MORGANTOWN — Just a few months ago, not many people in the West Virginia track and field community knew the name Nathan Swaniger. Since then, the rising Clay-Battelle senior has been hard to ignore.
Swaniger — currently ranked first in Class A in the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash — showed again this weekend why he’s among the state’s elite sprinters as he swept both events at the inaugural Mountaineer Showcase at Mylan Park.
“He’s doing really well right now,” Clay-Battelle boys’ coach Eric Ammons said. “He’s looking very strong.”
In a meet plagued by high winds — as well as rain during Friday’s session — Swaniger put forth a pair of impressive performances, coming within .01 seconds of the stadium record while running into a headwind in the 200 — a mark which he set earlier this month at the Morgantown Invitational.
“I kind of wanted better times, but with the weather not being the greatest, I’ll take those times,” Swaniger said.
The Showcase provided a unique opportunity for Swaniger, as well as other collegiate hopefuls. The meet was dually hosted by Morgantown High and WVU.
For Swaniger, who is uncommitted but has interest in continuing his career at the next level, it was a chance to prove his worth to college coaches in attendance – by the end of the weekend, he had attracted quite a bit of attention.
“All my high school career, I’ve just been working to be the best I can possibly be. I finally got the chance to come to a high school/college dual meet, and get a chance to finally show college coaches what I can do,” he said.
According to Ammons, the attention is well overdue. Those who have been apart of the Cee-Bees’ program in recent years have known all along how special Swaniger could be.
“He’s worked hard all year long. He was out in the winter time running in the snow. He’s gone under the radar, but people are starting to notice him,” Ammons said.
On the girls’ side for the Cee-Bees, senior Addison Ammons took first place in the 100 meter high hurdles. During the win, she recorded the third-best mark in Class A this season. It was just her second career attempt at the event.
“It was impressive. It was just the second time she’s ever done it,” Clay-Battelle girls’ head coach Ted Cline said.
“She’s very deserving. She works very hard, and she’s usually the last one to leave practice.”
Ammons’ interest in the event developed from her experience on the Cee-Bees’ defending Class A champion Shuttle Hurdle Relay. Originally, she was testing the waters to find a fourth event. Now, she may be on track to take the top prize in the state.
“She wanted to do it a couple weeks ago, but she had never done anything but the shuttles. I didn’t know if she could keep her speed,” Cline said.
“She’s one of those kids who can do anything you ask her, and she’s the type of competitor that I think she can win it all this year.”
Notable local results
Boys
4×800 meter relay: 2nd — UHS (8:38.30)
110 meter hurdles: 1st — MHS Azim Turakhonov (16.23); 2nd — MHS Cameron Johnson (16.24)
100 meter dash: 1st — C-B Nathan Swaniger (11.25); 3rd — MHS – Kirk Black (11.88)
3200 meter run: 2nd — Preston Cole Friend (9:47.64); 3rd — MHS Jackson Core (9:57.02)
Pole Vault: 2nd — MHS Landon Young (11-06); 3rd — MHS Lucas Howell (11-06)
Shot Put: 1st — UHS Tommy Sherlock (42-00); 3rd — MHS Yohann Nenehi (36-06)
400 meter dash: 3rd — MHS Nathnuel Wimer (54.09)
1600 meter run: 1st — Preston Friend (4:34.30); 3rd — UHS Rocco DeVincent (4:39.61)
4×100 meter relay: 1st — MHS (45.35)
300 meter hurdles: 1st — MHS Turakhonov (43.07); 3rd — MHS Johnson (45.30)
800 meter run: 2nd — Trey Smith-Tatham (2:02.53)
200 meter dash: 1st — C-B Swaniger (22.80); 3rd — MHS Black (23.68)
4×110 meter shuttle hurdle relays: 1st — MHS (1:02.59)
4×400 meter relay: 2nd — MHS (3:42.28)
Girls
4×800 meter relay: 1st — UHS (10:06.79); 2nd — Preston (10.:13.73); 3rd — MHS (10:35.06)
100 meter hurdles: 1st — C-B Addison Ammons (16.73); 3rd — C-B Hailey Carreon (17.31)
100 meter dash: 1st — UHS Sierra Lanham (13.22); 3rd — C-B H. Carreon (13.41)
3200 meter run: 1st — MHS Lea Hatcher (10:33.71); 2nd — UHS Caroline Kirby (11:00.46); 3rd — MHS Athena Young (11:10.12)
Pole Vault: 3rd — C-B Ammons (10-00)
Shot Put: 2nd — MHS Haley Zoladz (33-01); 3rd — MHS Kylee Gao (32-06)
Long Jump: 1st — Justice Washington (16-03); 3rd — MHS Courtney Nicasio (15-01)
400 meter dash: 2nd — Preston Chloe Stark (1:02.82); 3rd — MHS Megan Weaver (1:02.98)
1600 meter run: 1st — MHS Hatcher (4:55.41); 2nd — MHS Young (5:04.70); 3rd — UHS Kirby (5:15.58)
4×100 meter relay: 1st — MHS (50.79)
300 meter hurdles: 2nd — MHS Kelsey Riley (49.59); 3rd — Preston Erin McClelland (53.92)
800 meter run: 1st — MHS Hatcher (2:19.88); 2nd — UHS Zoe Shetty (2:21.38); 3rd — MHS Young (2:21.45)
200 meter dash: 1st — MHS Washington (27.04); 3rd — MHS Angela Ejimofor (28.29)
4×102.5 meter shuttle hurdle relay: 2nd — MHS (1:12.04)
4×400 meter relay: 1st — MHS (4:22.82)
