WILLIAMSTOWN - Since false starting in the 100-meter dash at last year's regional meet, Williamstown's Andrea Chidester has returned with a vengeance.
The sophomore is seeded with the fastest time in three individual events and the 4 by 100 relay at the Class A state track meet beginning today at Laidley Field in Charleston.
"I'm really excited to try and get high point honors," Chidester said.
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Photo by Jeff Baughan
Williamstown’s Shealee Mossor leads the pack during a relay race. The Yellowjackets will be one of the favorites in the Class A girls track meet.
The outlook is promising for a Williamstown girls track program seeking to defend its state title. In addition to Chidester in the 100, 200 and 400, the Yellowjackets are seeded first in four of the five relays. Junior Lincoln Postlewaite is favored to defend her state title in the pole vault after establishing a school record height of 11 feet, 1 inch at last week's regional in Charleston.
"I had not done a personal record until then," Postlewaite admitted. "I had a little bit of a slump at the beginning of the year and got out of it. I got on a bigger pole, so everything went smoothly and I was feeling good that day."
Both Postlewaite and Chidester will challenge for high point honors. If everything goes according plan, their individual total could reach as many as 32.5 points. In addition to owning the fastest regional time as a member of the shuttle hurdle relay, Postlewaite is seeded second in the 100 hurdles and fifth in an extremely competitive long jump event.
Also figured to contend for gold medals from Williamstown are Hunter House and Courtney Taylor in the shot put, Liz Flowers in the pole vault, Madelin Gardner in the 400 and Megan Steele in the high jump.
Doddridge County and St. Marys figure to give Williamstown the most fits in the team standings.
"I just tell the girls not to stress or put any pressure on themselves," Williamstown second-year coach Zach Hall said. "Doddridge County and St. Marys have been to almost every meet that we've been to, and we've been able to get the job done."
Maggie Drazba will seek to repeat state titles in both the 800 and 1600, while the Blue Devils' 4 by 400 relay turned in the fastest regional time in the state. Teammate Audra Clark is looking to successfully defend her title in the discus, while senior Ali Johnson should give Swiger a competitive battle in the 300 hurdles.
Reigning boys state champion Doddridge County also is in on pace to lock down another championship. According to the top times posted in regional meets last week, the Bulldogs would medal in the top six in every event except the 800 and shot put.
Junior Daniel Plaugher will make a stab at sweeping both the 110 high hurdles and 300 intermediate hurdles, while classmate Dillon Muhly-Alexander seeks to win both the long jump and high jump. Bulldog sophomore Isaac Britton is a bona fide threat in the discus.
Doddridge's depth could prove to be too much for the likes of St. Marys, Williamstown and Buffalo. Blue Devils senior Derek Renner owns the fastest regional time in the 400 and the second-fastest in the 800, while classmate Charlie Drazba should contend in the 1600.
Williamstown's strength resides in the relays where they are seeded in the top three in all five events. Yellowjacket junior Devon Carr figures to challenge for first place in the discus.
Junior Anthony Aviles, who is seeded first in the high jump with Alexander of Doddridge County, should account for a bulk of Gilmer County's points.
