"Field" of dreams realized once more

Berkeley Springs High School Girls Track Team needed a win in the final event (4x400) of the 2012 West Virginia High School Class AA State Track Meet to defend their Class AA title. It was a long shot. The Indians weren't even picked, by Runwv.com, to finish among the top six in the relay, let alone win. To make matters worse, Kayla Mundey, one of the regular members of the team was unable to run and was replaced at the last minute by senior Sara Younker. But, undaunted, the Indians took to the track and brought home gold in the final event, and, with it, another state championship.

"We did it," said an elated Head Coach, Dave Mundey, after the winning performance by the 4x400 (4:15.17). “That was incredible. The girls just laid it all out there and pulled it off. Last year we were underdogs, but this year we weren't even in the conversation. This team really came together and had a tremendous two days at the perfect time."

Although the effort by the 4x400 meter relay provided the dramatic moment of the meet, it was Berkeley Springs strength in the field events that was the difference.

Of the 76 points scored by Berkeley Springs, 59 came in the field events. And, of the five gold medals won by the Tribe, four were on the field.

Harlie Stotler got Berkeley Springs off to a strong start on Friday, May 18, by winning both throwing events. The senior claimed her fourth consecutive shot put title with a winning throw of 36 feet 10.5 inches and then came back to win the discus with a throw of 114 feet 2 inches.

"Harlie has been rock solid for us during her career and I am really happy for her," said Mundey. “She has overcome a lot of adversity.”

Jordan Bennett and Sarah Haynes added to the first-day total in field events with a fifth and sixth place finish in the long jump, respectively.

Younker scored two points with a fifth place finish in the 3200, while the 4x800 meter relay team of Mundey, Younker, Macy Houck and Danielle Haynes added four more points by virtue of their fourth place finish.

Berkeley Springs held the lead after day one, with 29 points, but needed to have a good second day to keep their dreams alive.

As it turned out, Saturday could not have started any better. Sarah Haynes (5-0) and Casey Solomon (5-0) finished one-two in the high jump, respectively, while Toni Davison and Solomon did the same in the pole vault, adding 36 points to the Indian total. Davison won with a vault of nine feet, with Solomon clearing 8-6. Then, to begin the afternoon session, Jordan Bennett increased Berkeley Springs total to 66 points with a sixth place finish in the 100 meter hurdles.

But, like watching the tide slowly recede, Berkeley Springs lead started to dwindle.
With three events remaining the Indians led Frankfort, 66-54. But the Falcons won both the 800 and 200 meter runs to take an eight-point lead, 74-66, with only the 4x400 remaining.

Prospects of repeating looked bleak, but, the intrepid quartet of Danielle Haynes, Keri Shetler, Younker and Melissa Colby took to the track and did the seemingly impossible to overtake Frankfort, 76-74, in the final team standings.

With about 100 meters remaining in 4x400, Berkeley Springs was in third place. But, Colby, running the final leg, hit another gear and ran down the anchor legs from both Wayne and Keyser to give the Indians their second consecutive team title.

"I am almost speechless," Mundey said. “This was special."

The boys team finished sixth, but did bring home a gold medal when senior Michael Twigg cleared 6’2” to win the high jump.

Twigg's victory was the biggest upset of the meet for Berkeley until the girls final race of the day. Twigg was picked fourth in the event, but came through with his best jump of the year to claim the gold.

"This was Michael's only year in track," Mundey said. “It was a surprising win to be honest with you, but I couldn't be happier. This is a memory I'm sure he will cherish for a very long time. Another great story."

Corey Shetler finished second in 1600, fifth in the 800 and combined with Patrick Peck, Steven Wolfe and Dylan Reynolds to take fourth in the 4x400 meter relay. Matt Arrowood placed fourth in the pole vault, while the 4x200 meter relay team of Andrew Truax, Wolfe, Peck and Reynolds rounded out the scoring with a sixth place finish in the 4x200 meter relay.

"It was a rewarding year that ended with a team title for the girls," Mundey said.

Team scores
Class AA girls
1. Berkeley Springs 76
2. Frankfort 74
3. Keyser 69
4. Oak Glen 54
5. Shady Spring 48
6. Summers County 38
7. Point Pleasant 31
8. Liberty Harrison 30
9. Lincoln 24
10. Ritchie County 20
11. Weir 17
12. Wayne 16
13. Webster County 13
13. Philip Barbour 13
15. Roane County 12
15. Tyler Consolidated 12
17. Independence 5
18. Oak Hill 3
19. Poca 1
19. Grafton 1
19. Magnolia 1
Class AA boys
1. Ritchie County 71
2. Point Pleasant 66
3. Magnolia 58
4. Liberty Harrison 42
5. Braxton County 30.5
6. Berkeley Springs 29
7. Scott 28
8. Greenbrier West 26
9. Grafton 25
10. Shady Spring 24
11. Tyler Consolidated 21
12. Frankfort 15
13. Independence 14
13. Poca 14
15. Webster County 13
15. Oak Glen 13
17. Oak Hill 12
18. Keyser 8
18. Sherman 8 18. Lincoln 8
21. Herbert Hoover 7
22. Roane County 6.5
23. Philip Barbour 6
23. Westside 6
25. Weir 4
26. Bluefield 3