Pole Vault

PREP TRACK & FIELD CLARKSBURG, Md. --South Hagerstown won three titles at the Maryland Class 3A West championships, which concluded Thursday at Clarksburg High School. La'Kesa McClain won the girls discus with a throw of 125 feet, 11 inches, Dylan Burkett won the boys shot put (47-3) and Sam Johnson won the boys triple jump (43-1 1/2). The South boys finished fourth out of 12 teams, while the girls were eighth. The top four finishers in each event automatically qualified for next week's state meet.

PREP TRACK & FIELD Mercersburg at Journal Invite MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Mercersburg Academy's girls team came up with three second-place finishes on Saturday at Martinsburg High School. Abby Colby took second in the 1,600 (5:34:1), Mackenzie Riford was second in the 3,200 (12:20) and Paige Summers was second in the discus (98-10). Sarah Kolanowski was third in the high jump (4-8) and Ashley Heisey placed fourth in the pole vault (8-0) for the Blue Storm.

HAGERSTOWN -- "I refuse to lose," Renee Phillips said. "I like winning. " The senior's attitude seems to be contagious among her fellow members of the North Hagerstown girls track and field team. The host Hubs scored 148 points to easily defend their title Saturday at the 17th annual Chuck Zonis Invitational. Carlisle finished second in the 10-team field with 99 points. Phillips helped lead the way, winning both the 100 (12.88 seconds) and 200 (26.11) and anchoring the 4x100 (50.79)

SMITHSBURG -- If there was no limit to the number of events in which an athlete could compete in a track and field meet, the sky might be the limit for the Boonsboro boys team. But even with the four-event maximum, the Coby Gussio-led Warriors are still pretty good. Gussio, a multitalented junior, won both the 100-meter dash (11.07 seconds) and long jump (21 feet, 1/4 inch) at the annual Heurich Invitational on Saturday. He also joined the exclusive sub-50 club with his second-place finish in the 400 (49.51)

PREP FOOTBALL CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Martinsburg junior Kam Puller was the only local player named to the West Virginia Class AAA All-State first team. He was selected as a punter. The All-State selections were released Saturday by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association. Martinsburg also had the area's only two second-team selections -- senior offensive lineman Jordan Domenico and junior defensive lineman Darren Arndt. Martinsburg's Brandon Bishop and David Hammond, Musselman's Brandon Michael and Washington's Dylan Nick earned Special Mention honors.

At last season's Washington County Indoor Track Championships, Williamsport came from behind to edge North Hagerstown 161-159 for its seventh straight girls team title. "I have high hopes that we'll be better than second this year," said first-year North head coach Brian Myers, who took over for Sarina Hamilton. The Hubs have reason to dream big. With nearly all of their top performers back from last season, they clearly look like the team to beat in the county this winter.

First Team Cayla Broadwater, Sr., Williamsport -- Jumps Tracey Forsythe, Sr., Williamsport -- Distance Whitney Garvin, Sr., North Hagerstown -- Jumps Alison Harrell, Jr., North Hagerstown -- Distance Jonelle Jerwick, So., Smithsburg -- Pole vault Morgan Keplinger, Sr., Williamsport -- Middle distance Jordie Lord, Sr., Williamsport -- Throws La'Kesa McClain, Jr., South Hagerstown -- Throws Renee...

PREP TRACK & FIELD CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Hedgesville's boys and Jefferson's girls teams swept the Class AAA team titles for the Eastern Panhandle at the West Virginia state championships on Saturday. Hedgesville's boys scored 92 points, easily beating Jefferson, which finished second with 68 points. Martinsburg tied for 11th and Washington finished in a three-way tie for 26th. Jordan Reed won the 100 (11.36 seconds) and 200 (21.98) to lead the way for the Eagles.

WESTMINSTER, Md. -- A total of 15 individual athletes and five relay teams from North Hagerstown and South Hagerstown qualified for next weekend's Maryland state track and field meet during the final day of the Class 2A West championships at Winters Mill High School on Saturday. But the day belonged to North junior Katie Ritter. Ritter won the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes -- every individual event she entered -- while also helping the 4x100 relay team to a second-place finish.

PREP TRACK & FIELD SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- Chambersburg placed third in the boys team standings and sixth in the girls out of roughly 50 schools at the PIAA District 3 Class AAA Championships on Saturday. The top eight in each event were placewinners. For the Chambersburg boys, ConRoy Smith was second in the 200 (22.58), Tyson Keith was third in the 200 (22.88), Kavon Bailey was third in the triple jump (45-2 1/4), David Eubanks was fifth in the 800 (1:57.43) and Caleb Hussack was fifth in the high jump (6-2)