SHENANDOAH JUNCTION — Scoring just seven runs in the three-game Regional series wasn’t enough for Jefferson High School, as the 2025 Cougar season was abruptly finished last Saturday when Hedgesville High School, which lost the opener of the best-of-three series, came back to beat the run-deficient Cougars, 4-2, in the deciding game.

Jefferson had gotten a 3-1 win in the series opener that was staged in Shenandoah Junction. Andrew Engle pitched a four-hitter in getting a complete-game win that had the Cougars needing one more success to reach the Class AAAA State Tournament in Charleston.

Hedgesville pitching had a shutout until the fifth inning, when Liam Sager singled and eventually scored on an error to make it a 1-1 game. Brady Roberts scored on a wild pitch to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead — which, as it turned out, was all the runs Engle would need. The third Jefferson run came after hits from Braedon Oviedo and Serf Guerra had runners at second and third and Cole Smith scored one with a sacrifice fly.

Engle’s pitching had gotten the Cougars a one game lead in the series.

Jefferson could never score as many as three runs in another game.

In an 11 a.m. game the next day in Hedgesville, the Eagles quickly jumped out to a lengthy lead by counting five runs in the first inning. They moved in front, 7-1, and evened the series with an 8-2 win that forced a third and deciding game back at Jefferson. Guerra was Jefferson’s only multi-hit player getting a pair hits.

In getting its two runs, the Cougars managed only four hits.

The third game also had Jefferson managing just two runs in a 4-2 loss that ended its season.

Alex Danner pitched 3.2 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk.

Andrew Rolfe had two hits and drove in both Jefferson runs.

Jefferson completed its 2025 season with 28 wins and had but five losses.

Hedgesville had earned the Region 2 berth in the Charleston-based State Tournament, where it would be the No. 4 seed and face No.1 seed Hurricane High School in the opening round.

George Washington High School and Morgantown High School met in the other semifinal game.

The Class AAAA field at the 2026 State Tournament will be expanded to eight teams and be staged again in Charleston.