After finishing second at the Friends of Coal Relays at Laidley Field in Charleston on April 28, Jefferson’s boys track and field team has shown to be without many points in the shot put, discus, high jump, either of the hurdles events or the longer distances.

If enough points to contend for a Regional or State championship can be located, they seem to be forthcoming in most of the point-heavy relay events.

The Cougars might do well in the 4×200 relay where sprinters Antoine Lewis, Trent Smith, Lydian Jannotta, Trevon Smith and Jefferey Gaskins could join together in some foursome to win at the Regional level.

Jefferson’s other sprinters (100, 200 and 400) include Nick Mazaleski, Trent Shelton and Richard Ramseier. It was Mazaleski who won the 400-meter sprint at the Friends of Coal Relays.

Points should come in the 4×100 and 4×400 relays at the Regional meet.

Jefferson’s long distance runners are Colin Hayes, Tyler Greer and Mason Young. Finding points in the 1,600 run and the 4×400 relay will have to come from improved efforts on what has happened so far this season. The middle distance runners include Delman Hagedorn and Nick Whitehair. Hagedorn could supply points in the 800 meters.

The best Jefferson hurdlers have been Paul Breeden (only a freshman), Tim Spatako, Corey Anderson and Robert Gianning.

Anderson and Nicholas Roush have accomplished more than other teammates in the pole vault.

If Gaskins doesn’t get at least six or eight points in the long jump, then Jefferson won’t be a constant factor at the State Meet.

LaBarr Jones and Jannotta have been entered in the long jump. The weight events don’t appear to be where any of the Cougars will boost the team’s point total.

Freshman Jevon Long, Alston Liu and Justice Sullivan have been those entered in the shot put with sophomore Jack Ransom and Francis Diaz giving the Cougars the team’s best efforts in the discus.

The relay events – any distance- appear to be Jefferson’s best chance at piling up points. Mazaleski in the 400 meter sprint seems to have the best chance to command 10 points for a win in any individual event.

Cabell Midland and Hurricane have been state’s best Class AAA teams throughout late March and April in 2017. Relays are worth more in point values than any of the individual events. And Jefferson needs to monopolize as many relays as it can.