That’s certainly a misnomer when it comes to the 2026 West Virginia Class AAAA all-state high school baseball team. George Washington second baseman Jon Fala rose to the top of the squad, being named captain as a sophomore.

Fala played errorless ball to help the Patriots to a 32-5 record and a state championship. He led GW with a .529 batting average, a .594 on base percentage, a .959 slugging percentage, stolen bases with 14, hits with 64, runs with 61 and triples with six.

“Jon is one of the most gifted baseball players I have seen,” GW coach Mike Davis said. “What makes him unique is not his skill. He makes the routine plays better than anyone I’ve seen at the high school level. It’s all the little things he does that separates him from the rest.”

Davis lauded Fala for the player’s maturity.

“In a lot of ways he carries himself like a 30-year-old man as far as his mentals. If Eli Smith was the heartbeat of our championship team, Jon was equally that and the voice. He’s the unquestioned vocal leader Everywhere we go, coaches want to know about Jon Fala.”

Fala was joined on the first team by teammates Ty Nettles, Luke Gordon and Eli Smith. Nettles posted a 1.24 earned run average. Gordon batted .492 with two home runs and 48 RBIs. Smith, whom Davis said could’ve been player of the year, hit .402 with five homers and drove in 33 runs.

Morgantown place three players — pitchers Slade Barton and Maddox Boggs and infielder Brayden Gorby — on the first team. They helped the Mohigans to a 31-6 record, including a 6-5 loss to George Washington in the state title contest.

Along with Gordon, the outfield featured Cabell Midland’s Braylon Wing and Parkersburg’s Parker Woods.

“Wing’s a definite first-teamer,” Knights coach Tracy Brumfield said. “He’s certainly very deserving.”

The catchers are Bryson McNew, a junior from Preston, and Brayden Edwards, a senior from Washington. The infielders are Hurricane junior Tyler Baxter, Wheeling Park sophomore Jaxon Updegraff and Buckhannon-Upshur senior Brody McDaniels.

Updegraff piled up 47 hits with a .416 batting average, 18 doubles, two triples and 22 RBI. He struck out only four times all year.

Joining Smith as a utility player is Jefferson senior Jett Gross.

Morgantown sophomore infielder Kai Henkins captains the second unit. Henkins batted a Mohigans-best .415.

Huntington High’s Tayveon Wilson headed the outfield after hitting .349 with 20 stolen bases. Wilson, who signed to play football at Clemson, was a first-team all-stater in football and basketball, as well as being a key contributor to the Highlanders’ state champion track team.

“Tayveon’s the best athlete in the state,” Huntington High coach John Dennison said. “He could be a Division I college athlete in four sports.”

Wilson’s teammate Jacob Ramey, a sophomore who led the Highlanders with a .415 batting average and .491 on base percentage, also is a second-team outfielder, along with Jefferson senior Andrew Rolfe.

The pitching staff is led by Potomac State signee Owen Maynard of Cabell Midland, Wheeling Park senior Kolten Whitmire and Hurricane junior Ryan Bowman.

Catchers are Hurricane’s Judson Whitt and Woodrow Wilson’s Gage Price, both juniors.

The infield is rounded out by Andrew LaFon of Cabell Midland, Jaxon Spratt of Buckhannon-Upshur and Koa Silvers of Morgantown. Utility players are Cabell Midland’s Eli McGinnis, GW’s Ryan Anderson and University’s Max Cash.

Wooden plaques in the shape of West Virginia that include the player’s name, school, licensed WVSWA logo and year of the honoree are available to All-State first team, second team and honorable mentions, and can be purchased from the Bear Wood Co. at Bearwoodcompany.com.

CLASS AAAA

First Team

P – Slade Barton, Morgantown, Sr.

P -Ty Nettles, George Washington, Sr.

P – Maddox Boggs, Morgantown, Jr.

C – Bryson McNew, Preston, Jr.

C – Brayden Edwards, Washington, Sr.

INF – Jon Fala, George Washington, Soph. (Capt.)

INF – Tyler Baxter, Hurricane, Jr.

INF – Brayden Gorby, Morgantown, Sr.

INF – Jaxson Updegraff, Wheeling Park, Soph.

INF – Brody McDaniels, Buckhannon-Upshur, Jr.

Out – Luke Gordon, George Washington, Sr.

Out – Braylon Wing, Cabell Midland, Jr.

Out – Parker Woods, Parkersburg, Soph.

Util – Eli Smith, George Washington, Sr.

Util – Jett Gross, Jefferson, Sr.

Second Team

P – Owen Maynard, Cabell Midland, Sr.

P – Kolten Whitmire, Wheeling Park, Sr.

P – Ryan Bowman, Hurricane, Jr.

C – Gage Price, Woodrow Wilson, Jr.

C – Judson Whitt, Hurricane, Jr.

INF – Kai Henkins, Morgantown, Soph. (Capt.)

INF – Jaxon Spratt, Buckhannon-Upshur, Soph.

INF – Andrew Lafon, Cabell Midland, Jr.

INF – Koa Silvers, Morgantown, Sr.

Out – Tayveon Wilson, Huntington, Sr.

Out – Andrew Rolfe, Jefferson, Sr.

Out – Jacob Ramey, Huntington, Soph.

Util – Eli McGinnis, Cabell Midland, Sr.

Util – Ryan Anderson, George Washington, Jr.

Util – Max Cash, University, Sr.

Honorable Mention

Mason Bowers, Morgantown; Jamere Brown, Martinsburg; Alex Danner, Washington; Eli Davis, Parkersburg South; Nayan Dominguez, Jefferson; Sven Dupree, Washington; Beau Elswick, Oak Hill; Hunter Elswick, Oak Hill; Will Farrish, Woodrow Wilson; Drew Gallaher, Woodrow Wilson; Owen Grose, Oak Hill; Serf Guerra, Jefferson; Braylan Hutchinson, Hurricane; Cade Johnson, Cabell Midland; Brady Lucas, Hurricane; Mason McGill, Hedgesville; Connor Smith, Washington; Rylan Swartz, Spring Mills; Jay Viands, Hedgesville; Jerin Westfall, Buckhannon Upshur; Wyatt Zimmerman, Washington.