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WHEELING -- Six cross country teams and many more individuals have qualified for the biggest cross country race of the Mountain State's high school season this past weekend, as WVSSAC Regional competition took place across West Virginia with teams trying to earn spots at the upcoming state cross country meet.
The state meet will take place Saturday, Oct. 31 at Cabell Midland High School in Ona, an all-day affair beginning with the Class AAA race and ending with the Class A race.
At this weekend's Class AAA and Class AAAA Regionals, where teams were divided into only two regions, North and South, the top six teams from either region advanced to the state meet, with the 10 fastest individuals from non-qualifying teams earning individual bids. Across the four regions in Class AA and Class A, the top three teams from each region qualified along with the five fastest individuals from non-qualifying teams.
CLASS AAAA
The Wheeling Park boys and girls cross country squads both qualified for the Class AAAA state meet. The Park boys placed fifth as a team in the North Regional, while the girls placed fourth. Morgantown took first place in both races.
Wheeling Park's girls were led by Brenna Tipton, who took first place at the Regional after finishing first in the state race last season. Tipton clocked a 17:45.7.
Wheeling Park's boys were paced by Rylan Moore, who finished in 15:29.6 to place second overall.
CLASS AAA
John Marshall's girls earned a team bid to the state meet, finishing fifth overall at the Region 1 meet. Elkins took first place in both races.
Zoe Zervos led the way for the Monarchs, finishing in eighth overall in the girls race with a time of 20:08.3.
The Brooke Bruins saw one individual qualifier from the girls race as Elizabeth Edgell finished ninth overall with a 20:20.2 time.
Brooke earned two individual qualifiers in the boys race. Gavin Scott finished sixth overall at 16:44.7. Levi Stewart finished in 32nd with a time of 18:18.9.
John Marshall claimed four individual qualifiers in the boys race. Kason Wolfe led the way for the Monarchs, finishing in 17:24.7 for 15th place. Owen Paul (18:08.4) finished in 30th, Carson Fitzpatrick (18:16.2) finished in 31st, and Braxten Ullom (18:25.6) finished in 33rd.
CLASS AA
The Oak Glen girls are heading to Ona as a team after finishing in second as a team in the Region 1 meet. The Golden Bears were led by Lacey Cameron who finished in second place, clocking a 19:47.43.
The Weir Red Riders will be represented in the boys' race by Jonathon Rhodes, who finished in 21st to qualify as an individual with a time of 19:44.85.
Williamstown claimed the top spot in both the girls and boys races.
CLASS A
The Wheeling Central boys and girls teams both finished in third as a team in the Region 1 meet to earn a slot in the state meet.
The Maroon Knights' boys were led by Luke Hevener, who ran his race in 17:22.95 for a sixth-place finish.
The Central girls were led by Ila Hutnick, who finished in 20:49.91 for a fifth-place finish.
St. Marys came in first in the boys race; Ritchie County came in first in the girls race.
Magnolia will bring one female and one male racer down to the state meet, as Lindsey Barcus clocked a 24:21.46 to finish in 20th and qualify as an individual. Manowah Vaughn did likewise in the boys race by placing 10th with an 18:07.7.
Madonna's Sophia Soly qualified for the girls race, finishing in 21st and clocking a 24:54.41.
A tribe of Dragons will make the trip to the state meet as Cameron claimed two boys qualifiers and three girls qualifiers. For the boys, Mason Henry (20:13.8) finished in 15th and Trevor Emery (23:11.13) finished in 20th. For the girls, Khloe Evans (21:25.28) finished in ninth, Winona Sutton (23:23.88) finished in 17th, and Brooklyn Chaney (25:42.39) finished in 22nd.