Victoria Starcher, 4x400 Relay Tip The Scale For Ripley

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

In the end, the wait was worth it. After a four-hour long weather delay, extending the West Virginia High School State Outdoor Track and Field Championships into extra hours, the Ripley girls pulled off a team victory in the last event of the day, the 4x400 relay.

Led by standout Victoria Starcher, Ripley ran a meet record time of 4:01.64 to score 82 points and edge out Wheeling Park (80 points) for the Class AAA crown at the University of Charleston on Friday and Saturday. It was Ripley's second straight team championship.

Starcher won the 800 (2:08.40), 1,600 (4:46.61) and 3,200 meters (10:32.75). In total, Starcher, who holds a US#1 mile time, had a hand in 40 points for her team.

The boys AAA race also came down to the wire as Spring Mills captured first in the 4x400 relay in a time of 3:26.76 to secure the team crown with 71 points. Wheeling Park was second with 68 points. It was the first team title for Spring Mills. 

Other highlights included Woodrow Wilson senior Chris Barbera winning the 800 (1:55.22), 1,600 (4:15.38) and 3,200 (9:11.41). 

The Winfield boys and girls swept the Class AA titles. Senior Aaron Withrow led the boys to a team title winning the 800 (1:56.88), 1,600 (4:17.55), 3,200 (9:15.6) and was part of the winning 4x400 that sealed the team victory. 

In the girls competition, Winfield sophomore Dianna Goodman set a meet record in the pole vault clearing 11-4. Winfield freshman Allie Germann won the 100 (12.57) and 200 (25.58), while Shady Spring senior Erica Hegele won the 100 hurdles, clocking a state meet record time of 14.87 in the preliminary round. Hegele also won the 300 hurdles in 44.81. 

In Class A, the Doddridge boys edged out Magnolia by less than two points to win the team championship. Doddridge did most of its damage in the field, sweeping the top two spots in the pole vault and winning the long jump and discus. 

The Williamstown girls won nine events on their way to a Class A title. 

The team set meet records in the 4x400 (4:10.21), and 4x200 (1:45.36), and sophomore Ella Hesson won the 800 (2:22.99), 1,600 (5:24.87) and 3,200 (11:30.02). 

Team Champions

Class AAA - Spring Mills boys 71 points; Ripley girls 82 points RESULTS

Class AA - Winfield boys 80 points; Winfield girls 124 points RESULTS

Class A - Doddridge County boys 84.33 points; Williamstown girls 108.5 points RESULTS