Ritchie County 2012 West Virginia AA State Champions - Rollie Jacobs photo
At the West Virginia High School State Track Meet at Laidley Field in Charleston, WV on May 18-19, Ritchie County High School boys track team won its second Class AA title in three years.
At the completion of day one, Magnolia, who was last year's team champion, led Ritchie County with only six events being scored, while Point Pleasant was a distant tenth in the team standings.
At the completion of day two, the team standings were fairly close with the Rebels just edging out Point Pleasant by five points with a score of 71 to 66, while Magnolia fell to third with 58-points.
Point Pleasant's West Virginia AA State Runner-up Team - Rollie Jacobs photo
The Ritchie County boys team won two individual state titles with two second-place finishes, three third-place finishes, three fourth-place finishes, two fifth-place finishes, and one sixth place finish.
Senior Clint Hardman won the 800 meter run in 1:59.71. The Rebels also won the 4x800 meter relay of (Johnny Hogue, Jessie Hilvers, Josh James, Clint Hardman).
The Big Blacks relied on their relays to finish second in the team standings behind Rick Haught's Rebels. Point Pleasant High School won the 4x100, 4x200, and 4x400 meter relays, while their shuttle hurdle relay team finished second behind Greenbrier West High School.
The 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams include Zachary Canterbury, Charles Walton, Anthony Darst, Marquez Griffin. The 4x400 relay team include Charles Walton, Caleb Riffle, Anthony Darst, Zachary Canterbury. Members of the shuttle hurdle team are Caleb Riffle, Rogan Park, Anthony Darst, Cody Marcum.
Brandon Franklin winning the 200m - Lance McDaniel photo
In addition, the Class AA boys saw a spectacular performance by senior Brandon Franklin of Liberty Harrison who won all four of his individual events for a perfect score of 40-points. Franklin won the same four events at last year's State Meet. That's a pretty amazing feat considering only ten athletes have scored 40-points in the history of West Virginia High School Track & Field, with two of those performances coming at the hand of Franklin. Brandon ran a PR of 10.81 in the 100 meter dash, ran a 21.86 in the 200 meter dash, ran a 48.35 in the 400 meter dash (State Meet Record), and went 21-9 in the long jump, placing first in all four individual events and taking high point honors.
Will Shaffer of Scott winning the 3200m - Rollie Jacobs photo
In the distance events, Will Shaffer, a junior at Scott High School, placed second in the 800 meter run (2:00.81), first in the 1600 meter run (4:27.71), and first in the 3200 meter run (9:50.75). Shaffer finished second over all in the high point standings with 28 points.
Team Standings: 1) Ritchie County HS 71; 2) Point Pleasant HS 66; 3) Magnolia HS 58; 4) Liberty (Harrison) HS 42; 5) Braxton County HS 30.50; 6) Berkeley Springs HS 29; 7) Scott HS 28; 8) Greenbrier West HS 26; 9) Grafton HS 25; 10) Shady Spring HS 24; 11) Tyler Consolidated HS 21; 12) Frankfort HS 15; 13) Poca HS 14; 13) Independence HS 14; 15) Webster County HS 13; 15) Oak Glen HS 13; 17) Oak Hill HS 12; 18) Lincoln HS 8; 18) Sherman HS 8; 18) Keyser HS 8; 21) Herbert Hoover HS 7; 22) Roane County HS 6.50; 23) Westside HS 6; 23) Philip Barbour HS 6; 25) Weir HS 4; 26) Bluefield HS 3
Class AA Boys Individual Winners:
100 meter dash - Brandon Franklin (Liberty Harrison) 10.81
200 meter dash - Brandon Franklin (Liberty Harrison) 21.86
400 meter dash - Brandon Franklin (Liberty Harrison) 48.35 (State Meet Record)
800 meter run - Clint Hardman (Ritchie County) 1:59.71
1600 meter run - Will Shaffer (Scott) 4:27.71
3200 meter run - Will Shaffer (Scott) 9:50.75
110 meter high hurdles - Nathan Bernarde (Grafton) 15.31
300 meter intermediate hurdles - Nathan Bernarde (Grafton) 39.10
4x100 meter relay - Point Pleasant HS 44.63
4x200 meter relay - Point Pleasant HS 1:31.79
4x400 meter relay - Point Pleasant HS 3:32.20
4x800 meter relay - Ritchie County HS 8:18.33
Shuttle hurdle relay - Greenbrier West HS 59.53
High jump - Michael Twigg (Berkeley Springs) 6-02.00
Pole vault - Hunter LeMasters (Tyler Consol.) 13-06.00
Long jump - Brandon Franklin (Liberty Harrison) 21-09.00
Shot put - Micheal Green (Independence) 52-10.50
Discus throw - Ethan Delekta (Oak Glen) 159-04
High Point: 1) Brandon Franklin (Liberty Harrison) 40; 2) Will Shaffer (Scott) 28; 3. Nathan Bernarde (Grafton) 24; 4. Stephen Rogalski (Magnolia) 18; 5. Dylan Trout (Greenbrier West) 16.50
High Point: 1) Brandon Franklin (Liberty Harrison) 40; 2) Will Shaffer (Scott) 28; 3. Nathan Bernarde (Grafton) 24; 4. Stephen Rogalski (Magnolia) 18; 5. Dylan Trout (Greenbrier West) 16.50
WV Runners would like to congratulate Ritchie County High School for winning the Class AA Boys Team Championship, Brandon Franklin of Liberty Harrison for his 40-point performance two years in a row and his meet record in the 400 meter dash, Point Pleasant High School for dominating the relay events and to come back and get State Runner-ups, and Will Shaffer for dominating the distance events!