Christian Gottlieb passes the baton to his brother, Justin Gottlieb, as they helped Jefferson High School take first place in the 4 x 400 meter relay, at the EPAC championship on May 4. David Pennock

INWOOD — As the six schools gathered at Denny Price Stadium in southern Berkeley County, a significant number of people would have commented that the team results were over before they started.

The defending state champion, Jefferson High School girls track and field team, was regarded as a heavy favorite to win the six-school Eastern Panhandle Athletic Conference track and field meet. And the Jefferson High School boys were considered far and away as the best of the six teams entering in that division.

Pre-meet thinking proved to be correct. The Jefferson girls cruised to the condensed conference’s championship, totaling 200 points in outdistancing second-place Spring Mills and its 107 points. Following the Cardinals, in order, were Hedgesville, Musselman, Martinsburg and Washington.

Preparing its team to register the most points at the Class AAA, Region II Meet held just yesterday at Spring Mills, and then the subsequent State Meet next week in Charleston, the Cougars showed individual wins, that they were best in three of the five relays and they achieved a pair of firsts in the shot put and discus.

Jefferson’s depth when it chases after a second consecutive state title in Charleston will probably decide its fate there.

T'Asia Jay was instrumental in Jefferson High School taking another first at the EPAC championship, as the girls team took first in the shuttle hurdle relay, with a time of 1.07.34 at Musselman High School's Denny Price Stadium on May 4. David Pennock

In the Eastern Panhandle Athletic Conference meet, the Cougars had a number of events where they received points from multiple athletes. But they also had field events where no person could finish in the top three and point-barren events in Charleston could be costly.

Lorelei Bangit proved her state-wide reputation as a mainstay in any Jefferson run at another state title is much deserved. She won the 400 meters and helped several relays toward their victories.

Trinity Blue charged to a first in the 100 meters in 12.76 and like Bangit was a consistently useful member on winning relays. Blue placed second in the 200 meters.

Briauna Goins had the longest throw in the shot put and Helena Radford had a winning effort in the discus.

Adding their winning efforts to the always-moving Jefferson point total were Addie LaBombard (3,200 meters) and T’Asya Jay in the 300-meter hurdles.

Jefferson High School's Jared Willberger ran the third leg of the boys shuttle hurdle relay at the EPAC championship on May 4. David Pennock

Showing second places were Goins (110 meter hurdles), Hope Gestl (300 hurdles), Jasmine Matthews (discus) and the shuttle hurdles relay team.

Radford placed third in the shot put, LaBombard had “thirds” in both the 1,600 and 800 distance runs. Also placing third were Jada Kidwell in the 400 and Arayia Maiben in the 100. The 4×400 relay also had a third place.

The Jefferson boys team accumulated a staggering 221 points in topping the field of six teams. Martinsburg trailed in second place with 97 points and then came (in order) Musselman, Spring Mills, Washington and Hedgesville.

Cougar relay teams accounted for consistent wins in the 4×100, 4×200, 4×400, 4×800 and shuttle hurdles. The individual champions read down the roster in heavy numbers.

Justin Gottlieb and Keyshawn Robinson posted double wins. Gottlieb won the 400 meters in 51.47 and the 800 meters in 2:08.46. Robinson sprinted off to a first in the 100 meters in 10.85 and the 200 meters in 21.81.

Jefferson High School senior distance runner Addie LaBombard came in first place with the 3200 meter run, at 13.00.59, during the EPAC championship at Musselman High School on May 4. David Pennock

Both Gottlieb and Robinson had roles in the winning of several relays.

Conner Myers bested the field in the 1,600 meter run. Jullian Matthews was the winner of the discus competition. And Chase Brown followed his second-place in the 300 hurdles with a win in the high jump (6-feet).

Stacking points on the growing Jefferson pile with second places were Isaiah Fritts (200 meters), Christian Gottlieb (800 distance run), Jah’Lonnie Hollis (discus) and Carter Naiman (pole vault).

Carson Masaleski placed third in the pole vault while Caleb Shelton (100 meters) and Spencer Powell (200 meters) were able to garner third-place points in individual events.

By winning all five relays, Jefferson drove its burgeoning point total ever higher.

Yesterday’s Regional Meet was held in near-perfect weather and should be scanned carefully by any of the other teams believing in their own credentials regarding the State Meet in Charleston.