Photo by Josh Hughes Williamstown’s Ava Lightfritz, left, runs in a relay race during the Fenton Relays earlier this season.

PARKERSBURG — From the looks of Mother Nature, there’s a good chance of precipitation for today’s annual Little Kanawha Conference track and field championships set for a 4 p.m. start with the field events inside Doddridge County’s Cline Stansberry Stadium.

“Bring rain gear is all I’m thinking about,” quipped Williamstown head girls coach Zach Hall, whose program is heavily favored to capture its fourth consecutive LKC crown.

The Yellowjacket girls enter the meet with the fastest times in Class A for the 4×1, 4×2, 4×4 and 4×8. The freshman duo of Shelby Smith (400) and Alyssa Sauro (800, 1600, 3200) also have the quickest times in their respective events in single-A this spring.

A year after amassing 38 points at the LKC, Ritchie County senior Olivia Cress will be out for a perfect score. She has the best efforts in the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, the high jump and the long jump.

St. Marys speedster Erica Davis has the best times in the Mountain State for both the 100 and 200. Bulldog Abby McDonough and Yellowjacket Madelyn Anderson are the only Class A pole vaulters to have cleared 9 feet, 6 inches. Also, South Harrison thrower Shellie Baughman has the top heaves in the state for both the shot put and discus.

Ritchie County senior Gus Morrison won all four of his events last year at the LKC and will attempt to repeat that feat. The Rebel boasts the best times in the 110 high hurdles, 300 intermediate hurdles as well as the long jump and the 400.

“I’ve come to the conclusion now you can do the forecast for the rain on when we have track meets because if we have a track meet it’s raining,” said Rebel boys head man Rick Haught, whose squad is ranked No. 1 in Class A by runwv.com, but was bested by second ranked Doddridge County, 128.5 to 104, at least week’s Tudor’s Biscuit World Invitational in Charleston.

“We got to Charleston and here in Ritchie County it was a nice day all day. It was pathetic down there. Cold and damp the whole time. Our kids have been pretty good about not really complaining. I feel bad for them. It’s just miserable conditions. Weather has been so bad. It was cold forever and now it turned rainy. It’s been nice to have that meet tonight.”

The Rebels, who have the top times in the 4×4, 4×8 and the shuttles, also boast the top pole vault effort this spring thanks to Kodi Camp clearing 12 feet, 6 inches.

“We’re not 100 percent healthy and to a certain extent we are resting people a little bit,” coach Haught added prior to Thursday’s practice. “It’s nothing bad. It’s just leg issues where a kid’s legs are hurting a little bit and we are trying to be careful with them so it doesn’t get bad. That kind of stuff. I think we are OK.

“We’re excited for the meet. There have not been many meets this year where Doddridge and I haven’t been in the same place. He got us by about 20 points down at Charleston and I thought his kids handled the weather conditions better than ours did. The LKC is always competitive. I think it will be a dandy and we are looking forward to it.”

Doddridge County head coach Bobby Burnside’s boys are looking to repeat after topping the Rebels last year, 179-149.

“What we want to do is go there and try to keep improving with our performances. That’s really what we are trying to gear toward,” said the coach, who was watched Leo Stinespring put up the fastest times in single-A for both the 100 and 200, just ahead of St. Marys’ Josh Roush. “It’s a very competitive meet with some of the best athletes in the state in different events. It’s going to be fun.

“Our schools have kind of battled with each other. I would say they are the favorite. Both teams beat each other throughout the season. Williamstown, St. Marys and Roane have a lot of very good pieces as well. I look for it to be a very competitive meet. We’re pretty healthy. It’s getting down to the last couple of meets and everybody is trying to make their final decision on some relays and things.”

Williamstown’s Zach Cannon has posted the top Class A effort this spring in the 3200. Webster County’s Peyton Amos is tied for the best high jump (6-0) mark in Class A, while Wahama’s Rowen Gerlach has the top shot put effort.

Running events are slated to begin at 5 p.m. and fans can follow live results at https://ncwvtf.com.

Also of note, DCHS has paid the fee for the National Federation of State High School Associations so anyone wishing to watch the event online can do so by going to https://www.nfhsnetwork.com and creating a free account.

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

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