(Photos by Teran Malone)
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Two of last year’s three state champions will take leads into the final day of the WVSSAC Boys Track and Field state championships. Huntington leads a tightly-bunched field in Class AAA. The defending champs scored 40 points on Day 1, putting them ten points ahead of MSAC-rival Hurricane. 23 of Huntington’s points came in the long jump. Mikey Johnson defended his title. Carmello Sheffield was second and Avonte Crawford came in fourth.
Hurricane won two events, the shuttle hurdle relay and the 3200 meter run. Ty Steorts won the final event by over ten seconds.
University is tied for third place with 26 points. The Hawks set a new state record in the 4×800 meter relay. Ethan Conroy, Jacob West, Tyler Umbright and Drew Zundell set the new mark at 7 minutes, 47.66 seconds.
Cabell Midland is tied for third with the Hawks. Cohen Jordan won the pole vault at 14 feet.
In the high jump, Woodrow Wilson’s Ryan Mutkar was the winner at 6 feet, 10 inches.
The stage is set for a pair of future WVU football players to square off in sprint finals Saturday. Jefferson’s Keyshawn Robinson and Princeton’s Dom Collins qualified for the finals in the 100 and 200 meter runs.
In Class AA, Winfield has 35 points, eight points ahead of Point Pleasant. Justin Lipscomb crossed first in the 3200 meter run and the Generals also won the 4×800 meter run.
Point checks in with 27 points. They claimed victory in the shuttle hurdle relay.
Dakota Hamrick of Berkeley Springs cleared 13 feet to win the pole vault. And Dakota Dammyer of East Fairmont won the shot put with a toss of 54 feet, 2 inches.
And the defending champion Bison from Buffalo own a 35-33 lead over Magnolia through six of 18 events in Class A. Nicholas Pitchford won the 3200 meter run and he ran the anchor leg on the victorious 4×800 meter relay.
Williamstown stands third. Aiden Corbett won the shot put with a throw of 53 feet. Josh Biggs of Petersburg won the discus. Trinity’s Chase Livengood won the long jump and Greenbrier West won the shuttle hurdle relay by nine-tenths of a second over Moorefield.