Jefferson teams stand out in Bridgeport

Jefferson High School's track and field team will be ending the season at the state meets on Laidley Field in Charleston. Courtesy photo
BRIDGEPORT — Jefferson High School’s boys track and field team posted wins in 10 events, to swamp the remainder of the competition by nearly 100 points in winning last weekend’s Harry Green Invitational at Bridgeport. The Cougar girls amassed 167 points to drown the field where Preston County was the runner-up with 82 points.
Again signaling their intent on mastering the boys and girls fields at the Class AAA state meet in Charleston, the pair of Jefferson teams grabbed points in sprints, middle distances, hurdles, distances and a variety of field events.
The Jefferson girls are the defending big-school state champions from 2021.
With Keyshawn Robinson (11.06), Caleb Shelton and Tay’Shaun Roper finishing first, second and fourth in the 100-meter dash, the Cougars were off on a points-counting afternoon.
Robinson also won the 200 meters with his time of 22.23, where Isaiah Fritts placed third. Justin Gottlieb won the last of the sprints when he posted a time of 50.07 in the 400 meters.
Conner Myers scored well on the afternoon with his second places in both the 1,600 and 3,200 distance races. Christian Gottlieb was third in the 800-meter distance event.
Chase Brown opened more eyes around the state when he recorded a time of 41.92 in winning the 300 hurdles. Jefferson’s sprint relays had wins in both the 4×100 and 4×200. Shelton, Fritts, Chase Winbush and Robinson formed the winning foursome in the 4×100 and Shelton, Robinson, Roper and Fritts did the honors in the 4×200.
In the shuttle hurdles, Jefferson outdistanced the field with Winbush, Brown, Jared Wilberger and Antonio Hidalgo teaming for the win.
Jullian Matthews heaved the discus just over 144-feet to win that weight event. He was third in the shot put to reap additional team points.
Carter Naiman bested the pole vault group with a vault of 10-feet. Chase Brown added a first place in the high jump with his spring’s best 6-feet four-inches.
The Jefferson girls sprinted out to an early team lead and only increased their margin as the day moved into the afternoon.
Trinity Blue posted a first-place time of 12.72 in edging teammate Arayia Maiben (13.02) in the 100. Lorelei Bangit was best in the 200 with her premier time of 25.94 as she finished ahead of runner-up Blue (26.66).
The 100-meter hurdles went to Briauna Goins in 16.14 with Hope Gestl (16.92) finishing third. T’Asya Jay posted a win in the 300 hurdles with her time of 49.77, just enough to outlast second-place Gestl, whose time was 49.85.
Jefferson won both the 4×100 and the 4×200 relays.
Maiben, Bangit, Blue and Myah Powell-Utley teamed to be the winning foursome in the 4×100 with a time of 50.25 and Maiben, Blue, Bangit and Jayla Kidrick stopped the timer in 1:48.99 to win the 4×200.
In the longest of the distance races, Addie LaBombard placed second. Goins also had a second place in the shot put and Helena Radford finished second in the discus. The 4×400 relay unit of Sylvia Trevathan, Jade Matthews, Powell-Utley and Kidrick teamed for a third-place finish in that relay. Jasmine Matthews grabbed a third place in the discus throw.
Jefferson’s team still have The Journal Invitational and then the Class AAA, Region 2 meets as important events, before ending the season at Laidley Field in Charleston at the state meets.