Harrison H. Kennedy Award Explained

The Harrison H. Kennedy Award, often known simply as the Kennedy Award, is a high school sports award named for the late Wheeling, West Virginia native Harry H. Kennedy. It is given annually to the West Virginia High School Football Player of the Year as voted on by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association. It is awarded every spring at the annual Victory Awards Dinner. It is the second oldest statewide award, second only to the Hardman Award, which is presented to the Amateur Athlete of the Year.[1]

Winners

[2]

Year Winner Class School Position
1947 Darrell Patrick Shires Jr. Hinton RB
1948 Randy Broyles Sr. Woodrow Wilson RB
1949 Henry (Hoppy) Shores Sr. Stonewall Jackson RB-DB
1950 Jim Early Sr. Parkersburg RB
1951 Dale Boyd Sr. Huntington Vinson QB
1952 Don Griffith Sr. Stonewall Jackson QB
1953 Bob Barrett Sr. Barboursville RB
1954 Noel Whipkey Sr. Charleston RB-LB
1955 Ronald (Tags) Meredith Sr. St. Albans QB
1956 Johnny Frye Sr. Huntington East QB
1957 Jim Bargeloh Sr. Parkersburg RB
1958 Larry Drake Sr. Fairmont Senior RB
1959 Fred Colvard Sr. Logan QB
1960 Bob Kelley Sr. Weir RB-DB
1961 Paul Allen Sr. Huntington RB
1962 Joe White Sr. Charleston Catholic RB
1963 Jim Smithberger Sr. Welch DB-RB
1964 Frank Criniti Sr. Charleston Catholic RB
1965 Melvin Walker Sr. Dunbar QB
1966 No Award
1967 No Award
1968 David Morris Sr. Wayne DB-RB
1969 Kerry Marbury Sr. Monongah RB-DB
1970 Rick Hurt Sr. Charleston QB
1971 Rick Petty Sr. Williamstown RB-DB
1972 Danny Williams Jr. DuPont QB
1973 Danny Williams Sr. DuPont QB
1974 Robin Lyons Sr. Herbert Hoover RB-LB
1975 Jr. South Charleston RB
1976 Sr. South Charleston RB
1977 Mike Estes Sr. George Washington QB
1978 Sr. Pineville RB-DB
1979 Tim Stephens Sr. Parkersburg South QB
1980 David Bayer Sr. George Washington RB
1981 John Koontz Sr. Petersburg RB-DB
1982 Brad King Sr. North Marion RB
1983 Tony Johnson Sr. Morgantown RB
1984 Joel Wilson Sr. Sistersville RB-LB
1985 Ted Kester Sr. Winfield LB-RB
1986 Jeff Swisher Sr. Sistersville RB
1987 Jed Drenning Sr. Tucker County QB
1988 Keith Jeter Sr. Weir RB-DB
1989 David Mayfield Sr. Morgantown DB-RB
1990 Eric McGhee Sr. Wheeling Central RB-DB
1991 Darryl Johnson Sr. Wheeling Park RB
1992 Mark Cisar Jr. Magnolia QB-DB
1993 Mark Cisar Sr. Magnolia QB-DB
1994 Sr. DuPont WR-DB
1995 Frank Aliveto Sr. Hedgesville RB-LB
1996 Soph. Nitro QB
1997 Chris Yura Jr. Morgantown RB-DB
1998 (tie) Sr. Nitro QB
1998 (tie) Sr. Weir RB-DB
1999 Todd Mosby Sr. Musselman QB-LB-DB
2000 Mark Wigal Sr. Morgantown RB-DB
2001 Marc Kimes Sr. Parkersburg QB-DB
2002 Brandon Barrett Jr. Martinsburg WR-DB
2003 Brandon Barrett Sr. Martinsburg WR-DB
2004 Nate Sowers Sr. Martinsburg QB-DB
2005 Josh Culbertson Sr. Nitro RB-DB
2006 Kyle Allard Sr. Fairmont Senior QB
2007 Jordan Roberts (football player)Jordan Roberts Sr. Scott RB
2008 Will Cole Sr. Bluefield QB
2009 Tyler Harris Jr. South Charleston QB-LB
2010 Justin CrabtreeSr. WayneQB-DB
2011 Jr. George Washington RB-DB
2012 Sr. George Washington RB-DB
2013 Chazzy Thomas Sr. Morgantown RB
2014 Kashuan Haley Sr. Capital RB
2015 Tyrhee Pratt Sr. Capital QB
2016 Jeremy Dillon Jr. Mingo Central QB-S
2017 Latrell “Mookie” Collier Sr. Bluefield RB-DB
2018 Connor Neal Sr. Fairmont Senior QB
2019 Ethan Payne Jr. Poca RB
2020 Blake Hartman Sr. Musselman RB
2021 Sr. Independence RB
2022 Judah Price[3] Sr.Independence RB
2023 Dom Collins[4] Sr.Princeton WR

Awards won by school

This is a list of the schools who have had a player win a Kennedy Award once or more. In total, players from 44 different schools have won a Kennedy Award.

SchoolAwards
won
Morgantown5
George Washington4
Dupont3
Magnolia3
Martinsburg3
Nitro3
Parkersburg3
South Charleston3
Weir3
Fairmont Senior3
Charleston2
Charleston Catholic2
Bluefield2
Musselman2
Sistersville2
Stonewall Jackson2
Capital2
Independence2
Barboursville1
Dunbar1
Hedgesville1
Herbert Hoover1
Hinton1
Huntington1
Huntington East1
Huntington Vinson1
Logan1
Monongah1
Mingo Central1
North Marion1
Parkersburg South1
Petersburg1
Pineville1
Poca1
Princeton1
Scott1
St. Albans1
Tucker County1
Wayne1
Welch1
Wheeling Central1
Wheeling Park1
Williamstown1
Winfield1
Woodrow Wilson1

Notes and References

  1. http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/502704.html?nav=524 Wheeling News-Register
  2. Web site: Past Winners . May 15, 2022.
  3. Web site: Independence’s Judah Price named 2022 Kennedy Award winner. December 26, 2022. October 11, 2023. wvnstv.com.
  4. Web site: Princeton wideout Dom Collins wins Kennedy Award. Parkersburg News and Sentinel. Jackson, Tyler. December 23, 2023. May 22, 2024.