CHARLESTON, W.Va. — University quickly jumped out to a 22-point lead after day one at the WVSSAC Class AAA boys state track meet. UHS won three of the five completed events. Senior and Oregon signee Josh Edwards won the 3200 meter run while teammates Rocco DeVincent and Drew Zundell finished third and fourth respectively.
Colin McBee won the discus competition and Daminn Cunningham won the long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 9 1/2 inches.
Morgantown teammates Lucas Howell and Landon Young were the last two men standing in the pole vault. Young cleared 14 feet and Howell cleared 15 feet. As a team, the Mohigans stand second behind the Hawks.
The 100 meter state mark will be challenged by Wheeling Park sophomore Jerrae Hawkins on Friday afternoon. Hawkins had the top qualifying time at 10.55 seconds. That time is just .05 seconds off the pace of former teammate Torrance Walker from a year ago.
In the final event of the day, Jefferson’s Isaiah Fritts crossed the line first in the 400 meters in a time of 49.33.
For the ladies, a pair of state meet records fell. Capital junior sprinter Candace Morris broke a 22-year mark in qualifying for the 100 meter run. Morris clocked in at 12.04 seconds.
The second record fell in the 3200 meter run. Morgantown junior Irene Riggs broke the eight-year old record of University’s Millie Paladino. Riggs checked in with a time of 10:14.16.
“I’m really excited. That was my main focus, to come in and get the state title and then break the state record,” Riggs said. “I wasn’t really thinking about that until today when my coach told me about it. So that was kind of a fun motivator.”
Through four events, Jefferson trails Morgantown by just two points. The Cougars scored a victory in the 400 meter run when Lorelei Bangit took the title in a time of 57.24.