The A-AA Girls closed the morning session. With the weather still being reasonably cooperative at about 65 degrees, the race was set to be relatively quick. This was expected to be the best team race of the day with the top four teams predicted to finish just 6 points apart. The tight battle didn't quite materialize as Philip Barbour came through strong to win by 16 points. In the battle for the first even Class A team title, Doddridge ran away with it, taking the win by 60 points over Charleston Catholic after Richwood lost their # 2 runner to injury, depriving us of what would likely have been a very close race. In the individual race, Jessica Melvin came in as the heavy favorite, but it was the closing speed of St. Joseph's Makenzie Moran that won the day with Moran overtaking Melvin in the last 50 meters.

My first checkpoint was again the top of the hill at approximately 0.7 miles. Elkin's Olivia Underwood held a slight edge over Doddridge's Desirae Schoonover with both at 4:29. Berkeley Springs' Amanda Lupton was in 3rd at 4:30. Richwood's Madison Frame had a slight lead over Philip Barbour's Jessica Melvin for 4th with both at 4:31. St. Joseph's Makenzie Moran was in 6th at 4:32. East Fairmont's Olga Hawranick was in 7th at the front of a large group passing at 4:34. She was trailed by Berkeley Springs' Stephanie Golden, Winfield's Savannah Hoff, Philip Barbour's Kierra Hodge, and Winfield's Alyssa Rittinger. Fairmont Senior's Adriana Abruzzino was in 12th at 4:35. Winfield'a Anna Lumadue was in 13th at 4:36 with that time being matched by Lewis County's Brooke Bennett. Keyser's Kyleena Purvis was 15th in 4:38 with North Marion's Emily Maddow matching that time in 16th. Nicholas County's Lucianna Martin was in 17th at 4:39. Charleston Catholic's Hannah Gacek was in 18th at 4:40. Bridgeport's Jenna Soltesz held a slight lead over Fairmont Senior's Carlina Jacquez for 19th with both at 4:43.

At the mile mark, there was quite a pack with the front six separated by less than 2 seconds. Jessica Melvin had moved to a slight lead at 6:16. Amanda Lupton was in 2nd with Olivia Underwood in 3rd at the same time. Desirae Schoonover was in 4th at 6:17 with that time being matched by Madison Frame and Makenzie Moran. Olga Hawranick remained in 7th at 6:18. Kierra Hodge had moved up to 8th at 6:19. Savannah Hoff had a slight lead over Adriana Abruzzino for 9th with both at 6:21. They were trailed immediately by Alyssa Rittinger in 11th at 6:22. Anna Lumadue was in 12th at 6:25, just ahead of Kyleena Purvis in 6:25. Stephanie Golden was in 14th at 6:26. Emily Maddow was 15th in 6:28. Jenna Soltesz had moved up to 16th in 6:29, just ahead of Lucianna Martin and Fairmont Senior's Mackenzie Stanley who matched that time. Carlina Jacquez was in 19th at 6:31 with Hannah Gacek in 20th at the same time.

At the top of the hill near the Extension Service building, the highest point on the course at approximately 1.4 miles, Jessica Melvin remained in front at 9:05. She was trailed closely by Olivia Underwood and Amanda Lupton at 9:06. Makenzie Moran had moved into 4th in 9:07 with Madison Frame matching that time in 5th. Desirae Schoonover was in 6th at 9:10. Olga Hawranick held a slight edge for 7th in 9:19. She was trailed closely by Kierra Hodge with the same time and Kyleena Purvis who had moved into 9th at 9:20. Alyssa Rittinger had moved into the top 10 in 9:27, just ahead of Savannah Hoff with the same time. Adriana Abruzzino was in 12th at 9:29. Carlina Jacquez had moved up to 13th in 9:30. Anna Lumadue was 14th in 9:31 with Jenna Soltesz coming through at the same time in 15th. Emily Maddow was in 16th in 9:33. Mackenzie Stanley was in 17th at 9:34. Lucianna Martin was in 18th at 9:37. Magnolia's Jordan Delaney had moved into the top 20, holding 19th in 9:41. Stephanie Golden was in 20th at 9:42.

I didn't get the bonus footage at 1.85 miles this year.

At the two mile mark, it remained close with Jessica Melvin remaining in the lead at 12:40. Olivia Underwood was in 2nd at 12:43. Makenzie Moran was up to 3rd in 12:45. Amanda Lupton was in 4th at 12:48. Madison Frame was in 5th at 12:50. The front five were all ahead of Melvin's winning pace from last year. Desirae Schoonover was in 6th at 12:57 with Kyleena Purvis moving up to 7th and closing the gap crossing in 12:59. Kierra Hodge was in 8th at 13:05. Alyssa Rittinger was up to 9th in 13:09. Olga Hawranick was in 10th at 13:11. These ten had moved well ahead of the rest of the field. Carlina Jacquez was in 11th at 13:22. Jenna Soltesz was up to 12th in 13:26, just ahead of Adriana Abruzzino and Savannah Hoff with the same time. Mackenzie Stanley was in 15th in 13:29 with that time being matched by Anna Lumadue in 16th. Emily Maddow was in 17th at 13:39. Philip Barbour's Brianna Williams had moved into the top 20 at 18th place in 13:40. Lucianna Martin was in 19th at 13:43, and Frankfort's Corinna Strietbeck had moved into 20th at 13:45.

Coming onto the track, it was Jessica Melvin with about a 2 second advantage on Makenzie Moran. Moran, being an excellent 400 runner, looked smooth on the backstretch and closed to within about a second heading into the turn. In the turn, Melvin eased the lead back out to 2 seconds again. Coming out of the turn, Melvin still led, but Moran was starting to move. Moran pulled even about 10 meters after the turn and sped away to take the win by 3 seconds in 19:07. Melvin claimed the 2nd spot in 19:10, 19 seconds faster than her winning time last year. The next three came out of the turn very close. Olivia Underwood had the lead with Amanda Lupton and Madison Frame about a stride behind. Lupton pulled even with Underwood and Frame was coming on the outside. Then Lupton moved in front of Underwood before Underwood fought back to take the 3rd spot in 19:23. Lupton took the 4th spot, less than 0.2 seconds behind, also getting credited with a 19:23. Frame took the 5th spot in 19:25. As it was at the two mile, the front 5 were all faster than Melvin's winning time from last year. Kyleena Purvis made the move into 6th over the last mile, crossing in 19:41. Desirae Schoonover was 7th in 19:46. Kierra Hodge held the 8th spot at 19:54. Alyssa Rittinger remained in 9th in 20:04. Olga Hawranick claimed the final Podium spot in 20:15. Carlina Jacquez held the 11th position in 20:25. Mackenzie Stanley moved up to 12th in the final mile fot finish in 20:33. Jenna Soltesz finished a strong run in 13th with a 20:36. Adriana Abruzzino took 14th, giving Fairmont Senior 3 in the top 15. Brianna Williams passed a pair down the stretch to give Philip Barbour 3 in the top 15 and finishing in 20:39. Anna Lumadue edged Savannah Hoff for 16th with the pair also scoring 20:39's. Jordan Delaney moved back into the top 20 and up to 18th over the final mile to finish in 20:47. Emily Maddow just held off Bridgeport's Emma Campbell for 19th as both finished in 20:50.

In searching for the MVP, my initial look was to Philip Barbour. They received really strong runs from Brianna Williams and Olivia Frye, but neither was really the difference maker. I also looked at Fairmont Senior as they held off Bridgeport for the runner-up spot and received an excellent run from Maya Brinson. But then I saw it...the potential tie. There was a runner who finished 21 spots and 15 team places ahead of her predicted finish. Had she finished where she was predicted, it would have cost her team 15 points and provided a one point improvement to Fairmont Senior. This would have created a tie, and Fairmont Senior would have won the tie-breaker and the meet. So, for that step-up performance, the 2016 RunWV MVP for the State Meet is Philip Barbour's Katie Swick.

How did RunWV do on the predictions? We'll call it decent. I did get the team champion, but my #2 fell to 5th, and my 5th climbed to 3rd. In all, four of the 13 teams finished more than one spot away from where they were predicted. I also missed the Class A Team Champion. Of course, the team I picked ran without their # 2 runner, so I'll give myself partial credit for that. Individually, I did not get the champion correct as Makenzie Moran was stellar in just her 2nd race of the season (at least it was only the 2nd that I saw). I did get 8 of the top 10, but I only got 11 of the top 15. One of that top 15 did not run, but my # 16 isn't one that moved into the top 15 so I can't really take credit for it. I did rebound to score 20 of the top 25, but still... not a great set. I guess I could take credit for another as my 26th moved into the top 25 to replace my #12 who didn't run. On average, runners within 7.93 places of their predicted finish, just slightly off last year's average. Those that moved into a podium position were Keyser's Kyleena Purvis (picked 11th, got 6th) and Winfield's Alyssa Rittinger (picked 14th, got 9th). Those who climed into the top 25 were Bridgeport's Jenna Soltesz (picked 26th, got 13th), Bridgeport's Emma Campbell (picked 30th, got 20th), Wayne's Katie Napier (picked 39th, got 23rd), Nicholas' Michaela O'Dell (picked 24th, got 35th), and Fairmont Senior's Maya Brinson (picked 41st, got 25th). The big mover of the meet was Liberty Raleigh's Brook Athey who jumped up 28 spots from a predicted 85th place finish to an actual 57th. From a team standpoint, there were two teams who scored 22 points fewer than was predicted. Those two teams were Philip Barbour and Bridgeport.

I offer my congratulations to the Philip Barbour girls. After a little mid-season trouble dropped you to 6th place in the rankings, you responded and responded hard. You closed the season at your best and provided even more evidence that it is usually your #3, 4, and 5 runners that pave the way to championships.

I offer my congratulations to the Doddridge girls. You go down in the history books as the first ever Class A Champions. You knew what you had to do to make this happen and you did it.

I offer my congratulations to Makenzie Moran. It's doubtful that many in the State even knew your name, but you ran a smart race, a controlled race, and you put yourself in a position to use your closing speed. It will be interesting to see what your running future holds.

I offer my congratulations to the girls who shook up the predictions. You prove what I try to tell people every year. Rankings and predictions don't mean a thing. That's why we run the race.