Class AAA Girls
100 Meter Dash
Washington's Roxanne McFarlin broke open a close race in the last 40 meters,
and powered away from the field to win it in 12.68. As it ended, the gap between McFarlin
and 2nd place was the same as the gap between 2nd and 8th. Spring Mills' Sydney Banire
won a close battle for 2nd over Ripley's Allison Fields' 12.97 and Martinsburg's
Kelsea Anderson's 13.00. One of my predicted placers scratched from the event.
RunWV's Current Score: 5 of 6.
200 Meter Dash
Woodrow Wilson's Mikah Alleyne edged into the lead coming out of the turn and
pulled away down the stretch to win by over 0.7 seconds in 25.47. Martinsburg's Kelsea
Anderson kept is close early and held the 2nd spot at 26.20. Ripley's Allison
Fields was 3rd in 26.38, just ahead of Morgantown's Justice Washington's 26.47.
Wheeling Park's Abby Snedeker and Washington's Roxanne McFarlin were also
under 27 seconds.
RunWV's Current Score 9 of 12.
400 Meter Dash
Woodrow Wilson's Mikah Alleyne pretty much controlled the entire race and, like
last year, stayed smooth and strong down the stretch to take the win by over a second.
Her 56.04 time set a new State Meet Record, taking down a mark that had stood
since 1985. It's also the 3rd Best All-Time State Meet Performance and the Best
All-Time Class AAA State Meet Performance. Washington's Roxanne McFarlin was
the only one who ended up even remotely close with her strong 57.21, which is the
9th Best All-Time Class AAA State Meet Performance. Morgantown's Amber Dombrowski
took the 3rd spot in 59.18, just ahead of a strong close from 4th place finisher Zara
Zervos, who finished in 59.39. Hurricane's Danielle Ray also came in under 60
seconds with a 59.76 in 5th. George Washington's Deaira Brown challenged early,
was 3rd coming out of the turn and held on for 6th in 1:00.16. It was a great year for
the 400 with four of the 10 best all-time performances coming on Saturday (Alleyne, Bowen,
Ferrell, and Hine).
RunWV's Current Score: 15 of 18.
800 Meter Run
Ripley's wasted little time, taking the lead just over 100 meters into the race and leading
the field through a quick first lap in 1:04. She was joined out front by Parkersburg's
Madison Trippett in 1:05. Those two had already established a solid lead on the
field. I believe John Marshall's Zara Zervos was in 3rd with Hurricane's Danielle
Ray in 4th, Morgantown's Amber Dombrowski in 5th and Cabell Midland's Anya
Miller in 6th, all coming through in 1:07-1:08. No one challenged Starcher and Trippett
on the 2nd lap with Starcher pulling away on the backstretch to win in a stellar 2:08.90,
which is the 2nd Best All-Time State Meet Performance and the 2nd Best All-Time
Class AAA State Meet Performance. Trippett easily held the 2nd spot with an excellent
2:12.40, which is the 3rd Best All-Time State Meet Performance and the 3rd Best
All-Time Class AAA State Meet Performance. Zervos easily held the 3rd position and
also made it in under 2:20 with a 2:19.86. Dombrowski took the 4th spot in 2:22.42.
Miller was 5th in 2:23.49. Morgantown's Aleena McDaniel made a pass in the
final 40 meters to take the final spot in 2:24.08.
RunWV's Current Score: 20 of 24.
1600 Meter Run
There wasn't much time wasted in the early going with Ripley's Tori Starcher
and Parkersburg's Madison Trippett taking things out quickly. At the end of one
lap, it was Starcher with the lead in 1:09. Trippett was in 2nd at 1:10. Morgantown's
Samantha Hatcher was 3rd in 1:12. University's Zoe Shetty was in 4th at 1:14.
University's Peyton Kukura and Cabell Midland's Anya Miller matched that
time in 5th and 6th, respectively. By the end of lap two, Starcher had established a
large gap on the field, coming through in 2:24. Trippett was still in 2nd at 2:30, but
Hatcher had closed up on her shoulder, also in 2:30. Hampshire's Hannah Lipps
had moved into the 4th position at 2:34 with Shetty matching that time in 5th. I think
it was Kukura in 6th, also at 2:34. On lap 3, Starcher continued to pull away, coming
through in 3:38. Hatcher made the pass into 2nd with a strong move at around the 1000
meter mark and passing the line at 3:45. Trippett remained on her heels at 3:46. Shetty
made a pass on Lipps shortly before the line to move back into 4th in 3:53 with Lipps
matching that time in 5th. University's Caroline Kirby had moved into the 6th
position at 3:56. On the final lap, Starcher pushed for the finish to set a new State
Meet Record of 4:49.14. That stands as the Best All-Time State Meet Performance
and the Best All-Time Class AAA State Meet Performance. Hatcher also closed well
to get in under the 5:00 mark with a 4:58.49, which is the 8th Best All-Time State
Meet Performance and the 7th Best All-Time Class AAA State Meet Performance.
Trippett easily held the 3rd spot in 5:03.91. Shetty pulled away to take control of 4th
in 5:08.88. Lipps easily held onto the 5th spot in 5:12.36. Kirby held the 6th position
in 5:14.91. The top 8 were under 5:18.
RunWV's Current Score: 25 of 30.
3200 Meter Run
Ripley's Tori Starcher went right to the front and led the field through the 1st
lap in 1:10. Parkersburg's Madison Trippett was close behind in 1:11. Morgantown's
Samantha Hatcher was in 3rd at 1:13. The 4th through 6th spots were manned by
University's Zoe Shetty, Peyton Kukura, and Caroline Kirby with
Shetty and Kukura at 1:15 and Kirby at 1:16. On the 2nd lap, Starcher started establishing
a gap, coming through in 2:29. Trippett was in 2nd at 2:31. Hatcher was in 3rd at 2:35.
Shetty held a narrow edge over Kukura for 4th with both at 2:38. Kirby held the 6th position
at 2:40. On the 3rd lap, Starcher's gap grew to 5 seconds as she passed in 3:49. Trippett
maintained the 2nd spot at 3:54. Hatcher remained in 3rd at 3:58. Shetty and Kukura
still held the next two spots with both passing at 4:01. Hampshire's Hannah Lipps
had moved into the 6th spot in 4:03. At the midway point, Starcher was still going strong,
passing in 5:10. Trippett remained in 2nd at 5:17. Hatcher was still 3rd in 5:21. Lipps
continued her move up the field into 4th and was right on Hatcher's heels at 5:22. Shetty
and Kukura continued to run together with Shetty a half-step ahead for 5th with both at 5:24.
On lap 5, Starcher extended her lead to 9 seconds, coming through in 6:32. Trippett was
in 2nd at 6:41, but Lipps, who had moved into 3rd, and Hatcher in 4th had closed the gap,
passing in 6:43 and 6:44, respectively. Shetty was still 5th and had opened a small gap
on Kukura, coming through in 6:48 to Kukura's 6:50. On lap 6, Starcher continued to extend
the lead, now to 11 seconds, coming through in 7:55. Lipps had a miniscule edge over
Trippett for 2nd with both at 8:06. Hatcher was in 4th at 8:08. Shetty was pulling away
with the 5th spot in 8:14. Kukura was maintaining the 6th spot in 8:18. On lap 7, Starcher
picked up the pace a littleand came through in 9:14, stretching the lead to 16 seconds.
The battle for 2nd had really heated up with Hatcher, Trippett, and Lipps crossing three
wide heading into the final lap with Hatcher having just a slight edge over Trippett and
Lipps only about a half-step back, each passing at 9:30. Shetty controlled 5th in 9:39
with Kukura still in 6th at 9:44. On the final lap, Starcher cruised in for the easy win.
Well...not really cruised, she did go 1:15, Her 10:29.87 is the 2nd Best All-Time State
Meet Performance and the 2nd Best All-Time Class AAA State Meet Performance.
Trippett and Hatcher gapped Lipps and battled through the first 300 meters of the final
lap, but it was Trippett having the superior kick over the final 100 to take the 2nd
spot in 10:42.05. That gives her the <>7th Best All-Time State Meet Performance
and the 6th Best All-Time Class AAA State Meet Performance. She closed in 1:11
and change. Hatcher held the 3rd position in 10:44.16, which is the 8th Best All-Time
State Meet Performance and the 7th Best All-Time Class AAA State Meet Performance.
Lipps was an easy 4th in 10:48.56, which is the 9th Best All-Time State Meet Performance
and the 8th Best All-Time Class AAA State Meet Performance. Shetty joined them under
11:00 with a 10:59.85 in 5th. Kukura held on for 6th in 11:05.29. This field produced 4
of the top 10 All-Time State Meet Performances. Morgantown's Avigail Radabaugh ran
an 11:07.14 and didn't place. That's exactly 10 seconds away from making the AAA top 10
list...and it didn't place. What a year for the 3200!
RunWV's Current Score: 30 of 36.
100 Meter High Hurdles
Woodrow Wilson's Mikah Alleyne held off a challenge and ended up taking the win by
over 0.7 seconds in 15.29. St. Albans' Valessa Jackson nipped Hurricane's Malia
Sayavong for 2nd, 16.13 to 16.16. Musselman's Sophia Pisano was the one who
gave the challenge and was very solidly in 2nd place coming to the last hurdle, but she
hit that hurdle, landed awkwardly, badly injured her ankle in the process and hobbled
across the line to salvage 4th place in 16.25. No one else was under 16.70.
RunWV's Current Score: 35 of 42.
300 Meter Low Hurdles
The race was very close through the first 250 meters, but George Washington's Deaira
Brown pulled away to win by over a second in 45.11. If not for a stutter at the
final hurdle, she would have possibly ended up with a top 10 time. St. Albans' Tiarra
Jackson just got past Wheeling Park's Aubrey Wiethe at the line, 46.25 to
46.27. Wiethe led early, got passed by Brown, then took the lead back over the 6th hurdle
before fading. There was over a second until 4th place, Ripley's Cassidy Miller
crossed in 47.37. No one else was within a second.
RunWV's Current Score: 40 of 48.
4x100 Meter Relay
This was a fun race that saw the top 6 separated by just 0.63, and all under 51 seconds.
Jefferson was strong throughout, and the foursome of Jillian Andrews, Kaiella Smith, Makenzee
Hall, and Hailey Dillow took the win in 50.30. Wheeling Park moved from 4th to 2nd
on the anchor leg of Abby Snedeker to finish in 50.48, just getting by Hurricane,
who was 3rd in 50.51. Martinsburg took the 4th spot in 50.61. Morgantown just held onto
the 5th spot in 50.89, ahead of fast-closing Washington in 50.93.
RunWV's Current Score: 45 of 54.
4x200 Meter Relay
Wheeling Park's squad of Marlee Porter, Amari Poole, Aubrey Wiethe, and Abby Snedeker
closed a gap on the 3rd leg and ran away on the 4th to win by almost a second and a half in
1:45.85. Hurricane followed in 1:47.22, getting away from Jefferson late. Jefferson was
3rd in 1:47.95. Morgantown took the 4th spot in 1:48.62. No one else was under 1:50.
One of my predicted placers scratched from the event.
RunWV's Current Score: 49 of 60.
4x400 Meter Relay
It was close at the end of one leg with Hurricane and Morgantown out front in 1:03.
On the 2nd leg, things heated up with Hampshire moving into the front, only to be passed
by Hurricane, who led into the 2nd leg at 2:06 and Ripley also in 2:06, and also by Morgantown
in 3rd at 2:08. Hampshire was holding the 4th spot, matching that time. John Marshall
was in 5th at 2:09. I believe it was Buckhannon-Upshur in 6th at this point in 2:11.
Morgantown barrelled down the backstretch and into the lead, but Ripley took it back
in the homestretch and got to the line in 3:09 with the lead. Morgantown was in 2nd at
3:11. Hampshire was back up to 3rd in 3:12. John Marshall was in 4th in 3:14. Hurricane
was in 5th at 3:15. Spring Mills was in 6th, also in 3:15. On the final leg, Tori
Starcher was not challenged and split at 59.1 to give the Ripley squad of Grace
Bumpus, Cassidy Miller, Allison Fields, and Tori Starcher the win by just over 4
seconds in 4:08.63. Morgantown easily held the 2nd spot in 4:12.67. Hampshire solidly
held the 3rd position in 4:14.72. John Marshall took the 4th spot in 4:16.03. Parkersburg
grabbed 5th from the 1st heat in 4:16.36. Hurricane just got by Spring Mills for the final
position in 4:19.13.
RunWV's Current Score: 53 of 66.
4x800 Meter Relay
Morgantown asserted themselves early with a 2:20.5 opening leg from Amber Dombrowski.
I believe it was Cabell Midland in 2nd at 2:27, Parkersburg South in 3rd at 2:28, Greenbrier
East in 4th, also at 2:28. I think it was Prestons in 5th at 2:29 and University in 6th at
2:30. Morgantown continued to control the race on the 2nd leg, coming through in 4:48.
Cabell Midland remained in 2nd and had closed the gap a bit, passing in 4:51. University
was in 3rd in 4:59. Preston was in 4th at 5:02. Greenbrier East was in 5th at 5:03,
and Parkersburg South in 6th at 5:04. The 3rd leg saw Morgantown erase any doubt as they
stretched the lead to over 10 seconds at 7:16. University had moved up to 2nd in 7:27
with Cabell Midland at 7:28. Greenbrier East had moved up to 4th in 7:34. Preston
was in 5th at 7:38, and Parkersburg South maintained the 6th spot in 7:43. On the final
leg, Morgantown took in a strong 2:17.7 leg from Samantha Hatcher to secure the win
for their group of Amber Dombrowski, Myah McAlister, Aleena McDaniel, and Samantha Hatcher
in 9:33.87, which is the 4th Best All-Time State Meet Performance and the 4th Best
All-Time Class AAA State Meet Performance. They took the event by over 15 seconds.
University ran away on the final leg for 2nd in 9:49.21. Cabell Midland held on for 3rd
in 9:59.12. Preston moved up to 4th in 10:05.57. Greenbrier East held the 5th spot in
10:09.54, just holding off the late push of Hampshire, who was in 6th in 10:09.91.
RunWV's Current Score: 58 of 72.
Shuttle Hurdle Relay
The Musselman team of Sophia Pisano, Janaia Fargo, Cristyn Helmick, and Jordyn Sellman
took the lead from the start and held it throughout to take the win in 1:03.86, which ties
for the 6th Best All-Time State Meet Performance and tied for the 5th Best All-Time
Class AAA State Meet Performance. They were very conservative on their exchanges or
could have gotten at least 4th on the list if not 3rd, but ensuring the win is more
important. No one else was under 1:06. John Marshall took the 2nd spot in 1:06.28
with Hampshire 3rd in 1:06.71. Woodrow Wilson scored a surprise 4th from the 1st heat
in 1:07.11. Parkersburg South was 5th in 1:08.23 with Parkersburg in 6th in 1:09.02.
One of my predicted placers got nailed for an early exchange.
RunWV's Current Score: 63 of 78.
High Jump
Only Ripley's Olivia Miller and Capital's Sona Magassouba were able to clear
5'2 in taking the top two spots with Miller taking the top spot on no misses. The next
four all cleared 5'0 with Martinsburg's Morganne Andrews and Parkersburg South's
Erin Williams getting the tie for 3rd, Musselman's Jordyn Sellman getting 5th,
and Hurricane's Nadia Legros taking the final spot. Only 7 cleared the opening height.
RunWV's Current Score: 69 of 84.
Pole Vault
Jefferson's Lily Simmons was the only vaulter to clear 10'0 in taking the win.
Ripley's Olivia Miller was the only other one to clear 9'6 in taking 2nd. The
remaining placers each cleared 9'0 with Spring Mills' Lauren Riner and Wheeling
Park's Brady Browning getting the tie for 3rd, and Hedgesville's Riley Fuller
and Spring Mills' Genna Chenoweth getting the tie for 5th. Only these 6 cleared
the opening height.
RunWV's Current Score: 73 of 90.
Long Jump
Only 4 1/2 inches separated the top 6 in a close competition. Brooke's Yazmin Island
took the lead on her final jump and then had to wait to see if any of the remaining competitors
could top her. They could not, and she gets the win with a 16'3.50. St. Albans' Kori
Brown takes 2nd with a 16'2.25. Spring Mills' Quinland Musgrove takes the 3rd spot
with a 16'1.50. Jefferson's Jillian Andrews was the last over 16'0 with a 16'0.25.
Woodrow Wilson's Alyssa Williams was 5th with a 15'11.75, and Morgantown's Justice
Washington took the final position with a 15'11.
RunWV's Current Score: 78 of 96.
Shot Put
Hedgesville's Maryann Adebayo took the lead on her 5th throw and extended it on
her final throw with a toss of 40'3.75. Spring Mills' Tanisha Gaither was an easy
2nd with a throw of 39'1.50. Everyone else was over 2' behind. Spring Mills' Jada
Brooks was 3rd with a 36'8.50. Wheeling Park's Cheyenne Nash was the only
other one over 35' with a 35'8.75.
RunWV's Current Score: 82 of 102.
Discus
Huntington Freshman Ravyn Goodson took the win with a 114'9 toss. She got that
throw in the preliminary round, and no one could better it in the finals with only Spring
Mills' Tanisha Gaither topping 110' with a 112'11. Morgantown's Mikaylah
Cress took 3rd with a 108'1. Hedgesville's Maryann Adebayo was 4th with a 107'9.
Spring Valley's Emma Mayo was 5th in 105'0. Musselman's Mikaela Grey took
the final spot with a 102'3 throw.
RunWV's Current Score: 88 of 108.
The final score of 88 of 108 means that 81.5% of the people picked to place did indeed place. Congratulations to those that proved me wrong.
Exceeding Predictions
The following athletes exceeded expectations by 3 or more places and deserve special mention.
Justice Washington, Morgantown -- 200 M (not picked, got 4th)
John Marshall -- 4x400 M (not picked, got 4th)
(Alexa Andlinger, Claudia Callahan, Emily Harr, Zara Zervos)
Woodrow Wilson -- Shuttle Hurdle Relay (not picked, got 4th)
(Sydni Darden, Alyssa Williams, Emma Underwood, Mikah Alleyne)
Erin Williams, Parkersburg South -- High Jump (picked 6th, tied for 3rd)
Lauren Riner, Spring Mills -- Pole Vault (picked 6th, tied for 3rd)
Kori Brown, St. Albans -- Long Jump (picked 5th, got 2nd)
Quinland Musgrove, Musselman -- Long Jump (not picked, got 3rd)
Mikaylah Cress, Morgantown -- Discus (picked 6th, got 3rd)
The following teams deserve kudos for scoring seven points or more higher than I predicted.
Class AAA Girls Morgantown +13 Washington +10 John Marshall + 9 Martinsburg + 8