HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY CLASS AAA GIRLS STATE TOURNAMENT: Trippett’s wait-and-see repeat

Circumstance to dictate Big Reds’ championship attempt Saturday

PARKERSBURG -- When the gun sounds for the start of the Class AAA state cross country meet at 10 a.m. Saturday on the campus of Cabell Midland High School, the experiences and feelings for Parkersburg High senior Madison Trippett will immediately differ from her previous three trips to Ona.

Up until that very moment, the goal had been crystal clear for everyone in the field – beat Ripley's Tori Starcher if you desire an individual state championship.

But when the metal bang reverberates off the eardrums of the state qualifiers and echoes around the Knights' football stadium, there will be a new target, a Big Red target.

The mark on the senior Trippett's back will stand out as prominently as the P on the front of her shirt.

Everyone wants what she has – her state champion's crown. Knowledge she took in stride during an interview Monday afternoon at Parkersburg High School.

"I mean I guess it is a good thing, but it is also intimidating knowing everyone is coming for me, but it will be an exciting race," she said talking about her status.

Realistically only eleven of those competing are truly in the mix. Spectators could easily label the battle for the top spot: Region I vs. Madison Trippett.

What else would you call the individuals who finished so far ahead of the rest of the state in regional times? All runners clocked in with sub-20 minute runs as Morgantown's Lea Hatcher produced the top time in the state during her 17:32.31 completion of the course laid out around University High School.

Just how good is the field? John Marshall's Zara Zervos, who claimed all-state honors with a ninth place finish one season ago, finished 28th in the Region I final.

Parkersburg High coach Larry Games didn't scoff at the times after the results came in Wednesday.

"Those times are legitimate," said Parkersburg High head coach Larry Games.

Two injuries serve to make the gap even smaller.

One young lady who won't be competing is Starcher. The Viking has raced with a stress fracture the past few months. Preparations for track season are reportedly underway for her before her 2020 fall semester at the University of Notre Dame.

Where Starcher raced earlier in the year, Trippett missed time and Saturday's race will be just her third of the season.

The Big Red doesn't believe she is in shape to win.

She doesn't plan to overly exert herself to repeat as state champion. The victory would be more of a surprise before she runs for NCAA Division I Richmond next fall. Morgantown and University runners hoping to breeze to the top time better guess again though.

Returning for one more state tournament was always the goal for Trippett. The question of whether or not it was going to happen was finally answered earlier this month. She could have easily prepared for track and field season or her first year with the Spiders, but the lure of her fourth straight all-state team was too strong.

"I want to put my best effort forth," she said. "The field is so good this year and I hope to have a good race and do the best I can."

There are pluses however to being a three-year participant in the final race. Trippett knows the course and can get a feel where the race is about to open up and where she can hit her spots.

"It is definitely an advantage to know where the race is going to take off," she said.

The only action left to her now is to run.