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Magnolia Boys Take Silver at State

Winters Pockets Pair Of Championships

Photo by Kyle Lutz Magnolia’s Pat Mirandy wins the 400 Saturday during the West Virginia state track meet at Laidley Field.

CHARLESTON — Magnolia boys coach Travis Emch knew going into the weekend, the target was on their backs. After all, his Blue Eagles’ squad was the defending state champion in Class A. Magnolia, put in another impressive performance on the biggest stage as a trio of athletes won individual state titles as it claimed state runner-up in Class A.

Jakob Barrows repeated as state champion in the shot put while Pat Mirandy won the 400, Spencer Shepard claimed the 800 for the Blue Eagles.

On the girls side, Mady Winters had a nice day as she took home a pair of state titles in the shot put and the discus.

Doddridge County claimed the boys title with a total of 84.33 points.

“We came down and were projected to score in the 60’s and we scored 82,” Emch said. “Last year we scored 80, this year we scored 82, so we scored more points. We just got out performed by Doddridge in a couple of events. I’m very proud of how we did. We just came up a little short.”

Winters was the lone local athlete in Class A to walk away with multiple gold medals. In the shot put, the sophomore threw 38-feet-04.50 while tossing 124-05 in the discus.

“It’s even more exciting. Its crazy. I didn’t expect it,” Winters said about winning two state titles. “But I’ll take it.”

Also claiming gold locally for the girls was the Wheeling Central 4×100 relay team. The Maroon Knights also set a state record as Kaitlyn Ferns, Ireland Wayt, Kenadee Wayt and Marisa Horan clocked in at 50.04.

Mirandy took home the first gold medal of the day for the Blue Eagles as he clocked in at 50.45 in the 400.

“It feels awesome to come back from last year after getting third, racing against two fast guys in Brooks Parsons and Freddy (Canary),” Mirandy said. “But it feels awesome to be an individual state champ.”

Mirandy also captured second in the 300 hurdles (40.12).

Like the whole team, Barrows knew he had a target on his back as he went into the day as the reigning Class A champion in shot put. He made sure no one would take that title from him. With a haul of 52-05.00, the junior repeated as state champion.

“I don’t know if it feels as good as the one last year, but in a way it does,” Barrows said. “I had to work two times as hard. Repeating is a lot harder to do because everybody is coming for you.”

Barrows also placed third in the discus (138-06).

In the 800, Shepard made his move with 300 to go as he took the lead and never gave it up. He clocked in with a time of 2:00.82.

“When I started track in seventh grade, this is what I wanted,” Shepard said. “It makes me feel really good that I finally did it.”

Tyler Consolidated’s Spencer Corley also claimed a state title. In the high jump, the sophomore cleared the bar at 6-4.

“It’s a surreal feeling,” Corley said. “I’ve been working all season for this moment and I’m glad all the hard work I did paid off.”

Corley also showed his endurance as he got sixth in the 1600 (4:41.69).

Barrows’ twin brother, Jared, placed fifth in the shot put (45-03.50).

The 4×200 tandem of Jason Beisel, Damon Shimp, James Stillwagoner and Mirandy got second (1:32.15).

Stillwagoner and Beisel were also on the 4×100 team with Sebastian Stickler and Kyle Thomas taking second in a time of 44.87.

In the 4×400, the Blue Eagles captured another second as Stillwagoner, Mirandy, Shepard and Logan Beegle clocked in at 3:35.84.

“I couldn’t do it without my assistant coach Trey Meeks,” Emch said. “He’s done a heckuva job. He’s helped every one of these kids. They believe what he’s doing. The kids just believe in what we’re doing.

“We’re just preaching to do the little things right and just taking care of business, just trusting one another and doing our best to see what we can do.”

Paden City’s Eric Weber got fourth in the shot put (45-03.75).

Tyler Consolidated’s Destry Nelson got sixth in the 400 (52.34). Teammates Zack Placer (15.80) and Nathan Barker (16.00) got second and third, respectively in the 110 hurdles.

Tyler Consolidated’s Mark Rucker got third in the 100 (11.42).

Rucker was also on a third place 4×100 team with Griffin Phillips, Barker and Nick Gorby (44.94).

In the 4×400, the Silver Knight tandem of Nelson, Corley, Gorby and Austin Timmons got sixth (3:44.09).

Angelo Quattrocchi got fifth in the 1600 for Madonna in a time of 4:39.11. Brennan Secrist got fifth in the 110 hurdles (16.05) while Cameron’s Dillon Meintel got sixth (16.08).

Hundred’s Cody Soles got sixth in the 200 (24.09).

The Wheeling Central boys’ team got fourth in the 4×200. Curtis McGhee, Anthony Robbins, Payton Marling and Bray Price clocked in at 1:33.90.

On the girls side, Magnolia’s Kyndra Pilant got second in the shot put (35-00.50) and third in the discus (115-03). Teammate Jaci Rohde got fifth in the 100 (13.16) and third in the long jump (15-07.50).

Bree Herrick, Kennedy Parsons, Audrey Cross and Rohde got sixth in the 4×100 (53.10).

In the 4×400, Parsons, Herrick, Aubrey Hall and Olivia Mensore got fifth (4:26.38).

Wheeling Central’s Kenadee Wayt secured second in the 100 (12.82) and 200 (26.64) while Nicole Billie captured fifth in the 400 (1:01.91). Horan, Billie and the Wayt sisters got second in the 4×200 (1:46.36).

Ferns, Horan, Billie and Ireland Wayt also got third in the 4×400 (4:18.75).

Madonna’s Kristina Lesho got fourth in the 1600 (5:39.20). Teammate Kennedy Martin got second in the discus (121-06) and sixth in the shot put (31-07.75). MaKayla Virden, Angelina Spickard, Kelsey Crawford and Carly Dowiak got fifth in the 4×100 (53.02). Dowiak also got fifth in the 200 (27.34).

Paden City’s Abbe Stackpole got fourth in the 100 (13.10) and 200 (27.18). Stackpole was also on the sixth-place 4×200 relay team with Hallie McDonald, Mallory Yeater and Cora Anderson (1:53.09).

McDonald, Yeater and Stackpole along with Maggi Still secured a third place in the 4×100 (51.86).

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