Point Pleasant senior Braxton Watkins-Lovejoy (00) gains control of a loose ball during a Class AA-A Region IV championship match against Scott on Nov. 1 at OVB Field in Point Pleasant, W.Va.
Bryan Walters|OVP Sports
Point Pleasant senior Adam Veroski (7) gains control of a loose ball during a Class AA-A Region IV championship match against Scott on Nov. 1 at OVB Field in Point Pleasant, W.Va.
Bryan Walters|OVP Sports
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Point Pleasant had four players selected to the West Virginia Sports Writers Association’s Class AA-A all-state boys soccer teams for the 2020 campaign, as selected by members of the WVSWA.
The Black Knights — after a 14-5-4 campaign that resulted in the program’s first state appearance in 27 years — netted two first team selections and also came away with a pair of honorable mention choices while marching to their third regional championship in school history.
Seniors Adam Veroski and Braxton Watkins-Lovejoy landed on the first team at the forward and utility positions, respectively. Senior Luke Pinkerton and junior Jaden Reed were both named to the honorable mention squad.
Veroski — the program’s all-time leading goal scorer — was the only repeat selection to the all-state squad on behalf of PPHS after twice being a second team honoree the past two seasons. Veroski led Point this past fall with 22 goals and added five assists.
Watkins-Lovejoy — who scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Scott in the Region IV title game against Scott — had 19 goals and three assists this season.
Pinkerton made 45 saves in net for Point Pleasant and allowed only 12 goals in 23 games. Reed added six goals and an assist as well this past year.
Jonas Branch of Fairmont Senior was named the first team captain, while Ian Gillispie of Scott was the second team captain.
2020 Class AA-A boys soccer teams
FIRST TEAM
F: Bubby Towns, Fairmont Senior
F: Carson Asbury, Scott
F: Adam Veroski, Point Pleasant
F: Hayden Dodd, Liberty
M: Jonas Branch, Fairmont Senior (captain)
M: Austin Nestor, Wheeling Central
M: Wil Swan, Charleston Catholic
M: Ethan Gregory, Philip Barbour
D: Evan Constant, Scott
D: Isaac Branch, Fairmont Senior
D: Will Mercer, Herbert Hoover
D: Aidan Gamble, Robert C. Byrd
GK: John Patnoe, Charleston Catholic
Utl: Aidan Paul, Charleston Catholic
Utl: Braxton Watkins-Lovejoy, Point Pleasant
Utl: Lance Cerullo, East Fairmont
SECOND TEAM
F: Dustin Stuart, Herbert Hoover
F: Jaxson Haynes, Sissonville
F: Nate Flower, Fairmont Senior
F: Braxton Vanscoy, Winfield
M: Ian Gillispie, Scott (captain)
M: Garret Hill, Williamstown
M: Caleb Hawks, Winfield
M: Owen Spangler, Lewis County
D: Brendon Carpenter, Weir
D: Blake Spangler, St. Joseph
D: Justin Williams, Poca
D: William Ball, Charleston Catholic
GK: Wade Britton, Notre Dame
GK: Jacob Clark, Oak Glen
Utl: Antonio Pittman, Weir
Utl: Ryan Prager, Wheeling Central
HONORABLE MENTION
Aiden Adams, Frankfort; Jonathan Atchison, Lewis County; Cale Beatty, Fairmont Senior; Bryson Beaver, Herbert Hoover; Sean Beverage, Pocahontas County; Blake Bibbee, Ravenswood; Calvin Blunt, Trinity; Gavin Bosgraf, Williamstown; Alex Bovino, Robert C. Byrd; Brendon Carpenter, Weir; Sam Carpenter, Lewis County; Alex Cavendish, Nitro; Grant Dadisman, Philip Barbour; Seth Eads, Winfield; Seth Earnest, Keyser; Ian Gadd, Nicholas County; Johnny Garlow, Poca; Jacob Garrett, Sissonville; Guilio Gentile, Wheeling Central; Andrew Giambroni, Oak Glen; Conor Goldizen, Grafton; David Gongola, Elkins; Luke Hawranick, East Fairmont; Max Jackson, Elkins; Iam Johnston, Pocahontas County; Jordan Jones, Liberty; Carmelo Kniska, Trinity; Andrew Komorowski, Wheeling Central; Seth Marra, Ravenswood; Liam McGinley, Charleston Catholic; Blake Meighen, Robert C. Byrd, Jacob Morgan, Weir; Eli Morris, East Fairmont; Ben Nestor, Frankfort; Max O’Ganian, Pocahontas County; Ben O’Leary, Nitro; Luke Pinkerton, Point Pleasant; Stephon Polly, Oak Glen; Brandon Price, Pocahontas County; Jaden Reed, Point Pleasant; Wyatt Rock, Liberty; Isaac Setser, Scott; Wade Setser, Scott; Michael Simpson, Sissonville; Wylie Skidmore, Braxton County; Isaac Snider, Magnolia; TD Sparks, Pocahontas County; Alec Stanislawczyk, Keyser; Zion Suddeth, Charleston Catholic; Kelan Swan, Charleston Catholic; Johan Villasenor, Nicholas County; Trenton Whited, Philip Barbour; Gavin Wolverton, Grafton
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Bryan Walters can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2101.
