We wanted the list to be objective as possible and the first step was to narrow the list down to a manageable number of athletes to review. We decided that the fairest way to do this was to set some standards for consideration. If you met one of these standards, you were included in our list to review. Here are the six standards.
1. Ranking in the AAA All Time Top Ten High Point list using Inclusive or Exclusive Methods
2. Being ranked in the AAA All Time Top Ten in more than one event
3. Winning the state meet high point award more than once
4. Scoring 20 points or more for the decade high point scoring
5. Being ranked in the top six scoring athletes in more than one decade
6. Being ranked number one in an individual event in your class
This left us with a list of 40 athletes to review. Once again, our goal was to be completely objective so we set to creating a formula for ranking the athletes selected by the above criteria. Details of the scoring system and a full list of athletes and scores are included below. Here are the top ten athletes of Class AAA.
AAA All Time Top Ten List
1. Jacob Burcham - Cabell Midland (2010-2013)
2. Ty Steorts - Hurricane (2022-2025)
3. Cam Viney - Elkins (2009-2012)
4. James Jett - Jefferson (1987-1989)
5. Clint Hayes - Huntington (1988-1990)
6. Randy Barnes - South Charleston/St. Albans (1983-1985)
7. Drew Zundell - University (2021-2024)
8. Mike Tyson - Charleston (1971-1973)
9. Torrence Walker - Wheeling Park (2019-2021)
10. Josh Edwards - University (2019-2022)
The Athletes were ranked using the following scoring system.
Total List Points + (Number of Events x 3) + (Number of All Time Marks x 2) + Number of Decade Marks + (State Meet Points Scored / 10) = Ranking Points
Total List Points - Points were given for each mark on the all time list using the 10,9,8...1 scoring system. That means if you were second in the All Time AAA Long Jump and fifth in the All Time AAA 200 Meters, you were given 15 points (9 for 2nd and 6 for 5th). Points scored in relays were not counted for these points as it was deemed unfair to those athletes that had less talented teammates than those that might have had a lot of help on the relays.
Number of Events - For each individual All Time List the athlete made in their class, they were given 3 points. If an athlete had 3 marks all on one list, they were given 3 points. If another athlete had marks on 3 different lists, they scored 9 points. The reasoning behind this was that an athlete would score more points for a team if they were great in multiple events than if they were great in only one. A coach would rather have an athlete that was among the greatest of all time in 3 events than one who was the best of all time in one event.
Number of All Time Marks - For time an athlete's name was listed on an AAA all time individual list, they were given two points. The reasoning behind this was that we wanted to close some of the gap between a person who had one mark in the top ten (1st for 10 points) and another person who had two marks in the top ten (8th and 9th for 5 points). The person who turned our marks good enough for the all time top ten list in multiple years would have benefited their team more than a person who only did it once (no matter how good they were).
Number of Decade Marks - For each time an athlete's name made a decade top six list, they were given one point. The reasoning behind this was that this helped give some extra credit to athletes who just missed the all time top ten but still had an outstanding time.
State Meet Points Scored - For each point the athlete scored at the state meet they were given .1 ranking points (also known as points scored divided by 10). This was designed to give additional points to those athletes that may have not been great at a third or fouth event, but were good enough to gather places in a state meet. Due to the lack of data to apply the 8 place scoring system to earlier years, State Meet Points for this project will be scored in the 10-8-6-4-2-1 methodology.
Here are the athletes and their scores.
Rank Name Team TLP NE TM DM SMP RF Reason 1 Jacob Burcham Cabell Midland 35 3 7 8 113 77.30 1,2,4 2 Ty Steorts Hurricane 34 2 3 5 63 57.30 1,2,6 3 Cam Viney Elkins 22 2 4 7 101.5 53.15 1,2,3,4 4 James Jett Jefferson 23.5 3 3 6 74.5 51.95 1,2,3,4 5 Clint Hayes Huntington 28 2 3 4 70 51.00 1,2,4,5,6 6 Randy Barnes St. Albans 26 2 4 4 54 49.40 1,2,4,6 7 Drew Zundell University 22 3 4 4 61 49.10 1,2 8 Mike Tyson Charleston 18.5 2 2 6 78.5 42.35 1,2,4,6 9 Torrence Walker Wheeling Park 20 3 3 3 42 42.20 1,2,6 10 Josh Edwards University 19 2 4 3 60.5 42.05 1,2,6 11 Keyshawn Robinson Jefferson 10.5 3 4 5 88 41.30 2,3 12 Aidan Kneeland Cabell Midland 22 2 3 3 41.5 41.15 1,2 13 Dante Price Jefferson 9 2 3 6 102 37.20 2,4 14 Jerrae Hawkins Wheeling Park 16 2 3 3 41.25 35.13 2 15 Tom Reid Woodrow Wilson 13.5 1 2 4 63 30.80 3,4,6 16 Bob Rieves Wheeling 11 2 2 5 47.5 30.75 2,4,6 17 Claude Geiger East Bank 9 1 2 5 86 29.60 3,4 18 Marquel Ali Woodrow Wilson 8.5 2 2 3 69 28.40 2,4 19 Casey Freed Parkersburg 16 1 2 2 30.5 28.05 6 20 Oscar Jones Stonewall Jack 11 2 2 3 36 27.60 2 21 Garnet Edwards Welch 7.5 2 2 3 58 26.30 2 22 Nathan Fields Elkins 11.5 1 2 3 46 26.10 6 23 Gavin Beverage Cabell Midland 10.5 2 2 2 32 25.70 2,6 24 Errin Baynes Wheeling Park 9.5 1 2 3 50 24.50 4 25 Tristan Slater Capital 8.5 1 1 4 46 22.10 4 26 Brandon Doughty Jefferson 2.5 2 2 3 60 21.50 2 27 Tristan Blatt Cabell Midland 10 1 1 2 37.5 20.75 6 28 Hunter Hicks Cabell Midland 3 2 2 3 42 20.20 2 29 Mike Hairston Martinsburg 10 1 1 1 20.5 18.05 6 30 Wilson Smith Huntington 5 1 1 3 44 17.40 4 31 Terrell Martin Hurricane 2 1 1 4 58.75 16.88 3,4 32 Donald Cunningham Capital 0 0 0 6 79.5 13.95 4 33 Bubby Dent Dupont 0.5 1 1 3 42.5 12.75 4 34 Zach Tennant North Marion 0.5 1 1 2 39 11.40 4 35 Andy McClintic Greenbrier East 0 0 0 4 67 10.70 4 36 Skip Mason Charleston 0 0 0 3 56 8.60 4 37 Jim Davidson Logan 0 0 0 3 46 7.60 4 38 Lahran Davis Capital 0 0 0 1 59 6.90 3 39 Chris Smith Point Pleasant 0 0 0 1 56 6.60 3 40 Richard Cummings Wheeling Park 0 0 0 1 53.5 6.35 3 TLP = Total List Points (See Explanation Above) NE = Number of Individual Events on All Time List for AAA TM = Total All Time Individual Marks on All Time List for AAA DM = Total Number of Decade Individual Marks for AAA SMP = State Meet Points Scored RF = Ranking Factor. This score dicatated where the athlete was ranked. Reason = Why the athlete was considered for the list. 1. Ranking in the AAA All Time Top Ten High Point list using Inclusive or Exclusive Methods 2. Being ranked in the AAA All Time Top Ten in more than one event 3. Winning the state meet high point award more than once 4. Scoring 20 points or more for the decade high point scoring 5. Being ranked in the top six scoring athletes in more than one decade 6. Being ranked number one in an individual event in your class