Track team taking a large contingent to State

Twenty-three members of the Berkeley Springs High School Track and Field Team, 13 girls and 10 boys, will be heading to the state track meet in Charleston this weekend, after meeting qualifying standards at the West Virginia Class AA Region II Track and Field Championships last Wednesday, May 9, at Lewis County High School.

Keyser claimed both team titles, with Berkeley Springs girls team finishing second and the boys team third.

The top three place winners in each event automatically qualified for the state meet, along with those whose time, distance or height was good enough to earn one of the four at large berths in the event.

Girls taking home gold for Berkeley Springs included Harlie Stotler (SP, 36-1; Discus, 106-7), Toni Davison (PV, 9-0) and Casey Solomon (HJ, 5-2). Danielle Haynes (800) brought back silver, as did Sarah Haynes (HJ), Solomon (PV) and the 4x800 meter relay team of Kayla Mundey, Sara Younker, Macy Houck and D. Haynes.

Rounding out the automatic qualifiers, with third place performances, was Mundey in the 800 meter run, along with both the 4x100 and 4x200 meter relay teams. Jordan Bennett, S. Haynes, Amanda Case and Melissa Colby teamed up in the 4x100, while the quartet of Bennett, Davison, Colby and Case joined forces in the 4x200.

Also qualifying for the girls: D. Haynes (1600, fourth), Younker (3200, fourth), Bennett (LJ, fourth), the 4x400 meter relay team of Keri Shetler, Houck, Younker and Colby (fourth), Bennett (100M Hurdles, fifth), shuttle hurdle relay team of Mackenzie Michael, Kinsey Reed, Natalie Reed and Katie Robinson (fifth), along with S. Haynes (LJ, sixth).

The lone winner for the boys was Matt Arrowood, who cleared a seasons-best 13’6”, and, in so doing, set new school record in the event, eclipsing the previous mark of 13 feet 3.5 inches set by Joby Seibert in 1975.

Dylan Reynolds placed second in the 400 and teamed with Andrew Truax, Patrick Peck and TJ Patrick for another silver in the 4x100 meter relay. Michael Twigg also placed second in the high jump.

Corey Shetler (800, 1600), and both the 4x200 and 4x400 meter relay teams claimed bronze medals to automatically earn their spot in Charleston. Truax, Peck, Reynolds and Twigg combined forces in the 4x200, while Twigg, Ricky Stanley, Peck and Reynolds circled the track in the 4x400.

Trevor Jamison and Shetler earned at large spots in the pole vault and 3200 meter run, respectively. Jamison was fourth in the pole vault, while Shetler placed sixth in the 3200.

"It was kind of a mixed bag," said Indian Coach Dave Mundey. “We had some of our best performances of the year, like Matt's effort in the pole vault, and some that we're pretty forgettable. Luckily, some of the more forgettable performances were good enough to advance to the state meet. They will have a chance for a little redemption. It is certainly better to have your best showing at states."

The state meet will begin Friday, May 18, at Laidley Field in Charleston.

Girls team scores
1. Keyser 142
2. Berkeley Springs 113
3. Frankfort 86
4. Liberty Harrison 53
5. Philip Barbour 52
6. Lincoln 45
7. Braxton County 21
8. Grafton 20
9. Petersburg 18

Boys team scores
1. Keyser 95
2. Frankfort 94
3. Berkeley Springs 80
4. Braxton County 79
5. Liberty Harrison 75
6. Philip Barbour 56
7. Grafton 35
8. Lincoln 28
9. Petersburg 13