Bridgeport High School girls aced the Connect-Bridgeport.com Invitational track and field event held Friday and Saturday in Bridgeport, landing in first place over runner-up Morgantown High with Doddridge County, Preston High School, Trinity Christian and Braxton County following in that order.
The Tribe’s boys finished a respectful second place with Morgantown in first; Doddridge, third; followed by Braxton, Preston, Woodrow Wilson and Notre Dame.
BHS Track Coach Jon Griffith said he couldn’t be more pleased with the first meet of the 2017 season.
“Things went great. The weather was perfect. We had big crowds in the stands and some outstanding performances from all of the teams on the track and in the field,” he said.
Bridgeport Middle School had enough athletes to fill two teams; one finishing fifth and the B Team eighth. Buckhannon Upshur was first in the girls’ division and Mountaineer Middle Monongalia County, second. The BMS boys placed fifth and seventh with Doddridge County in first and Lincoln Middle School in second. Other middle schools competing were WI, South Middle School, Mountaineer Middle Harrison, Central Preston, Robert L. Bland, Notre Dame.
For BHS, powerhouse senior McKenna Smith claimed four first place finishes in girls' events – 100-meter dash (12.43), 200-meter dash (25.61), 400-meter dash (57.65) and 300-meter hurdles (48.74).
Other BHS Indians No. 1 finishes went to junior Jenna Love for girls’ pole vault, junior Josh Osborn for boys’ 300-meter hurdles, junior Tristan Shaw for boys’ long jump and senior Jimmy Lacaria for boys’ 1600- and 3200-meter hurdles. Lacaria ran the latter race in 9:55.43 with junior Mark Duez on his heels with a time of 9:55.91.
Overall, BHS competitors’ times were outstanding, Griffith said.
“So many of our athletes had personal bests … In fact, in most events we are starting ahead of or close to where we ended the season last year,” he said. “That bodes well for the rest of the season.”
Griffith, who works primarily with the boys, said Lacaria – who was high point - and Duez had very solid days in the distance events and that Maverick Eddy, Chase Binegar and Koby Kiefer all had good performances in sprint events as did Josh Oldaker and Trenton Shaw in the hurdles. Tristan Shaw, Chris Trent and Josh Olsborn all scored well in the field events, Griffith added.
In addition to the aforementioned athletes from whom Griffith expected good things, a number of newcomers stepped up with solid performances, as well.
“Braeden Oldaker, Hayden Hess, Brice Haines, Seth Friel and Ashton Davis all had good days in their events,” he said. “Benson Bassell isn’t new, but ran much better than last year.”
BHS Girls' Coach Emilee Stout said the team is off to good start for the 2017 season.
"The girls looked great against a couple tough teams," she said. "McKenna (Smith) is focused and determined to break more records. She's right where she needs to be."
Stout said several girls performed very well at the debut meet and she is very happy with results.
For the Lady Indians, sophomore Isabella Bowen finished third in the girls’ 100-meter dash with a time of 13.05. Catie Wilson earned fifth in 14.17.
Bowen also earned third in the 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash, recording times of 26.95 and 100.05.
BHS had 12 girls in the top 20 of the 800-meter run. Sophomores Julia Muller (2:27.81) and Kirsten George (2:36.15) placed second and fourth, respectively. The Lady Indians had several place in the top 20 of the girls’ 1600-meter run, yet none in the top five spots.
Freshman Sarah Kinney finished third in the girls’ 100-meter hurdles and freshman Emily Meade finished third in the 300-meter hurdles.
The BHS team of Ashton Miller, Meade, Kristen Crowder and Juliet Hart finished third in the 4X100 meter relay. Miller, George and Hart once again joined forces – this time with Wilson – to earn third in the 4X200 meter relay.
Muller, George, Eddy and Bowen finished second in the 4X400 relay. Muller, George, sophomore Michaela Perri and senior Caroline Ferrell placed second in the 4X800.
For the 4X102.5 meter shuttle hurdle, sophomore Rory Marple, Miller, sophomore Hallie Davis and Kinney finished second. Crowder and freshman Alyson Gibson earned second and third, respectively, in the girls’ high jump.
Sophomores Sophia DelGreco, Claire Lohmann and Arionna Liberati captured third, fourth and fifth in the girls’ pole vault. Freshman Madya McCullough finished second in the girls’ discus throw.
In the boys’ division, juniors Maverick Eddy, Chase Binegar and Koby Kiefer took fourth through sixth places in the 100-meter dash with times of 11.75, 11.84 and 12.12. Binegar finished third in the 200-meter dash with Kiefer placing sixth.
Lacaria captured second in the 800-meter run (2:05.85) and Duez finished sixth in 2:08.07. With a time of 4:38.88, Duez brought in third place in the 1600-meter run.
Osborn finished third in the 100-meter hurdles and following his first place 300-meter hurdles were Trenton Shaw and sophomore Hayden Hess, fifth and sixth, respectively.
Several relay teams finished in second place. Eddy, senior Seth Friel, junior Brice Haines and Trenton Shaw in the 4X100 meter relay; Eddy, Binegar, Trenton Shaw and Kiefer in the 4X200 meter relay; senior Timmy Kinney, Eddy, Binegar and Tristan Shaw in the 4X400 meter relay; Lacaria, Duez, Kinney and freshman Jackson Jacobs in the 4X800 meter relay and Osborn, Trenton Shaw, Tristan Shaw and freshman Braeden Oldaker in the 4X110 meter shuttle hurdle.
Tristan Shaw finished second in the boys’ high jump with freshman Ashton Davis capturing fourth. Osborn earned third in the boys’ pole vault.
Besides first place finisher Tristan Shaw in the boys’ long jump, the only other top 10 finisher was freshman Brian Henderson who captured tenth. Junior Christopher Trent earned second in shot put and third in the discus throw.
Griffith said he thanks all volunteers who helped make the meet such a success.
“The Bridgeport Track & Field Community is one of the best in the state,” he said. “I can never fully express what a great job they do for the program.”
Editor's Note: Pictured from top are Isabella Bowen (left) and McKenna Smith; Mark Duez passes off to Jimmy Lacaria; McKenna Eddy (left) and Catie Wilson; Joshua Osborn; Brice Haines passes off to Trenton Shaw; members of girls' track team with trophies and members of boys' team with trophies. Photos are by Ben Queen Photography. See more images HERE.
Share
Sign up/stay connected
Create your profile to start adding photos, posting comments, and more.