Four points is not a very large margin to lose any game, not in baseball, volleyball, basketball nor soccer. But for a track team, to fall by four points to another team in a major track meet, is devastating. Four points — the difference in a placement, in a time or a single distance, could have made all the difference. But it did not.

The Tyler Consolidated varsity Lady Knight track team placed second to the Lady Indians of Berkley Springs at the West Virginia State High School Track Champions held in Charleston on Friday and Saturday.

“I can only say how proud the entire coaching staff is of these kids,” said Lady Knight head track coach J.C. Kimble. “They exceeded our expectations.”

The Lady Knights turned in great performances throughout the two day meet, many times exceeding expectations, and setting new personal times and distances. All-in-all, it was an excellent meet for them, finishing second to the best team in Class AA in West Virginia.

Berkeley Springs placed first in the overall team competition with 50 points. Tyler Consolidated was the runner-up with 46 points, followed by Oak Glen with 41; Philip Barbour, 37; Weir, 35; Frankfort, 34; Poca, 34; Lincoln, 32; Keyser, 32; Wayne, 30; Ritchie County, 26; Pike View, 26; Summers County, 22; Liberty Harrison, 21; Shady Spring, 19; Magnolia, 17; Roane, 12; Point Pleasant, 11; Herbert Hoover, eight; Grafton, eight; Oak Hill, six; Independence, four; Sissonville, two; Liberty Raleigh, one; and Scott High School, one point.

The Lady Knights crowned two champions at the meet, one individual and one relay team. Sophomore Makayla Clegg brought home the girls high jump gold medal, defeating the field of competition with a 5-00 jump.

The Lady Knight 4 x 100 meter relay team of seniors Maddi Schlabowski, Jackie Clark and Rheanna Foley and freshman Hillary Casteel, took the gold medal in that event with a time of 51.44.

Clark and team mate, sophomore Haylea LeMasters both earned second place honors in the pole vault event with jumps of 8-00 and Foley earned a fourth place finish in the 200 meter dash in 27.48

Also placing in competitions individually for the Lady Knights: senior Lynsey Casteel took seventh place in the discus throw with a distance of 89-02 as well as ninth place in the shot put competition with a put of 31-01.25; LeMasters placed 10th overall in the 300 meter hurdle event with a time of 50.58; sophomore Hillary Casteel took 10th place overall in the long jump with a jump of 14-03.50; senior Carlee Morris placed 11th in the shot put with a put of 29-10.25; and Clegg placed 12th overall in the long jump with a jump of 13-07.

Lady Knight relay teams placing at the State Meet include: the girls shuttle hurdle team placing second overall in 1:07.34 (Clegg, LeMasters, Allison Wable, sophomore, and Sami Jones, junior); the girls 4×400 meter relay team placing fifth overall in 4:16.53 (freshman, Carly Fletcher; sophomore, Allison Wable; Clark and Foley, seniors); the girls 4×200 meter relay team took seventh place in 1:53.78; (Clark, Fletcher, Caroline Bantug, freshman, and Hillary Casteel); and the girls 4×800 meter relay team placed 15th overall with a time of 11:08.52; (Bantug, Logann Long, sophomore; Whitney Williams, junior; and Wable).

Tyler Consolidated’s varsity boys track team also performed very well at the state meet, placing in sixth place overall in a field of more than 25 teams.

The overall team championship went to the Magnolia Blue Eagles who earned 79 points at the meet. Ritchie County took second with 72 points, followed by Keyser with 58; Point Pleasant, 42; Liberty Harrison, 40; Tyler Consolidated in sixth place with 36 points; Oak Hill, 29; Greenbrier West, 28; Scott, 23; Philip Barbour, 21; Lincoln, 16; Webster County, 16; Sherman, 14; Shady Spring, 11; Berkeley Springs, 10; Ravenswood, nine; Weir, eight; Braxton County, eight; Bluefield, eight; Oak Glen, eight; Roane County, seven; Poca, seven; Pike View, two; Frankfort, two; Westside, two; Independence, one; and Herbert Hoover, one point.

“We’re very proud of both the girls and the boys,” said Silver Knight boys head coach, Joe Semple. “Some things didn’t go as they expected early in the meet and they met some early disappointments, but the kids battled on and persevered. They adjusted to the adversity of the whole environment there, handled every situation with grace and we came home very satisfied. It was an excellent meet for us.”

Knights gaining individual honors at the meet include sophomore Hunter LeMasters who placed second in the pole vault competition with a jump of 12-06 and fourth in the boys high jump with a height of 5-10; sophomore Alex Doak took fourth place in the 100 meter dash in 11.41 and fourth in the 200 meter dash in 23.41; senior Jordan Smith placed fourth overall in the 110 meter hurdle competition with a time of 16.67; senior Isaac Graham took fourth in the 300 meter hurdles in 42.68; senior Calvin McCune placed 14th overall in the 400 meter dash with a time of 57.49; and junior Jeremy Smith placed 15th in the 300 meter hurdle event with a time of 45.19.

The Silver Knights beat their own personal record in the shuttle hurdle competition, placing third overall in 1:01.18; (Jordan Smith, Jeremy Smith, Brandon Frey sophomore, Isaac Graham); the boys 4 x 100 meter relay team placed fifth overall in 45.80 (senior Dirk Fletcher, senior Joseph Semple, Graham and Doak); the 4 x 200 meter relay team of Grahm, Semple, McCune and Doak took ninth place with a time of 1:36.79; and the boys 4 x 400 meter relay team placed 11th in 3:50.01 ( McCune, senior Waylon Rosenlieb, Frey and senior Nate Bolin).

Paden City’s girls varsity track team also competed at the state track meet, earning several honors for their competitive efforts as well.

The Lady Yellow Jackets of Williamstown took home the first place team trophy in the girls class A competition with an overall score of 125. Charleston Catholic placed second with 77 points; St. Marys, 76.50; Doddridge County, 69; South Harrison, 36; Wheeling Central Catholic, 30; Wahama, 24; Union, 18; Tucker County, 16.50; Gilmer, 16; Madonna, 15; East Hardy, 10; Wirt County, nine; Valley Welzel, eight; Moorefield, six; Buffalo, six; Meadow Bridge, four; Williamson, four; Pendleton County, three; Paden City, two points; Richwood, two; and Bishop Donahue, one point.

Junior Taylor Parsons performed very well for the Lady Wildcats at the meet, placing sixth overall in the 100 meter hurdle event in 16.89 and 11th place in the 300 meter hurdles in 51.95.

Sophomore Logan Cosper placed 14th in the 400 meter dash in 1:08.68.

Relay teams placing for Paden City included the girls shuttle hurdle team of Lynnsie Parsons, Joni Myers, Josie Fox and Taylor Parsons finishing sixth in 1:12.57; and the 4 x 200 meter relay team placing 12th in 1:59.96 (Lynnsie Parsons, Joni Myers, Logan Cosper, and Taylor Parsons).

The West Virginia High School State Track Championships took place at Laidley Field in Charleston and was well attended by local fans supporting their respective teams.