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HIGHLANDERS RELOADED: Huntington Enters 2026 With Experience, Star Power and Something to Prove
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — The names have changed. The expectations have not.
After another season that placed Huntington among West Virginia's top Class AAAA programs, the Highlanders enter 2026 with a roster that offers an intriguing combination: proven stars, an experienced defensive core, explosive playmakers and a talented group of young players who may only be beginning to show what they can become. Huntington finished 2025 with a 9-3 record, winning nine of its final 11 games after a difficult season-opening loss. Along the way, the Highlanders defeated Martinsburg, dominated much of their in-state schedule and advanced to the second round of the Class AAAA playoffs before their season ended with a 35-28 loss to University. Now comes the next chapter. And while Huntington must replace some major pieces from last year's team, head coach Billy Seals — the 2025 All-MSAC Blue Division Coach of the Year — isn't starting over.
Not even close.
The Offense Has Weapons Everywhere
The biggest question entering the season will be at quarterback, where sophomore Marek Midkiff steps into the spotlight. Don't let last year's numbers fool you. Midkiff was a freshman playing behind an established starter, so opportunities were naturally limited. But when he did get on the field, he provided a glimpse of why there is excitement surrounding his future. Midkiff completed 23 of 29 passes for 215 yards and 2 TDs, an impressive 79 percent completion rate in limited action. Those statistics aren't enough to define what Midkiff can become — but they're certainly enough to make his sophomore season one of Huntington's most interesting storylines.
He also won't have to carry the offense alone. Few teams in the state can offer a backfield with the potential of Huntington's.
Junior MayShaun Okonkwo returns after putting together a spectacular sophomore season, rushing for exactly 1,000 yards on just 98 carries. That's 10.2 yards every time he touched the football. Okonkwo scored eight rushing touchdowns and earned Second Team Class AAAA All-State and First Team All-MSAC Blue Division honors. And then there's Trevon Okonkwo. His final season totals — 453 rushing yards and 10 TDs on 68 carries — are impressive enough on their own. But they become much more impressive when you consider one important detail: He played in only six of Huntington's 12 games.
Trevon averaged 6.7 yards per carry and scored 10 times despite missing half the season. If he can remain on the field for a full junior campaign, Huntington could have one of the most dangerous one-two punches in West Virginia. Combined, the two Okonkwos produced 1,453 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on just 166 carries last season. That's an average of nearly 8.8 yards per attempt. Pick your poison.
Donte Newsome Gives Huntington a Proven Game-Breaker
If opposing defenses decide to load the box to stop the Highlanders' running game, they'll have another problem waiting outside. Senior Donte Newsome returns as one of the state's most dangerous two-way players.
Newsome caught 28 passes for 592 yards and 6 Touchdowns last season, averaging a staggering 21.1 yards per reception. He also carried the ball 53 times for another 392 yards and 4 Tuchdowns, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. Add it together and Newsome accounted for 984 yards from scrimmage and 10 offensive touchdowns. His performance earned him Second Team Class AAAA All-State and First Team All-MSAC Blue Division honors. And he isn't just an offensive weapon. Newsome recorded 54 tackles and an interception from the secondary last season, giving Huntington a veteran playmaker capable of changing a game on either side of the football.
Don't Sleep on Kellen Rife
Another name worth remembering is sophomore Kellen Rife. Much like Midkiff, Rife's freshman statistics tell only part of the story because he was a young player trying to earn opportunities on a veteran roster.
When those opportunities came, however, he made them count. Rife caught 11 passes for 240 yards, averaging an eye-opening 21.8 yards per reception, and scored a touchdown. He also contributed defensively with 31 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Now a sophomore with a year of varsity experience behind him, Rife could be poised for a significantly larger role. Put Midkiff at quarterback with MayShaun and Trevon Okonkwo in the backfield and Newsome and Rife on the perimeter, and Huntington suddenly has the ingredients for an offense capable of attacking defenses in multiple ways.
The Heart of the Defense Returns
As intriguing as Huntington's offense may be, the Highlanders' greatest strength could be on the other side of the football. Because Ilias King is back. The senior linebacker was one of the best defensive players in West Virginia last season, piling up a team-leading 127 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and three forced fumbles. King earned First Team Class AAAA All-State honors and was named the All-MSAC Blue Division Defensive Player of the Year. He enters 2026 as the unquestioned centerpiece of a veteran Huntington defense. And he has plenty of help. Senior linebacker C.J. Quinn returns after recording 90 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Quinn earned Second Team All-MSAC honors last season and gives Huntington another experienced, physical presence in the middle of the defense.
Up front, senior Antonyo Paschall returns after a productive junior campaign that included 58 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Senior defensive lineman Jeremiah Lyles added 62 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery. The secondary also brings back experience with Newsome, Dreydon Barber and Ethan Goodsen, while Rife has already shown the ability to contribute on defense. For a program that prides itself on physical football, that's a lot of proven production returning. King, Quinn, Paschall, Lyles and Newsome alone accounted for 391 tackles last season.
Experience in the Trenches
Perhaps the least glamorous — but potentially most important — part of Huntington's returning roster is its experience up front. Senior offensive linemen Collin Gadd and Tyler Avery return, with Avery coming off All-MSAC Special Honorable Mention recognition. Lyles also brings senior experience along the line, while Grady Franks provides versatility at defensive end, tight end and long snapper. That veteran presence could prove especially valuable for a sophomore quarterback taking over the offense. Huntington doesn't need Midkiff to do everything. Protect him. Establish the running game. Get the football into the hands of Newsome and Rife. Let the sophomore quarterback grow into the position. That's a formula that could make the Highlanders increasingly dangerous as the season progresses.
A Different Road Awaits in 2026
Huntington's schedule has a different look this fall. The Highlanders open the season Friday, August 28, on the road against George Rogers Clark in Winchester, Kentucky, before an unusually early Week 2 bye. Then comes a matchup with rival Spring Valley on September 11 in Huntington at Marshall University. Huntington follows with consecutive road trips to Hurricane and Woodrow Wilson before returning home to face Capital.
The second half of the schedule includes Parkersburg, George Washington, Parkersburg South, Cabell Midland and Herbert Hoover. There are familiar rivals. There are new challenges. And there won't be many opportunities to relax.
Something to Prove
That's probably just fine with Huntington. Last year's team showed its character almost immediately.
After being overwhelmed 49-0 by Oakland, Tennessee, in the season opener, Huntington responded by defeating Martinsburg 22-20 one week later. Then the Highlanders started rolling. Spring Valley fell 38-7. Hurricane, 68-20. Capital, 38-6. Parkersburg, 35-3. George Washington, 30-10. Cabell Midland, 42-0. Huntington eventually reached the Class AAAA quarterfinals before University escaped Bob Sang Stadium with a 35-28 victory. That ending will undoubtedly linger. But so will everything Huntington accomplished before it. And many of the players who experienced that playoff disappointment are back. King is back. Newsome is back. MayShaun Okonkwo is back. Trevon Okonkwo is back. Quinn, Paschall, Lyles and Avery are back.
And now a new generation, led by Midkiff and Rife, gets its opportunity. There are questions that won't be answered until the lights come on. Can Midkiff make the jump from promising freshman backup to starting varsity quarterback? What does a full season of Trevon Okonkwo look like? Can MayShaun Okonkwo build on a 1,000-yard sophomore campaign? How dangerous can Newsome and Rife make Huntington's passing game?
Can King and a veteran defensive front make the Highlanders one of the toughest teams in Class AAAA to score against? Those answers will come soon enough. For now, one thing seems certain. The Highlanders aren't entering 2026 hoping to rebuild. They're reloading. And when Huntington takes the field in Winchester on August 28, a team filled with veterans, emerging young stars and unfinished business will begin another chase for something bigger. The road to December starts now.
