by Jamie Harris
This past weekend May 17 and 18, proved to be another successful one for the Berkeley Springs High School Indians track program.
Berkeley Springs track and field athletes tend to shine on the big stage at the Class AA State Track & Field Championships as they have racked up numerous individual state championships and several state team titles over the past nine years.
The athletic department will have to add another state champion name to the state champion banners and place another picture on the state champion’s wall of fame as junior Avery Lackey pulled off the upset win in the pole vault.
Lackey came into the state meet as a potential state place winner after his third place finish in last week’s Class AA Region I Championships. However, this past weekend was Lackey’s time to shine or should we say fly. The talented junior pole vaulter cleared 12’6” and that was more than enough for Lackey to capture his first career state championship.
Even though they did not place the Indians also had an outstanding performance from their 4×800 meter relay team. The team of sophomore Daniel Golden, senior Sterling Slusher, sophomore Mason Roberts and sophomore Caden Gaither finished in 10th place with a season best time of 8:41.83. Senior Ty’Jae Armstrong finished in 12th place in the long jump with a jump of 19’1 ½”.
On the girls side, the Lady Indians got an outstanding performance from sophomore Belle Harvey. Harvey a distance running standout competed in the 3200 meters and 1600 meters this past weekend in the state championships. In the 3200 meters Harvey finished in second place with a time of 11:52.81. Fairmont Senior’s Maya Brinson a senior took home the individual title with a time of 11:39.85. In the 1600 meters Harvey finished in sixth place with a time of 5:35.22 to pick up her second all-state honor for the weekend. Winfield senior Grace Cole took the individual title with a time of 5:13.47.
The Lady Indians 4×800 meter relay team of senior Brooke Davison, junior Hannah Moran, sophomore Taylor Mason and junior Kierstyn Wise finished in 15th place with a time of 11:40.82.
