Readiness State Athletics: Midland, Winfield and Buffalo Win Team Titles | Racetrack

“This team is like working on a beautiful puzzle,” Parsons said. “We competed in 13 events and we scored in all 13. We chased Hurricane the entire meet until the 4×100 meter relay and discus, then we took a three-point lead.”

Cabell Midland stayed there, winning his 10th men’s championship, finishing with 108 points. Hurricane was second with 76, followed by Huntington High with 75, Jefferson 59, University 52, Spring Mills 39.5, Spring Valley 36, Woodrow Wilson 34, Morgantown 30, Parkersburg South 29, George Washington 28, Buckhannon-Upshur and Oak Hill 23 each. , Wheeling Park 15, Princeton, Capital and Parkersburg 14 each, Bridgeport 12.5, Riverside 8, Hedgesville 5, Musselman 4, Hampshire 2 and Washington 1.

Winfield won the Class AA boys title and Buffalo took the Class A boys crown.

Jefferson was victorious in the Class AAA girls race. Winfield won the Class AA girls championship. Williamstown won the Class A girls title.

In one of the most-watched events of the competition, Cabell Midland’s Michael Lunsford won the shot put, as expected, throwing 65 feet, 3.75 inches. Lunsford’s goal was the state meet record of 65-10.5 by the Knights’ Gavin Beverage in 2019.

“I didn’t get what I wanted,” Lunsford said. “It happens. Bad days happen. I’m happy to win a state championship. That was the first goal. And to help my team with 10 points, that’s all I could ask for.”

Cabell Midland’s Matthew Edwards finished fourth in the shot put, collecting four points to help offset the eight points tallied by Hurricane’s Ethan Chill, who threw 55-0.5 to place second.

“Matt’s score helped a lot,” said Lunsford, a senior who signed to play football and compete in track and field at Marshall University.

Parsons said he was pleased with both shot putters.

“Hurricane was second (in shooting),” Parsons said. “We needed Matthew to finish at least fourth. We couldn’t come out of there with just a two-point lead.”

Edwards said he was somewhat pleased with his result, but like Lunsford, he hoped for better.

“It helps us,” Edwards said. “It could have been better. I missed a few cleans at the back. I hit the middle OK, but I just missed the box on some throws.”

Lunsford and Edwards’ frustration extended to the entire event. Each of the 17 pitchers expressed displeasure with his pitches.

“Something was wrong,” Edwards said. “We were expecting rain, so we practiced in the rain all week. I don’t know if that discouraged everyone or not.”

Cohen Jordan of Cabell Midland was thrilled to win the pole vault. The senior ran 14 feet to lead the pack, as he expected. James Wallace of George Washington was second at 13-6. Both were 13-6 until the last jump.

“We knew I could do well this season, so it was good to come out and finally show it and show it off,” Jordan said. “It was close, until the last jump with both of us. We both had very good days. I happened to pass the bar.”

Cabell Midland’s Tristan Blatt broke the state meet record in the 800, clocking 1:51.12. Runner-up Aidan Kneeland of Midland also broke the previous mark, finishing in 1:53.53. Jefferson’s Justin Gotlieb set the 2023 record of 1:53.69.

The Knights’ Robert Shockey, Caden Bowen, Curtis Jones and Myles Meadors combined to win the 4×200 in 1:28.95.

Ty Steorts of Hurricane won the 1,600 in a meet record 4:07.75. Spring Valley’s Dalton Ferguson won the most competitive event of the day, clearing the 110 hurdles in 14.72. Jai’Den Smith of Hurricane was second in 14.75. Ferguson also won the 300 hurdles in 39:04, beating Smith by 0.77 seconds.

“Last year I finished third in the 300 and I didn’t even finish in the 110,” Ferguson said. “I worked hard in the offseason. I felt like all the pressure was on me, but I did what I had to do to come home.”

On the girls side, Huntington High’s Mallori Dunn-Martin won the 300 hurdles in 45.28, earning a measure of redemption for 2023.

“It was really good, especially since last year I fell on the second hurdle and couldn’t finish the race,” Dunn-Martin said. “This year it was good because it was a bit of a comeback.”

Dunn-Martin also won the 100 hurdles in 14.91, edging teammate Milleah Johnson, who ran 15.02. Spring Valley won the 4×200 as Sydney Turner, Avery Ellis, Savannah Davis and Macie Maynard ran in 1:48.85.

In Class AA, Winfield won the boys championship with 123 points. Point Pleasant was second with 93, followed by Frankfort with 67, Weir 47, Poca 43.5, Keyser 42, East Fairmont 39, Fairmont Senior 27.5, Lincoln 23.5, Philip Barbour 23, Elkins 22, Roane County 20 , Nicholas County 18, Bluefield 17. , PikeView 15, Oak Glen 12, Grafton 11, Berkeley Springs, Sissonville and Lewis County 10 each, Nitro 8, Chapmanville and Shady Spring 6 each, Herbert Hoover, Scott and Independence 2 each and Clay County 1.

Justin Lipscomb of Winfield was the top player with 32.5. Lipscomb won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200.

“I expected my best, and my best got me there,” Lipscomb said. “The team championship means so much more. I wasn’t just racing for myself. I have a whole team behind me.”

Chase Massey of Winfield won the 100 in 11.20. Landon Coleman of Poca won the long jump, surprising himself. Coleman went 20-7.75 to edge favorite Liam Gallagher of Lincoln by 1.5 inches. The Dots team of Jacob Lemley, William Carroll, Preston Bonnett and Peyton Cook won the 4×400 relay.

“Not really,” Coleman said after being asked if he hoped to win the long jump. “(Gallagher) had to jump a little further than me. I’m glad I won. I was supposed to win the high jump, but that didn’t happen.”

Coleman jumped 6 feet in the high jump to place second behind Nicholas County’s Isaiah Miner, who went 6-2.

Winfield won the Class AA girls championship with 99.83 points. Oak Glen was second with 72, ahead of Weir with 67, Grafton 56, Fairmont Senior 34, Keyser 32, North Marion 29.33, Point Pleasant 29, Herbert Hoover 27.5, East Fairmont 27, Frankfort 23, Nitro 22, Roane County 20.33, Sissonville. , Bluefield and Elkins 19 each, Liberty Harrison 17.5, Nicholas County 16, Poca and Lewis County 14 each, Lincoln 11, Independence 8, Braxton County and Robert C. Byrd 7, Shady Spring 5.5, Wayne 4 and Westside and PikeView 1 each.

The generals won several events. Madi Reese threw 30 feet to win the shot put title. Gabby Canterbury won the 300 hurdles in 49.22. Carrie Sibold won the 100 hurdles in 15.77.

Buffalo finished first in Class A boys, with 118 points. Doddridge County placed second with 81.5, followed by Magnolia 57, Williamstown 54, Wheeling Central 45, Greenbrier West 42, Ritchie County 40.5, Ravenswood 32, Trinity Christian 27, East Hardy 26, Valley Wetzel 24 , Tyler Consolidated 23, Clay-Battelle 20.5. , Petersburg 18, St. Marys 17, Moorefield 13.5, Wahama 12, South Harrison 11, Charleston Catholic 8, Richwood, Wirt County and Pocahontas 5 each, Paw Paw and Pendleton County 4 each, Wood County Christian and Webster County 3 each , Weirton Madonna 1.5, Cameron 1 and James Monroe 0.5.

The Bison’s Nicholas Pitchford set a state record in the 1,600 in 4:17.2 and won the 800 in 1:56.87. Teammate Cole Whittington won the 300 hurdles in 41.97.

“It was a team effort,” Pitchford said. “Cole Whittington stepped up when he needed to. Dylan Blackshire and Jackson Mallott also stepped up. I won the mile this morning and Patrick Reilly finished fourth and (ran a personal best). That’s really important for us. We left our mark in single-A.”

In Class A girls, Williamstown won with 134 points, Doddridge County was second with 109.5, ahead of Trinity Christian with 59, Tyler Consolidated and Wheeling Central 39 each, Magnolia 38.5, South Harrison 37, Ritchie County 30 , St. Marys 27, Charleston. Catholic and Valley Wetzel 23 each, Paden City 19, East Hardy 17, Clay-Battelle 16.5, Richwood 16, Tucker County 11, Hundred 10, James Monroe and Pocahontas County 8 each, Petersburg 7, Gilmer County 6, Ravenswood and Buffalo 5 each, Moorefield 4, Tygarts Valley 3, Cameron and Weirton Madonna 2, Union 1.5 and Paw Paw and Wahama 1 each.