The Parkersburg High School (PHS) track teams had a weekend to remember, collecting medals, setting records, and claiming a team championship across two major meets.
At Saturday’s Mountaineer Showcase hosted by West Virginia University, the PHS boys turned in a powerful performance, finishing second overall behind University High. Star sprinter Landen Deuley led the charge by winning the 200 meters (23.11) and breaking the meet record in the 400 meters with a blazing time of 50.12. He also anchored the record-setting 4×400-meter relay team, teaming up with AJ Payne, Christian Rutherford, and Jackson Wharton to post a time of 3:30.94.
The Big Reds tallied 107.5 points, comfortably ahead of third-place Morgantown but trailing the champion University Hawks. Other top performances included a second-place 4×800-meter relay finish and podium finishes from Ethan Dela Cruz (long jump, second), Javel Chandler (high jump, second), and several others across distance and field events.
Parkersburg South’s Jordan Foster also made waves, setting a meet record in the 110-meter hurdles (15.19) and finishing strong in the 300 hurdles.
On the girls’ side, Roane County’s Josie Cox was a standout with second-place finishes in both the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles. Parkersburg South’s Kymani Prince grabbed sixth in both the 100 meters and long jump, while athletes from Tyler Consolidated, Silver Knights, and Braxton County also made the podium.
Big Reds Girls Capture Team Title at Cardinal Classic
While the boys were shining in Morgantown, the PHS girls traveled east to Spring Mills High School and captured the Cardinal Classic team title. Despite not being at full strength, the Big Reds showed their depth and determination.
Morgan Metz dominated the distance events, winning both the 1600 meters (5:22.27) and 3200 meters (11:23.67). Nevaeh Ross added another win with her personal best in the 300 hurdles (47.72).
PHS outpaced Musselman to take home the top team honors, with key contributions from Bella Bowman (second in discus), Thea Bordeaux (third in the 400), and a slew of strong relay performances.
Coach Lia Fleek praised the team’s effort, noting the many personal bests and the importance of finding the right fit for relay squads as the season progresses.
Other notable efforts included a second-place 4×400-meter relay, a strong showing in the 4×800-meter relay, and standout performances from athletes like Ashlyn Morris, Chloe Gribble, Katie Rutherford, and Olivia Carpenter.
It was a weekend full of broken records, personal bests, and championship moments for the Parkersburg High School track teams, setting the stage for an exciting rest of the season.
