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. Coach Stan Romanoski of West Virginia University’s track & cross-country teams started the event for high school harriers. Schools from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio participated in what was then called the Mountaineer High School Invitational. West Virginian’s were crowned individual and team champions for the State.

1958 – The first Individual Boy’s Champion was Roger Meador of Charleston High. His winning time was 10:22 for the 2.1-mile distance.

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

1959 – Roger Meador of Charleston High becomes the first two-time Individual Boy’s Champion.

1961 - Huntington HS and Charleston HS tie for the West Virginia high school cross country championship. Both teams scored a low score of 49 points. This would be the only tie for the team crown in the history of the West Virginia high school cross country championship – boys or girls.

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.

1981 – Steve Taylor of St. Marys becomes the first West Virginian to be a Kinney/Foot Locker Cross Country National Boys Finalist.

1982 - Steve Taylor of St. Marys becomes the first West Virginia two-time Kinney/Foot Locker Cross Country National Boys Finalist.

1982 – Was when the 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).

1983 - Margaret Blake of Fairmont becomes the first two-time Individual Girl’s Champion.

1984 - Margaret Blake of Fairmont becomes the first three-time Individual Girl’s Champion.

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).

1989 - Wendy Green of Athens becomes the first four-time Individual Girl’s Champion.

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

1996 - Aaron Toothman of North Marion becomes the first three-time Individual Boy’s Champion.

2010 – Jacob Burcham of Cabell Midland becomes the first West Virginian to be a NXN Cross Country National Boys Finalist.

2012 - Jacob Burcham of Cabell Midland becomes the first West Virginian to be a two-time NXN Cross Country National Boys Finalist.

2012 – Maggie Drazba of St. Marys becomes the first West Virginian to be a Foot Locker Cross Country National Girls Finalist.

2013 – Amelia Paladino of University becomes the first West Virginian to be a two-time Foot Locker Cross Country National Girls Finalist.

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.

2017 – Sophomore Victoria Starcher of Ripley becomes the youngest West Virginian to qualify for the Foot Locker Cross Country National Finals.

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

• Jessica Melvin (Philip Barbour) – 2016, 2017

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, 1984

• 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

10 – Freshman Individual Girl’s Champion:

• Wendy Green (Athens) – 1986

• Mendi Hamilton (Martinsburg) - 1993

• 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, 2017 – (6)

• Dunbar: 1958 – (1)

• East Fairmont: 2017 – (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, 2017 – (6)

• 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, 2017 – (7)

• Wheeling Park: 1984 – (1)

• Williamstown: 1994, 1997, 2017 – (3)

• Winfield: 2017 – (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)

• University: 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 – (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)

• University - 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 – (4)

West Virginia High School Cross Country Leaders:

• Boys: Steve Taylor (St. Marys) - West Virginia State Cross Country Meet (5K) – Oct 30, 1982 - 14:47.00

• 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

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

• Maggie Drazba (St. Marys) – 2012

• Amelia Paladino (University) – 2012, 2013

• Victoria Starcher (Ripley) - 2017

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

Gatorade West Virginia Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year:

2017 – 2018 / Chris Barbera (Woodrow Wilson)

2016 – 2017 / Philip White (University High)

2015 – 2016 / Seth Edwards (University High)

2014 – 2015 / Seth Edwards (University High)

2013 – 2014 / Matthew Brafford (George Washington)

2011 – 2012 / Jacob Burcham (Cabell Midland)

2012 – 2013 / Jacob Burcham (Cabell Midland)

2010 – 2011 / Jacob Burcham (Cabell Midland)

2009 – 2010 / Cody Pelliccioni (Morgantown)

2008 – 2009 / Cody Pelliccioni (Morgantown)

2007 – 2008 / Ryan Beabout (Wheeling Park)

Gatorade West Virginia Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year:

2017 – 2018 / Tori Starcher (Ripley)

2016 – 2017 / TaShala Turner (University High)

2015 – 2016 / Jessica Melvin (Philip Barbour)

2014 – 2015 / Peyton Panger (Capital)

2013 – 2014 / Amelia Paladino (University High)

2012 – 2013 / Maggie Drazba (St. Marys)

2011 – 2012 / Maggie Drazba (St. Marys)

2010 – 2011 / Sarah McCauley (Philip Barbour)

2009 – 2010 / Alex Dent (Hurricane)

2008 – 2009 / Letitia Propst (Elkins)

2007 – 2008 / Letitia Propst (Elkins)

Compiled by Coach Mike McMillion (Last edited 04/10/18)

E-mail: mgmcmillion@aol.com