Morgantown grabs first team title in 27 years

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The Morgantown boys put six in the top 20 of the Class AAA race and won the school's first cross country crown in 27 years at Cabell Midland High School in Ona. 

The Mohigans scored 45 points to easily beat Cabell Midland (100), Parkersburg (121),  University (126) and Woodrow Wilson (126).

Junior Philip White of University won the individual title by covering the 5,000-meter course on an 80-degree day in 16:14.1. 

The heat got to one of the state's most accomplished runners. University's TaShala Turner, the Class AAA girls favorite, succumbed to the warm weather and was forced to drop out. It didn't deter her team, which put its remaining six runners in the top 25. Hannah Lipps of Hampshire ran 19:07.5 to win the individual title by 19 seconds.

University scored 44 points to Morgantown's 62. 

Jackson Reed from Nicholas County ran the fastes time of the day in the boys AA-A race, clocking 16:06.0. Bridgeport put five scorers in the top 30 and scored 69 points for the win.

Makenzie Moran of Saint Joseph's won the girls AA-A race with the exact same time as Lipps, 19:07.5. She was three seconds clear of Jessica Melvin from Philip Barbour. Melvin also led her team to the championship as Philip Barbour put four in the top 30 and finished with 83 points.