Photo by Sheri McAninch Wheeling Park’s Cheyenne Nash throws her way to a victory in the shot put during the Cal Griffin OVAC Track and Field Championship on Saturday.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The quest to become an OVAC Track and Field champion turned into a reality Saturday afternoon.

The week-long Cal Giffin OVAC Track and Field Championship concluded under ideal conditions in front of a large turnout at Red Devil Stadium.

The bulk of the girls’ team hardware is heading back to the city of Wheeling. All three schools located in the city — Wheeling Park, Wheeling Central and Linsly — claimed their respective class title. The only trophy not going to Ohio County is staying in St. Clairsville.

The host Red Devils fought off Cambridge for the team award in Class 4A.

Class 1A/2A

Linsly claimed its third title in school history and first since 2000 in impressive fashion, accumulating 94 points, which was 30 more than runner-up Shadyside.

“We knew coming in that some of our girls were going to have some really, really busy days (running a lot of events),” Linsly coach Katie Wallace said. “Coming into the finals, we were nervous because of how quickly this meet moves. Since the first day of practice, all these girls wanted to do is win the OVAC.”

Linsly’s first victory came in the 4×8 when its team posted a 10:21.76.

The Cadets began to put the finishing touches on their team title in the 800 when Emma Campsey claimed the two-lap race in 2:35.22.

Linsly put the finishing touches on its title by virtue of winning the 4×4.

Steubenville Catholic won the 4×2 in 1:49.99. It also captured the 4×1 in 52.75. The Crusaders’ first individual win came via Rebecca Bodo in the 400, who circled the oval in 61.76.

Shadyside’s Katie James won the 1600 meter run in 5;44.56.

Cameron’s Kelsie Meintel was the shot put champion with a mark of 34 feet, 1 inch.

Paden City freshman Abbee Stalkpole was the 100-meter dash champion in 13.29.

Hundred’s Katherine Henderson cleared 5 feet to win the high jump.

Madonna’s Kennedy Martin was the discus champion with a twirl of 95-8.

East Richland Christian’s Ally Stewart was the champion in the 300 low hurdles with a time of 47.98.

Class 3A

Coach Eric Belancic’s team, which is the defending Class A state champion, added the school’s third straight and fourth conference title to its illustrious history by virtue of 116 points.

“We had 10 girls competing, all of them contributed and did their part,” Belancic said. “We had an awesome meet. We moved up a class and still got the job done. We hope we can ride this momentum into the postseason. If we perform, we have a good shot (in the state) again.”

Wheeling Central’s run to another team title got started when freshman Marissa Horan claimed the long jump at 15-7.

The Knights picked up another victory in the 100-meter dash thanks to Kenadee Wayt’s 12.84. Wayt set a Red Devil Stadium record in winning the 200-meter dash with a 25.73 en route to winning the overall title.

The speed wins kept coming for the Knights, who captured the 4×2 in 1:50.46. Central added the 400 title when Nicole Billie turned a sizzling 59.71.

The Knights’ Ireland Wayt got into the individual winning act when she ran two laps in 2:25.00 to win the overall 800 title.

Central closed out things with a 4:11.14 to win the 4×4 title.

Union Local claimed the 4×8 in 10:53.69.

Hannah Kemp got the Jets into the individual winner’s circle with a victory in the 1600 thanks to a 5:41.93. She later added the 3200 in 12:54.56.

She also won the running portion of the inaugural Butch and Donna Joseph High Point Award.

Magnolia got off to a strong start with a victory in the shot put by sophomore Kyndra Pilant. She prevailed with a mark of 35-8.

Liza Clegg continued the winning on the track when she claimed the high hurdles in 18.07. She also captured the lows in 52.56.

The Blue Eagles added the shuttle title with a time of 1:14.73.

Bellaire’s first winner came in the high jump where Michaela Flaherty prevailed with a 4-10 clearance.

The Big Reds added a discus title thanks to Brittany Falcone’s mark of 99-11.

Buckeye Trail’s 4×1 team captured the title in 53.09. Senior Emily Paden claimed another class pole vault title, soaring over 11-6 for the gold.

Class 4A

Sometimes depth is a factor and St. Clairsville proved that to be true again. The Red Devils won only three events during course of the meet, but they scored in a host of areas.

“When the performance list came out, we scored it and knew it was going to be close with Cambridge,” St. Clairsville coach Tony Ciroli said. “We knew what we had to do. Sometimes people rise and sometimes people stumble. Even though things were one way on paper, it didn’t mean it was going to go that way on the track. But, our girls performed.”

St. Clairsville’s 4×1 gave the Red Devils their first conference title of the meet when it passed the baton to a time of 51.47.

Junior Emily Baire became St. C.’s first individual winner, posting a 26.30 to win the 200. St. C. closed things out with a victory in the 4×4 in a time of 4:20.49.

Oak Glen’s Kylee Williams garnered the shot put title with a heave of 35-5. The Golden Bears also captured the long jump thanks to Maggie Kovalcik’s mark of 16-11. Jillian Williams gave Oak Glen its first win on the track when she claimed the 800 in 2:31.05.

Steubenville’s T’Kayla Kelley grabbed the class and overall title by two hundredths of a second in 12.82. Big Red freshman Madison Beadling captured the 400 in 62.40.

Harrison Central’s 4×8 team prevailed with a 10:46.53. The Huskies’ individual winner was freshman Jasmine Arnold, who won the 3200 in 12:27.18.

Martins Ferry’s Richella Spielvogel was the discus champion — both in class and overall — with a mark of 116-8. Along with her finish in the shot put, Spielvogel was the field recipient of the Butch and Donna Joseph High Point Award.

Class 5A

Wheeling Park coach Bryan Arbes and his staff had some tough decisions to make about their personnel for this week’s conference meet. So, the Patriots elected to run basically the same schedule of events they’ll compete in this week’s regional meet.

It worked plenty well enough as Park finished with 114 points, which was 12 more than runner-up Morgantown.

“We didn’t try to spread (people) out to score more,” Arbes said. “We rested some distance kids, which is always a tough call. This is my first (OVAC) title and it’s a great thing. I am proud of the kids.”

Wheeling Park’s Cheyenne Nash was the shot put class and overall champion with a mark of 36-0 1/2.

Park’s strong in the field events continued in the high jump where Alex Knight won with a jump of 4-10.

Patriots’ Abby Snedeker was the 100 meter champion in 13.02. She turned in a 26.55 to win the 200 as well.

Wheeling Park’s 4×2 prevailed both in the class and overall thanks to a 1:47.04. The Pats made it a sprint relay sweep when the 4×1 captured both the overall and class title with a 51.25.

Sophomore Aubrey Wiethe claimed the low hurdle crown in 46.40.

Brooke’s Island Williams was crowned the long jump champion with a mark of 16-1.

John Marshall’s first OVAC title came in the shuttles when its hurdling foursome posted a 67.03.