By KYLE LUTZ
CHARLESTON -- Wheeling Park's Torrence Walker finished his senior track campaign with a new state record in the 100 meter dash and three individual gold medals in the 100, 200 and 400 meter dash.
Overall, Park's boys claimed Class AAA runners-up while the girls placed third on Saturday at University of Charleston at Laidley Field in the Class AAA State Track Meet.
Parkersburg claimed the state title on the boys' side while Jefferson claimed the girls' championship..
Walker's effort Saturday earned him the tournament's high point award. He was only .04 seconds off James Jett's state record in the 200 meter dash.
"I can't even describe it," Walker said. "I'm going to miss this team so much. I'm just very grateful."
Walker broke the 100 record in the preliminaries as he clocked in at 10.50. In the finals, he was almost just as fast as he timed in at 10.59.
It was right back to business for the standout senior in the 200 as he cruised to a win with a time of 21.43.
"It's what I've been working for all year," Walker said about the High Point award. "I knew that my coach was going to put me in four events, three individual. It's what I was working for all year. I'm very happy, But again, we came up short in the 4×4, so still kind of disappointed. But this is an amazing accomplishment."
And while Walker will leave Charleston as a state record holder in the 100, he will also leave his alma mater with a few records as well.
"He's a special kid," Wheeling Park coach Chris Dunaway said. "He's obviously the backbone of this team and a leader on the track. But he's a special talent and is leaving Wheeling Park as the school record holder in the 100, 200, 400 and 4×100. That's quite a career. And some of those records, the 400 record was almost 40 years old. The 100 was 30 years old. He's a tremendous track athlete and a tremendous kid."
Another one of those state championships was the 4×100 relay team of Alex Canestraro, Sincere Sinclair, Christian Sorge and Jerrae Hawkins Jr. Sorge also claimed a school record in the pole vault. He secured second as he cleared the bar of 14-06.
Hawkins Jr. also put in a solid outing in his first state meet. The freshman was right behind Walker as he took second in both the 100 and 200.
BriJaun Butler claimed a solid third place in the long jump and sixth in the 110 hurdles for the Patriots while Andrew Glass got fifth in the 300 hurdles.
GIRLS
After securing second place in both the 300 hurdles and 100, Marlee Porter secured a gold medal in the 200 as she clocked in at 25.54.
"I'm super excited because I ended up falling short in the 100 and 300 hurdles. To come out and win in my last open event is really great," Porter said.
Although she placed second in the 100, Porter did set a new school record in the event.
Porter ended her day as the anchor of the winning 4×400 team for the Patriots. Along with Mia Zecca, Maya Taggart and Abby Barki, the Patriots clocked in at 4:08.65.
The Patriots got silver as Jailah Walker secured second in the high jump as well as the shuttle hurdle team of Ellie Reasbeck, Sophie Abraham, Lillian Hanna and Joceylnn Walker. Audrey Lantz, Savannah Turner-Davis, Abby Barki and Kaylee Davis secured third in both the 4×100 and 4×200.
The 4×800 relay team of Merritt Delk, Adlie Abraham, Zecca and Taggart placed fourth in the 4×800.
For Brooke, Mara Pendergrast supplied the first local victory of the day. In the high jump, the senior cleared the bar at 5-04 to secure the gold.
"I'm honestly on cloud nine right now," Pendergrast said. "I don't know how to feel, I don't know how to act. I came in here and just said to do whatever I can. What happens, happens and if I win, I win. I guess I did."
John Marshall's Camryn Mowder secured three medals as she placed fourth in the high jump and secured sixth in the 100 hurdles. Mowder was also on the fourth-place shuttle hurdle team with Madelyn Cisar, Zara Zervos and Brielle Bumgardner. Zervos also placed fifth in the 800.
Also securing a medal for the Monarchs was Elle Ranney as she secured sixth in the shot put.