WEST VIRGINIA STATE MEET

Morgantown Senior Smashes Previous State-Meet Best By 40 Seconds

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

Patience, perseverance, and sticking to a plan has been the mantra for Morgantown’s Irene Riggs for most of her running career. After an injury early in the season, Saturday at the West Virginia State High School Cross Country Championships the senior appeared stronger than ever.

Riggs won the Class 3A title for the third straight year in a course record time of 16 minutes, 32.32 seconds. Riggs’ time on the 5,000-meter course at Cabell Midland High shattered the previous record of 17:12 set in 2012, and was more than two minutes faster than runner-up Audrey Hall of Hurricane (18:34.57). Riggs’ victory guided Morgantown to a third consecutive team title with 32 points. 

In the boys 3A race, sophomore Ty Steorts of Hurricane won the program’s first individual boys title, crossing the line in 15:27.14. University won the program’s fourth consecutive championship tallying 39 points. Hurricane was second (56 points). 

It was a one-two punch for Winfield as freshman Ava Ethridge finished first (19:26.17) and senior Rachael Withrow was second in 19:48.78. That helped Winfield win the 2A title for the second straight year.

Winfield made it a sweep individually as junior Brayden Marshall won the boys 2A race in a time of 15:50.11. Frankfurt dominated the team race going 2-3-4, and placing four runners in the top 10 to score 33 points.

Led by sophomore Alyssa Sauro’s first-place finish (19:01.65) Williamstown dominated the 1A race placing all five runners in the top 10, going 7-10 to score 31 points. 

Williamstown made it a program sweep, easily defending the 1A boys title as all five runners finished in the top 25 to score 43 points. Wheeling Central Catholic junior Aidan Scott won the 1A title again in 16:23.6. 

Team Champions

Class 3A - University boys 39 points; Morgantown girls 32 points - RESULTS

Class 2A - Frankfurt boys 33 points; Winfield girls 60 points - RESULTS

Class 1A - Williamstown boys 43 points; Williamstown girls 31 points - RESULTS