Bruce McKean
Contributing Writer
The Pocahontas County High School track teams are getting used to crossing Kennison Mountain this season after making their third trip to Richwood on May 6 for the 2014 Coalfield Conference Class A Championship Meet.
The Lady Warriors scored 98 points and placed second, nipping third place Greenbrier West, who tallied 95. Richwood kept the championship with a 144 point performance, while the following teams placed in fourth through seventh places: Valley Fayette 48, Sherman 46, Fayetteville 35 and Midland Trail 7.
The Warriors tied with West as each squad scored 86 points. Richwood claimed the boys championship with 97 points to fend off second place Trail with a close 93. Finishing in fifth through eighth places were: Sherman 57, Meadow Bridge 51, Valley 33 and Fayetteville 22.
Returning to PCHS with 2014 Coalfield Conference Championships were: Megan Galford, 400 – 1.04; boys 4×400 – Andrew Morrison, Patrick Collins, Stephen Mick and Cary Robertson – 3.50; girls 4×800 – Galford, Melissa and Michelle Murphy, Rachel McComb – 11.48 (girls 4×800 team ran an 11.22 time at Oak Hill Friday that would be #7 in WV); Sarah Ryder, 100 hurdles – 54.56; Devin Rose, Shot – 42’8″; and boys shuttle hurdles – Mick, Stephen Simmons, Cade Walker and James Campbell – 1.04.11.
Winning silver in 10 events were: Galford, 800 – 2.38 (three seconds behind Amelia Sebok of Sherman); Melissa Murphy, 1600 – 6.01 (Murphy led most of the race and was twice cutoff by Sebok, who has the #4 time in WV); boys 4×100 – Morrison, Simmons, Mick and Ryan Irvine – 48.13; boys 4×200 – Morrison, Mick, Ryan Irvine and Campbell – 1.38.4; girls 4×400 – Murphy twins, Galford and Brittany McMillion – 4.50 (six second behind Richwood); boys 4×800 – Tyler Owens, Tommy Greulick, David Rose and Robertson – 10.03; Simmons, high jump – 6’0″; Burns, high jump – 4.4″ tie; and Fredericah Gardner, shot – 29’3″ and discus – 104′ 9.5″.
Winning bronze medals were: Robertson, 400 – 56.12; girls 4×100 – Allie Burns, Galford and Brice Galloway, Ryder – 58.63; and girls 4×200 – McMillion, Savanna Davis, Samantha Collins and Ryder – 2.04.97.
The PCHS girls 4×400 team was ranked #10 in West Virginia Class A for meets held by May 3 and received by May 5, with a best time of 4.45.14. Gardner was ranked #9 for a toss of 98’11”, and that was before her Coalfield Meet toss of 104’9.5″, that would have moved her up to #4 this week. Aiyana Kachmarek of Tucker is in a league of her own with a toss of 128’6″ that is ranked #1 in Class A. In all classes, only Leigh Mackenzie of AAA Buckhannon Upshur has a longer toss of 139’5″. The girls 4×800 team should be ranked close to #4 next week with their 11.22 time at Oak Hill.
The PCHS boys shuttle hurdles team is ranked #3 this week with a best time of 1.05.14, and that was before their Coalfield Meet time of 1.04.11, which would have ranked them #2 this week behind #1 Buffalo, with a time of 1.02.61. Tucker was ranked #2 this week with a 1.04.2 time. Devin Rose’s best discus toss of 125’6″ ranked him #5 this week. Rose scratched three times in the Coalfield discus event.
The WVSSAC will be celebrating the 100th state track championship this year at Laidley Field of the University of Charleston Stadium beginning with a special opening ceremony at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 23, and continuing on Saturday at 9 a.m. The souvenir program will feature 24 pages highlighting the accomplishments of teams, coaches and athletes throughout the years. Past record holders will be introduced and assist in the presentation of championship awards. A room at the stadium will contain a memorabilia display and include a presentation featuring outstanding performances of past championships.
The results of the invitational meet at Oak Hill on Friday have yet to be reported to RunWV.com as of press time, so they will be reported in next week’s paper. Charleston Catholic has the top three times in the girls 800, and two of those girls sandwiched Melissa Murphy at Oak Hill on Friday. Murphy was tripped and fell. A protest was filed, but no meet officials saw what happened. The PCHS athletes who qualified for states at the regional meet held in Elkins on May 14 and the RunWV.com state meet predictions will also be reported.