CHARLESTON – Hedgesville High and Morgantown High schools were crowned the boy’s and girl’s state champions at last week’s annual track and field meet held at Laidley Field in Charleston. Hedgesville ran away from the boy’s team field, winning by 38 points while Morgantown edged runner-up Ripley by just two points, 82-80.

Jefferson finished eighth in the girl’s division, 24 points, and ninth, 20 points, in the boy’s division.

Hedgesville was the fifth different state champion in the past five years – Cabell Midland in 2016, Martinsburg in 2015, Parkersburg in 2014 and Jefferson in 2013.

In the girl’s division, Jefferson had a second place, eight points, in the 4×200 relay with Jillian Andrews, Michaela Ashford, Kaiella Smith and Aisha Grant as its runners. In individual events, Lily Simmons placed second, eight points, in the pole vault and Jillian Andrews was second, eight points, in the long jump.

Jefferson’s best showings in the boy’s division came from the 4×100 relay unit, which finished third with runners Nick Mazaleski, Ian Beverly, Jefferey Gaskins and Trevon Smith and the 4×200 relay team – also third – with sprinters Mazaleski, Gaskins, Beverly and Smith.

Mazaleski was fourth in the 400-meter sprint.