Each year since 2006, MaxPreps has recognized outstanding
performers in high school football. America's source for high school
sports continues the tradition to close out the 2022 season by naming
the top player in each state. Selections are based on team success and
individual excellence in addition to local and state accolades.
Gavin Lochow of
Huntington is the 2022 MaxPreps West Virginia High School Football Player of the Year. The 6-foot, 195-pound senior quarterback helped the Highlanders go 13-1 and win the program’s first state title with a 28-3 victory over Parkersburg South in the Class AAA championship.
The state title is the first for a school from Cabell County since Barboursville beat Bentwood 27-0 in the 1953 Class A championship.
For the season, Lochow completed 130 of 207 pass attempts for 2,192 yards and 35 touchdowns against just four interceptions. He ran for another 1,132 yards (8.6 per carry) and 16 touchdowns.
Lochow ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in Huntington's 28-21 semifinal win over Martinsburg, avenging a loss in last year’s state final and handing the Bulldogs their first playoff defeat since 2015.
Committed to the University of Dayton, Lochow finishes with career totals of 5,578 passing yards and 63 touchdown passes with another 2,799 yards and 49 touchdowns on the ground. He led Huntington to a record of 25-2 in its last 27 games.
Each
state's MaxPreps Player of the Year will be considered for inclusion in
the MaxPreps All-America Team, which will be released January 10.
Past MaxPreps West Virginia Players of the Year
2020 – Wyatt Milum, OL, Spring Valley
2021 – Hudson Clement, WR, Martinsburg
