Mar 26, 2025
Williamstown’s Parker Schramm handles the ball during the W.Va. Class AA state championship game against Wheeling Central. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)
PARKERSBURG — The 2024-25 basketball season was the first one for Ritchie County head coach Kenny Church.
The Rebels advanced to the state tournament in Charleston for the first time since 2021 and a large part of that was because of big man Isaac Hodges, who was honored as the Little Kanawha Conference’s Player of the Year.
“We were told he’s got another three inches in his growth plates. I mean I’d love to have a 6-10 kid next year, but I’ll take a 6-7 Isaac Hodges over about any kid these days,” admitted coach Church, who said the pivot gained 20 pounds and grew a couple inches last summer.
“He’s always just dedicated himself to this sport and I always tell the guys you are going to get exactly what you put into the game. I think this just speaks volumes to that because he’s getting what he’s put into the game, you know, LKC Player of the Year. First time we’ve had one here in 24 years. It just shows his dedication.”
The last time a Rebel won the honor was back in 2001 with Eli Heagy, who shared the top spot alongside Williamstown’s Chris Kellar.
Hodges, whose team was bounced in Charleston during the quarterfinals by eventual state champion Wheeling Central, averaged 23 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.4 steals and 2.5 blocks while shooting 52% from the floor and 77% at the free-throw line.
“I was going to take a week off at least after my butt-whipping last Tuesday, but he wouldn’t let me,” added the coach. “He actually messaged me last night (Sunday) and said ‘Coach, can I get in the weight room tomorrow,’ so it’s kind of hard to tell a kid like that no that’s so hungry.
“I’ve been fortunate actually to coach Isaac since he was going into seventh grade in the summer. I was their summer league coach. My assistant, Jay Cronin, was the middle school coach at the time and he asked me if I could coach these boys in the summer and that’s how I got initiated into coaching. It’s just been a dream to have a kid like Isaac.”
Three-time first team honoree Parker Schramm from Williamstown, who helped the ‘Jackets to a double-A state runner-up finish, finished second in the LKC POY voting.
Schramm averaged 16.6 points, 4.0 boards, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals while shooting 77% from the line and 42% from deep.
Yellowjacket teammate Jayden Bryant, who averaged 17.7 points, 4.9 caroms, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 72% at the line, was a repeat honoree on the first unit along with fellow senior teammate Cruz Isaly, Hodges and Braxton County junior Steve Boggs (11.7 ppg, 10.9 rpg 1.2 spg, 1.5 bpg, 62% FG). Isaly, who had a 2.61 assist-to-turnover ratio, averaged five dimes a night to go with 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals while taking a team-high eight charges.
Five players moved up from last year’s second unit — Ravenswood senior teammates Noah Dawson (15.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.1 spg, 74% FT, 53% FG) and Evan Swain (13 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.2 spg, 2.0 bpg, 69% FG) as well as a trio of other 12th-graders in Tyler Consolidated’s Brady Strode (14.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.8 spg), Roane County’s Cam Cumpston (15.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.6 apg, 75% FT) and Wahama’s Eli Rickard (20.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 2.0 spg, 76% FT).
Class AA state tournament participant Doddridge County was represented on the first team by junior Jerod Trent (10.4 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.4 spg, 70% FT). The Bulldogs were runner-up to Williamstown in the Night of Champions while the Rebels knocked off the Eagles in the consolation game.
The only other senior to garner a spot on the first team was Ryan Kent of St. Marys. The Blue Devil put up 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2 steals a night while knocking down 55 3s and converting at 69% from the line.
Parkersburg Catholic junior Preston Randolph (13.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.9 spg, 71% FT), Gilmer County sophomore Kolten Holbert (15.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.5 apg, 2.7 spg, 69% FT) and South Harrison freshman Joseph Fenstermacher (14 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.7 spg, 2.1 bpg) comprised the remainder of the 15-player first team.
The All-LKC second team featured Ritchie County’s Seth Cronin, Wirt County’s Braylan Dawson, Braxton County’s Logan Baldwin, Doddridge County’s Jaden Solomon and Landon Thomas, Calhoun County’s Baron Davis, Roane County’s Will Odle, South Harrison’s Adam Marple, Gilmer County’s Jacob Mick, Webster County’s Joston Lewis, Parkersburg Catholic’s Leonardo DeAngelo, Wahama’s Cooper Roush, Rebel Rhett Johnson and Eagle Brady Toler.
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentine.com
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Jayden Bryant had the hot hand to begin the state tournament for Williamstown. The …
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