For my preview article on the meet, read my story in The Daily Mail here. With so many teams and material to cover, I could not possibly fit everything into one newspaper article, so this post will incorporate some of my stuff that didn't make today's Daily Mail story. And even that can't do all the participating athletes justice. I apologize. As a former track athlete myself, I understand the hard work and dedication that is sacrificed in a sport that receives so little attention.
With those words, I will do my best to mention all the top local athletes competing in this weekend's Gazette Relays, but please understand not everyone could be mentioned, and in the interest of space and time, I did not address relay teams, because each team then requires four names to be mentioned.
From sprints to distance to field events, there will be plenty of tough competition in this year's Gazettes field. Approximately 70 West Virginia schools are expected to attend, according to a preliminary list supplied by meet organizer Jim Crawford.
Five of the six reigning track team champions will be in attendance:
- Morgantown (AAA girls)
- Jefferson (AAA boys)
- Berkeley Springs (AA girls)
- Ritchie County (AA boys)
- Doddridge County (A boys)
In addition to the many WV schools, seven from Ohio are expected to race, as well as two from Virginia and one from Kentucky.
In both Class A and Class AA, six of the state's top 10 girls teams, according to www.runwv.com, and eight of the top 10 boys teams will be in attendance.
For Class AAA, four of the top 10 boys teams will race, including three-time defending champ Jefferson, who currently ranks No. 1 again.
"Jefferson is definitely the team to beat and are very strong again this year," Cabell Midland coach Chris Parsons said. "They have a well rounded team with some top-notch field, sprinters, hurdlers, and distance runners. Our strength comes primarily from our distance and hurdlers."
While second-rated Cabell Midland will be in attendance, the team will not be at full strength, as many of the team's top athletes, including senior Jacob Burcham, will be at the Eastern Relays, held at the University of Louisville, Parsons said.
A quick and dirty run-down on local top athletes scheduled to compete at Gazettes this weekend:
100: Jamel Phillips (Capital), Marquez Griffin (Point Pleasant), Naquay Little (Capital), William Jackson (Riverside), Colton Griffith (Winfield), Steven Handley (Hurricane)
200: Handley (Hurricane), Jackson (Riverside), Jacob Jackson (George Washington), Little (Capital), Griffith (Winfield)
400: Zach Canterbury (Point Pleasant), William Jackson (Riverside), Jacob Jackson (GW), Caleb Riffle (Point Pleasant), Edmond Harvey (Capital), Phillips (Capital)
800: Riffle (Point Pleasant), Preston Sheldon (Winfield), Matt Brafford (GW), Ryan Bonecutter (Point Pleasant), Michael Ruhnke (Capital), Will Thornton (Hurricane), Marshall Sharp (Capital)
1600: Brafford (GW), Ruhnke (Capital), Sharp (Capital)
3200: Brafford (GW), Chad Hollandsworth (GW), Drake Seccurro (Hurricane), Jake Henley (St. Albans)
110H: James Knox (Capital), Dailey (Midland)
300H: Dailey (Midland), Will Walker (GW), Cody Marcum (Point Pleasant), Knox (Capital), Lucas Roberts (Capital)
High jump: Christian Smith (Winfield)
Pole vault: Chris Cochran (Winfield), Chantz Rankin (Hurricane)
Long jump: Nathan Wendel (Hurricane), Zack Sellards (Midland)
Shot put: Jacob Lomax (St. Albans), Tannor Hill (Point Pleasant), Nick Peyette (GW), Travis Vickers (St. Albans), Spencer Turley (Hurricane), Zach Namey (Winfield)
Discus: Lomax (St. Albans), Vickers (St. Albans)
The competition will be fierce on the AAA girls side, with defending champ Morgantown and current No. 1 Buckhannon-Upshur in attendance. In addition, fourth-ranked University will be there, along with Kanawha Valley powers Winfield (No. 5), St. Albans (eighth) and Hurricane (10th).
In sprint events, I expect to see Anacia Hines, of St. Albans, and Winfield's Emily Cole and Anika Shah among the top spots. Each will also contend in the 200. In addition, Cole should be among the meet's top long-jumpers.
For the 400, expect Andrea Porter (Point Pleasant), Barkley Castro (Winfield) and Haeley Moore (Winfield) among those fighting for points.
Castro will also be among the best in the 800, along with Peyton Panger (Capital), Emily Schwendiman (Hurricane), Natalie Schwendiman (Hurricane) and Darian Wikel (Winfield).
Panger looks to be the favorite in the mile (1600). She'll contend with Porter and Hurricane's Joie Johnston and Abbie Short, as well as Brittney McMillion and Rachel Englund of Winfield.
Emily Schwendiman appears to be the one to beat in the two-mile, but she'll have competition from Panger, McMillion, Englund, Porter and teammate Baylee Summers.
As for hurdles, Hines, of St. Albans, should be among the leaders in both events, as should Winfield's Josee Erlandson and Audrey Barber, of Hurricane.
In further specialties, it appears Winfield's Allie Perry enters as the favorite for pole vault. She'll battle Hurricane's Lauren London, among others. Hurricane's Abby Watson is expected to place well in both discus and shot put
In boys AA, No. 1 Roane and third-ranked Ritchie will be at Gazettes, while seventh-ranked Poca represents the Valley's best team at the meet.
Poca's Christian Buckley is the clear favorite, as the state's top athlete, in both the shot put and discus. Poca could take each of the top three spots in the disc, with Buckley's older brother Quentin Buckley and fellow Dot Jacob Hickman each rated as tied second-best among competitors in this week's meet. Quentin Buckley should contend in the shot, too, along with teammate Corey McClure.
Dots hurdler Josh Crites will be among the favorites in both individual hurdles events, with teammate Austin McNeely also in the mix.
Poca should also post points in the long jump with A.J. Keys and Caleb Samples among the event's top athletes.
For girls Class AA, the Mountain State's northern schools are expected to shine, with no Kanawha Valley schools among the state's top 10. However, the Dots should record points with several top athletes.
Poca's Marissa Perkins enters as the favorite in the 200, while fellow Dots Madison Eastwood (100), Paula Ord (300 hurdles, 400, 800) and Jade Watts (pole vault) will be among top athletes in their respective events. Also for Poca, Kristen Broughman looks to be the favorite in shot put, while Kelsey Westfall and Keree Moles will battle for points in the discus.
In girls Class A, Buffalo's Brianne Cantley will compete in the 100 and 200. Charleston Catholic junior Sarah Joseck will be among top contenders in the 400. Irish runners Peyton Keener and Quincy McKown will race in the 800 and 1600.
Catholic's Gina Marks enters as the favorite in shot and could score in discus too.
On the boys Class A side, Buffalo's Jordan Tucker (100, 200) and Isaiah Robinson (400), as well as Catholic's Sam Revercomb (200) and Spencer Panaro (400) list among the area's top sprinters at Gazettes.
Robinson will also compete in the 800, with teammate and favorite-to-win Dylan Rich, as well as Catholic's Caden McClanahan. Rich is also favored to win the mile and compete for the top spot in the two-mile.
Other top local distance runners in attendance will be Marcus Black (Catholic) and Hayden Harrison (Buffalo).
In hurdles, Buffalo's Gabe Garrison and Cody Sheppard, along with Phillip Mallory, of Catholic, will fight for points.
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