BLACKSVILLE — It’s quite amazing what one track can do.
Before Clay-Battelle built proper track and field facilities, it wasn’t uncommon to see athletes practicing in the parking lot outside of the high school. According to Cee-Bees girls’ coach Ted Cline, things are a bit different these days.
“Our track has really helped us a lot,” he said. “We have one of the nicest complexes in the state, and that really makes a difference.”
Recently, the Cee-Bees have seen more and more girls advance to the WVSSAC Class A championships each season, with Hannah Carreon earning high point honors in 2016. With a deep and balanced roster that has begun to experience state championship caliber competition, Cline is excited for the possibilities this spring.
“I’m expecting a lot this year. I’d say 90 percent of our team have been to the state meet, and they know the pressure behind that,” Cline said. “The kids have been doing a tremendous job, and I think they have what it takes.”
Expect for the charge to be led by senior captains Kaitlyn Tennant, who advanced to the Class A state meet last spring in shot put, and Haley Barr, who is a three-time state qualifier in the 3200 meter run.
“My expectations for the team are high,” Barr said. “We have great runners, the relays are looking strong, and we have experienced girls in the field events.”
Barr is on the hunt for one final go-round at the state meet and is excited to see how her team expands on its recent success.
“It means a lot to be a part of this team because we have a lot of athletes that aren’t afraid of putting in extra work,” she said. “It’s a fun group to be a part of.”
The seniors will be joined by a pair of juniors who nearly grasped individual state championships last spring. Addison Ammons earned runner-up honors in pole vault and is ranked first in the state this season.
“She’s been taking lessons with coach Sam Hench at WVU, and he’s really made a good vaulter out of her,” Cline said of Ammons.
Hailey Carreon is also chasing gold after a fifth-place finish in the 100 meter hurdles at state last year, and returns ranked first in the state.
Ammons and Carreon join sophomores McKenna Kirbi and Shannon Statler on a shuttle hurdle squad that nabbed fifth place in the state last time out.
BOYS
If seniors Gunner Brummage and Logan Forquer don’t feel like they got a good enough workout, they’re prone to letting their coaches hear about it.
“They give us grief all the time about not working them hard enough,” Cline said.
Brummage, a three-time state qualifier and 2017 Class A runner-up in high jump, and Forquer, who nabbed fifth in the 400 meter run in 2016, look to pace a team that grabbed a 10th-place overall finish in the state last spring, and have seen quite a turnaround in numbers.
“We’re working the middle school and high school, and we’re trying to get those kids young. We work hard on trying to get them out,” boys’ coach Eric Ammons said. “Those kids see us every day and know us, and we’re getting those numbers up. We’re hoping for a top-five state finish.”
Brummage and Forquer are joined by junior Nathan Swaniger, who finished fourth at the 2017 state meet in both the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes.
The three will also lead 4×100 and 4×200 relay squads that finished eighth and sixth in the state, respectively, last spring. They will be joined be newcomer Seth Casino.
“We’re hoping for both teams to place in the top three this time,” Ammons said.
Heading up the team in the throws will be senior Benji Steele, who made an appearance at the 2016 state meet, and is expected to contend for a spot in the top eight in discus — the top six placers from last year graduated.
