falcons with a 10-3 record, one save, a 1.76 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. The sophomore Davis, who gave up 41 hits and 26 free passes in 76 1-3 innings, fanned 128. He went 9-3 with a 1.19 ERA and held opponents to a .147 average.

Hall was joined in the outfield on the first team by Wahama’s Hayden Lloyd, St. Marys’ Shane Moran and Doddridge County sophomore Luke Rokisky, who hit .333 with four doubles, a homer, 33 RBIs and seven steals. The junior Lloyd had a .523 average. Along with 18 doubles, the White Falcon had three triples, 14 stolen bases and drove in 42. Moran’s last season in Pleasants County featured a .418 average with six two-baggers, two triples, 15 RBIs and 35 stolen bases.

The other trio of first team infielders featured Tyler Consolidated senior Owen Westbrook, Doddridge County’s Colt Sutton and Ravenswood junior Evan Swain, who hit .389 with three doubles, two triples, five bombs, 26 RBIs and eight thefts. Westbrook had 16 doubles, two triples, three taters, 32 RBIs and a quartet of steals while carrying a .528 average. Sutton’s final season in West Union included a .486 average, nine doubles, four triples, one home run, 25 RBIs and seven steals.

St. Marys senior Josiah DeMoss (.273 AVG, two doubles, 13 RBIs, nine steals) and Clay County senior Micah Osborne were tabbed as the first team catchers.

Williamstown’s Brody Bowyer, South Harrison’s Layton Wageman and Doddridge County’s Caleb Sutton were the second team pitchers.

Catchers on the All-LKC second team went to Ritchie County’s Tony McBrayer and Tyler Consolidated’s Zade Billings.

The five infielders on the second unit were Ravenswood’s Beau Bennett, Williamstown’s Carson Hill, Wahama’s Eli Rickard, Calhoun County’s Landon Church and Roane County’s Kam Ash.

Tyler Consolidated’s Ethan Clark was tabbed second team utility. The four outfielders on the second team were Ravenswood’s Noah Dawson, Roane County’s Carder Kinder along with Braxton County teammates Braydon Helmick and Seth Warner.

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

All-Little Kanawha Conference Baseball

Player of the Year: Maxwell Molessa, Williamstown

Coach of the Year: Lexi Maxwell, Williamstown

FIRST TEAM

P – Bryce Zuspan, Wahama, SR

P – Reese Davis, Tyler Consolidated, SO

P – Bryant Yoak, Gilmer County, SR

C – Josiah DeMoss, St. Marys, SR

C – Micah Osborne, Clay County, SR

IF – Maxwell Molessa, Williamstown, SR

IF – Owen Westbrook, Tyler Consolidated, SR

IF – Colt Sutton, Doddridge County, SR

IF – Evan Swain, Ravenswood, JR

IF – Sam Miller, St. Marys, SR

OF – Hayden Lloyd, Wahama, JR

OF – Shane Moran, St. Marys, SR

OF – Luke Rokisky, Doddridge County, SO

OF – Colton Hall, Gilmer County, SR

UTL – Ty Ott, Williamstown, JR

SECOND TEAM

P – Brody Bowyer, Williamstown, JR

P – Layton Wageman, South Harrison, JR

P – Caleb Sutton, Doddridge County, SO

C – Tony McBrayer, Ritchie County, JR

C – Zade Billings, Tyler Consolidated, SR

IF – Beau Bennett, Ravenswood, SR

IF – Carson Hill, Williamstown, JR

IF – Eli Rickard, Wahama, JR

IF – Landon Church, Calhoun County, JR

IF – Kam Ash, Roane County, SR

OF – Noah Dawson, Ravenswood, JR

OF – Carder Kinder, Roane County, SO

OF – Braydon Helmick, Braxton County, SR

OF – Seth Warner, Braxton County, SR

UTL – Ethan Clark, Tyler Consolidated, SR

Honorable Mention

Braxton County: Joe Wood, Matthew Miller

Calhoun County: Tyler Nelson, Cade Swearingen, Trenton Nelson, Reese Schoolcraft

Clay County: BJ Williams, Ayden Brown, Noah Collins, Bobby Rodgers

Doddridge County: Wyatt Cochran, Jacob Dehaven

Gilmer County: Chris Junkins, Kolten Holbert, Brody Brockleman

Ravenswood: Brady Swain, Logan Alfred

Ritchie County: Isaiah Lambert, Garrett Flesher, Ayden Sellers, Turner Shriver

Roane County: Cam Cumpston

South Harrison: Cam Evans, Luke Hefner, Seth Gain, Dane Tate

St. Marys: Ean Kimball, Parker Maston

Tyler Consolidated: Tyler Ferrell

Wahama: Aden Young, Chandler McLanahan

Wirt County: Wyatt Boice, Trenton Watson, Braylan Dawson, Brody Ewing, Alex Bevel

Williamstown: Luke Ankrom