CHARLESTON, W.Va. — In the first four-class Boys Track & Field State Championship, Doddridge County owned the largest margin of victory. Last year’s Class AA state champions defended their title with ease, scoring 142 points. The Bulldogs won a pair of events on Day 2. Tommy Walters-Hickman won the long jump title. And in what is traditionally one of their strongest events, DoCo went 1-2-3 in the pole vault. Trey McDonough, Tristan Swiger and Nathanael Lloyd combined to give the Bulldogs 24 points. The state title is the 13th in program history.
Independence surged on Saturday to finish as the Class AA runner-up. Christian Linksweiler won both hurdle events in the 300 hurdles and 110 hurdles while Carson Treadway won the high jump. The Patriots also won the 4×100 meter relay.
Sissonville’s Connor Pritt won all three of his events on Saturday. He took home titles in the 100 meter run, the 200 meter run and the 400 meter run.
Amos Kimble of Tyler Consolidated added Saturday wins in the 1600 meter run and the 800 meter run to his two-mile victory from Friday night.
And Frankfort won the 4×200 meter and 4×400 meter relays.
Wahama earned the second state title for the Little Kanawha Conference by taking the Class A crown. The White Falcons finished with 123.5 points. On Saturday, Wahama took home a trio of event victories. Reezin Stitt won the long jump, Charlie Long won the shot put and Trace Simpkins crossed the line first in the 300 meter hurdles.
Ritchie County finished as the runners-up. East Hardy finished in third place and they won three races on Saturday. Evan Hamilton won the 100 meter run. Mason Hamilton crossed the line first in the 200 meter run and the Cougars won the 4×100 meter relay.
Charleston’s Catholic Peter Basdekis was a double winner on Saturday. He took home the titles in the 1,600 meter run and the 800 meter run. Other event winners on Day 2 are Wirt County’s Tyler Smith in the 400 meter run, Greenbrier West’s Colton Dunbar in the 110 meter hurdles and St. Marys won the 4×200 and 4×400 meter relays.
Last year’s Class AA state champions from Point Pleasant leveled up to win the Class AAA title and the program’s fifth championship. The Big Blacks won three events on Day 2. Caden Hill was first up as he won the discus. Cohen McDaniel won the pole vault and the Big Blacks also finished second and fourth in the event to account for 23 points towards their team total. And Evan Bailes finished off the day for Point by winning the 110 hurdles.
Bridgeport surged late in the competition to earn runner-up honors. The Indians won two events on the final day. William George won the 200 meter run and the Indians also won the 4×200 meter relay.
Greenbrier East won a pair of events by claiming victory in the 4×100 meter relay and Aiden Denning won the 300 hurdles.
Other event winners on Day 2 included Princeton’s Jacob Hall in the 400 meter run, Capital’s Damian Johnson in the 100 meter run, Trevor George of Elkins in the 800 meter run, Herbert Hoover’s Maddox White in the high jump, Winfield in the 4×400 meter relay and Keyser’s Luca Altobello earned his second individual win of the meet by taking the 1600 meter title.
The first-ever Class AAAA state championship will be shared. Coming down to the 18th and final event, the 4×400 meter relay, Morgantown led Huntington by two points at the top. The Highlanders finished second while the Mohigans were third and the teams tied with 107 points.
Huntington earned victories in the 4×100 meter relay and with Carter Geveke in the 300 meter hurdles on Saturday while Morgantown took home titles in the 1600 meter run with Joaquin Summers and Benjamin Funk won the 100 meter run. University finished third in the meet. The Hawks picked up victories in the 400 meter run and the 110 meter hurdles with Keion Arnold and KK Lewis winning, respectively.
Parkersburg earned two victories on Saturday behind their 4×400 meter relay team and Drey Ginter taking the shot put title. Martinsburg also won two events with their 4×200 meter relay team and Jhaylin Lansdowne winning the 200 meter run.
Other event winners in Class AAAA on Day 2 are Woodrow Wilson’s Vance Lindley in the 800 meter run and Washington’s Maurice Charles in the discus.