A Brief History of WV High School Cross Country

(Through the Years)

1958 – Was when the first boy’s State Cross Country Meet for Individual’s & Teams was held for All Classes combined.

1958 – The first Individual Boy’s Champion was Roger Meador of Charleston High.

1958 – Dunbar High was crowned the first boys’ Team Champion (All Classes Combined).

1980 – Was when the first Girl’s State Cross Country Meet for Individual’s was held (All Classes combined).

1980 – The first Individual Girl’s Champion was Cindy Campbell of Huntington East. Teams did not exist for the female division.

1982 - First Girl’s State Cross Country Meet for Teams was held (All Classes combined).

1982 – The First Girls’ Team Champion was Parkersburg High (All Classes Combined).

1986-1987 – Teams and Individuals were awarded for AAA (Boys & Girls) and AA/A (Boys & Girls).

1988-1993 – Individuals were awarded for AAA (Boys & Girls) and AA/A (Boys & Girls), while teams were awarded for All Classes combined (Boys & Girls).

1994-2015 – Once again, teams and Individuals were awarded for AAA (Boys & Girls) and AA/A (Boys & Girls).

2016 - Individuals were awarded for AAA (Boys & Girls) and AA/A (Boys & Girls), while teams were awarded for All Classes (AAA, AA, A / Boys & Girls).

2016 - St. Marys Boys and Doddridge Girls bring home the first ever Class A Team Championships.

Did you know? Since RunWV began online in 1997, the West Virginia High School Cross Country State Championships have been held at Davis & Elkins College from 1996-1997. The Meet was then held in Williamstown from 1998-1999. In 2000-2001 it was contested at Davis & Elkins College. It then moved to a much flatter venue in 2002-2005 at Mineral Wells. The State Meet has since been running at Cabell Midland High School from 2006 to present.

Through the year’s we’ve had:

1 – Tie:

· In 1961, Huntington High and Charleston High boys were co-champions.

13 – Two Time Individual Boy’s Champion:

· Roger Meador (Charleston) - 1958, 1959

· George Mickens (Huntington) – 1961, 1962

· Jeff Adkins (Woodrow Wilson) – 1977, 1978

· Steve Taylor (St. Marys) – 1981, 1982

· Sean Hunt (Gilmer) – 1989, 1990

· Jeff Roby (Huntington) – 1990, 1991

· Ricky Moore (Wheeling Park) – 1997, 1998

· Justin Simpson (Oak Glen) – 2001, 2002

· Andrew Benford (Ravenswood) – 2004, 2005

· Levi Grandt (Doddridge County) – 2006, 2007

· Ryan Beaubout (Wheeling Park) – 2006, 2007

· Drew Woodford (Grafton) - 2009, 2010

· Seth Edwards (University) – 2014, 2015

6 - Two Time Individual Girl’s Champion:

· Jessie Trippett (Parkersburg) - 1985, 1986

· Valerie Peer (Berkeley Springs) - 2002, 2003

· Keri Bland (North Marion) – 2004, 2005

· Amelia Paladino (University) – 2012, 2013

· Alicia Parsons (Grafton) – 2013, 2014

· Abby Colbert (Jefferson) – 2014, 2015

3 – Three Time Individual Boy’s Champion:

· Aaron Toothman (North Marion) – 1994, 1995, 1996

· Josh Watson (Magnolia) - 1996, 1997, 1998

· Jacob Burcham (Cabell Midland) – 2010, 2011, 2012

4 – Three Time Individual Girl’s Champion:

· Margaret Blake (Fairmont) – 1982, 1983

· Holly Hunter (East Fairmont) – 1996, 1997, 1999

· Letitia Propst (Elkins) – 2007, 2008, 2010

· Maggie Drazba (St. Marys) – 2009, 2011, 2012

3 – Four Time Individual Girl’s Champion:

· Wendy Green (Athens) – 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989

· Jessica Taylor (Fayetteville) – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000

· Rachel Buser (Berkeley Springs) – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

1 – Freshman Individual Boy’s Champion:

· David Ciarolla (Fairmont Senior) – 2005

9 – Freshman Individual Girl’s Champion:

· Wendy Green (Athens) – 1986

· Holly Hunter (East Fairmont) – 1996

· Jessica Taylor (Fayetteville) – 1997

· Valerie Peer (Berkeley Springs) – 2002

· Rachel Buser (Berkeley Springs) – 2004

· Letitia Propst (Elkins) – 2007

· Maggie Drazba (St.Marys) – 2009

· Victoria Cooke (Morgantown) – 2011

· Alicia Parsons (Grafton) – 2013

Team Championships (Boy’s):

· Berkeley Springs: 2015 – (1)

· Bridgeport: 2013, 2014, 2016 – (3)

· Buckhannon Upshur: 1993 – (1)

· Cabell Midland: 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 – (9)

· Charleston: 1961, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1970 – (5)

· Doddridge: 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999 – (5)

· Dunbar: 1958 – (1)

· Elkins: 1978, 1979 – (2)

· Fairmont Senior: 1977, 1988, 1997, 1999, 2012 – (5)

· George Washington: 1991 – (1)

· Grafton: 2009, 2010 – (2)

· Huntington: 1961, 1962 – (2)

· Huntington East: 1964, 1965 – (2)

· Jefferson: 2011 – (1)

· Keyser: 1971 – (1)

· Magnolia: 1981, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1996 – (5)

· Martinsburg: 1975, 1987 – (2)

· Morgantown: 1959, 1960, 1985, 1989, 2016 – (5)

· North Marion: 1992, 1994, 1995, 2005 – (4)

· Parkersburg South: 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984 – (4)

· Philip Barbour: 2011 – (1)

· Preston: 2003 – (1)

· Ravenswood: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 – (9)

· St. Albans: 1968, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1998 – (6)

· St. Marys: 2016 - (1)

· Stonewall Jackson: 1967 – (1)

· University: 2006, 2013, 2014 – (3)

· Wheeling Park: 1986, 2007, 2008 – (3)

Team Championships (Girl’s):

· Athens: 1988 – (1)

· Berkeley Springs: 1995, 2005, 2014, 2015 – (4)

· Cameron: 1991 – (1)

· Charleston Catholic: 2001 – (1)

· Doddridge: 1996, 1998, 2003, 2006, 2016 – (5)

· East Fairmont: 1999 – (1)

· Elkins: 1986, 2001 – (1)

· Fairmont Senior: 1989, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2003 – (5)

· Grafton: 1999, 2000, 2002, 2007 – (4)

· Jefferson: 2009 – (1)

· Magnolia: 1983, 1986, 1987 – (3)

· Morgantown: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013 – (7)

· North Marion: 1993 – (1)

· Parkersburg: 1982, 1994, 1995, 2000 – (4)

· Parkersburg South: 1985, 1987 – (2)

· Philip Barbour: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 – (5)

· Ravenswood: 1990, 1992 – (2)

· Ritchie: 2004 – (1)

· Shady Spring: 2008 – (1)

· St. Marys: 2009 – (1)

· University: 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016 – (6)

· Williamstown: 1994, 1997 – (2)

· Wheeling Park: 1984 – (1)

9 – Most Team Championships (Boy’s):

· Ravenswood – 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 – (9)

· Cabell Midland: 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 – (9)

7 – Most Team Championships (Girl’s):

· Morgantown – 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013 – (7)

9 – Longest Team Winning Streak (Boy’s):

· Ravenswood – 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 (9)

4 – Longest Team Winning Streak (Girl’s):

· Philip Barbour – 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 – (4)

West Virginia High School Cross Country Leaders:

· Boys: Steve Taylor (St. Marys) - Kinney Cross Country Championships (5K) - Dec 16, 1982 - 14:53.60

· Girls: Amelia Paladino (University) - Foot Locker South Regional (5K) - Nov 30, 2013 - 17:04.00

Did you know? At the 2003 West Virginia High School AA/A Boy’s State Cross Country Meet, Josh Wagner of Liberty Harrison finished in the top 10, but was disqualified for not having a bib number.

West Virginia Runners (Post Season)

1 – NXN Cross Country Championships National Finalist:

· Boys: Jacob Burcham (Cabell Midland) – 2010, 2012

5 – Kinney/Foot Locker Cross Country Championships National Finalist (Boy’s):

· Steve Taylor (St.Marys) – 1981, 1982

· Brian Redman (Keyser) – 1982

· Mikey Cox (Athens) – 1992

· Justin Simpson (Oak Glen) – 2002

· Cody Pelliccioni (Morgantown) – 2010

2 – Foot Locker Cross Country Championships National Finalist (Girl’s):

· Maggie Drazba (St.Marys) – 2012

· Amelia Paladino (University) – 2012, 2013

Top Foot Locker South Performance (McAlpine /Charlotte, NC):

· Boys: Cody Pelliccioni (Morgantown) – Seeded Race – 2010 - 15:04

· Girls: Amelia Paladino (University) – Seeded Race – 2013 - 17:04

Compiled by Coach Mike McMillion

E-mail: mgmcmillion@aol.com

Last edited 11/06/16