Morgantown and Elkins Sweep State Cross Country Titles

Lace 'em up and take a bow, Morgantown and Elkins. Two of the Mountain State's proudest running programs just pulled off the cleanest sweeps you'll see all fall.

At Saturday's WVSSAC State Cross Country Championships, run on the 5,000-meter course at Cabell Midland High School in Ona, Morgantown won both the boys and girls team titles in Class AAAA, and Elkins did the very same thing in Class AAA.

Mohigans double up in Quad-A

The Morgantown girls got things rolling with 47 points, holding off runner-up Cabell Midland, which finished with 80 on its home course. Leyland Phillips (5th), Jenna Conaway (6th), Lauren Hawkins (9th), Tumaini Yawe (13th) and Kylie Cline (14th) scored for the Mohigans.

The boys answered right back. Joaquin Summers (4th), Maxwell Abildso (7th), Joshua Shrewsberry (8th), Cole Boggs (13th) and Kayden Taylor (14th) powered Morgantown to its own crown, giving coach Mike Ryan, who leads both teams, a sweep his runners had been chasing all season.

The individual races in Quad-A had plenty of drama, too. Musselman senior Sadie Yates ran down Wheeling Park's Breanna Tipton just before the final curve and kicked home first in 17:54, becoming the first individual state champion in Musselman history. On the boys side, University's Micah Gainer won in 15:39 to claim the title for the second year in a row.

Tigers roar in Triple-A

Elkins went two for two in Class AAA. The Tiger girls, who finished second a year ago, scored 51 points to win over runner-up Bridgeport, led by Julia Biola (5th), Emilia Tenney (8th), Clara Pyles (9th), Molly McFadden (12th) and Halley Kelly (17th). Bridgeport sophomore Aria Selario took the individual title in 18:51.

The Elkins boys won with 63 points, ahead of Grafton (96) and Shady Spring (98), paced by Trevor George in third. Keyser senior Luca Altobello won a thrilling finish down the home stretch in 15:45.2, just ahead of Winfield's Trace Marshall.

Champions all across the state

The small-school races crowned plenty of hometown heroes as well. Ritchie County won the Class A girls title behind individual champ Layla Devereux, and St. Marys took the Class A boys title as Koa Navarro won the race. In Class AA, Lincoln's girls and Frankfort's boys brought home team titles, with Frankfort's Bailey Ferguson and Tyler Consolidated's Travis Moore winning individually.

Cross country doesn't always get the bright lights, but every one of these kids spent a whole season putting in the miles up and down West Virginia's hills. Congratulations to every runner, coach and family who made the trip to Ona. You made the whole state proud.