Earlier this week, USA TODAY released the 2017 American Family Insurance ALL-USA West Virginia football team. The publication released a first and second unit.

 

The players, according to USA TODAY, were chosen back on their athletic achievements for the 2017-18 season. The teams cover all three classifications in West Virginia and Bridgeport had two player chosen for the second-team unit.

 

Senior defensive back John Merica was named defensive back to the defensive squad. Junior Jake Bowen earned the honor on the offensive side of the ball at running back.

 

Merica was the Tribe’s leading tackler in 2017. He paced the team with 59 stops this year. He also had two interceptions and a team-high seven pass breakups.

 

Through 13 games, Bowen finished with 1,916 yards on 222 carries for an impressive average of 8.6 yards per run and 26 touchdowns. More impressive, he did a lot of that without carrying the ball in the second half of several Bridgeport blowouts.

 

Bluefield Coach Fred Simon was named state coach of the year. Offensive player of the year went to quarterback Tyson Bagent of Martinsburg, while the defensive player of the year was Dante Stills of Fairmont Senior.

 

Simon and his Beavers ended Bridgeport’s season in the Class AA semifinals on their way to the state championship. Once in the title game, Bluefield beat Stills’ Fairmont Senior team. Bluefield and Fairmont Senior were the only two losses the Indians suffered this year on their way to an 11-2 season.

 

Polar Bear sophomore Zach Frazier was named to the second team as an offensive lineman. Stills was a first team defensive lineman. Doddridge County defensive lineman William Howell was on the second team defense.

 

Click HERE for the entire list of recipients. 

 

Editor's Note: John Merica, left, and Jake Bowen are shown after a touchdown this past season. Photo by www.benqueenphotography.com.