Breaking News
Local Sports

Big Reds’ Delaney Snodgrass captures state title

By Kerry Patrick 5 min read

MORGANTOWN - One state champion in the books. Several others, so close.

On the first of two days at West Virginia High School State Swim Meet, Parkersburg freshman Delaney Snodgrass broke her coach's lifetime best she turned in as a freshman at state and won a state championship Thursday evening in the 200 freestyle.

Between Parkersburg, Parkersburg South and Doddridge County, a total of six individuals plus four relays qualified for the 'A' finals and placed in the Top 6.

"I wanted to get this championship for my team," Snodgrass said. "Coach (Emily Martin) told me I have trained harder and done all the work, and that I can do it. She said I just needed to race my race, and to also beat her best time."

Snodgrass turned in a winning time of 1:55.55, nearly 2 ½ seconds faster than runner-up Amelia Romano from Bridgeport.

"This evening, I controlled the first 50 and kept it like that until the final 25," Snodgrass said. "Then I started to pick it up and give it all I had until the very last."

Sophomore Camryn McLain turned in perhaps the race of the year for the Parkersburg South swim program. She was seeded with the fifth fastest time in the 200 IM entering the prelims on Thursday morning.

McLain advanced to the 'A' finals as the No. 4 seed. Her final 25 had her coach Ryan Radcliff displaying his best effort of a vertical as McLain touched with the second fastest time of 2:19.74.

Claire Ciemania from Fairmont Senior hit the wall first in 2:11.69.

"I was not expecting this," McLain said. "I just didn't know how much I actually had in me there at the end. So whenever I did it, it meant so much."

McLain's training at the outset of the regular season was hindered by a knee injury she suffered as a member of the South girls soccer team which competed in the state finals.

"So I was a little behind - it was a pretty big step back," McLain said, "I was swimming a little bit once or twice a week. Swimming as much as I could — I got right back in the pool.

"This has been one of my favorite years, other than missing (South grad Jordan Claypoole). My leadership ability - Jordan taught me everything. I miss her a lot."

More amazing things were turned in by another sophomore - Doddridge Couty's Isabella McGrady, who set a lifetime best of 59.63 while placing second in the 100 butterfly. McGrady, who placed fifth in the event as a freshman, had never broken the minute barrier.

Her mother, who is also her coach, didn't exactly sit still in the stands as the race progressed.

"A lot of people were saying they've never seen her move that fast," McGrady said. "She always gets excited anyway. I looked up and she was jumping up and down."

A bout with pneumonia curtailed the early portion of McGrady's season to the point where she had trouble swimming a 25 butterfly. She credits her mother for getting back on the road to recovery and putting her in a position where she could possibly qualify for two 'A' finals when she competes in the 100 breaststroke.

"It was a rough year for me at the beginning of the season," McGrady said. "I was suffering and I really didn't think I was going to get back to where I was last year.

"I just worked really hard. The adrenaline and my drive is what got me here."

On the boys side, Parkersburg freshman Levi Moore (200 individual medley) and Parkersburg South senior Quade Harris (100 butterfly) both placed third in their respective events.

"I get to do this with my best friends, and I'm just glad I have this opportunity," said Morr, who joined in male and female teammates in wearing their PHS hockey jerseys designed just for the state meet. He finished his 'A' finals in a time of 2:00.72.

"I was a little bummed out I didn't break two minutes, but at the same time third place at states is third place so I am really happy with that."

Morr is seeded No. 1 for Friday's 500 freestyle by nearly a 17-second margin, so an individual title is there for the taking.

Harris, meanwhile, fell just a tenth shy of breaking his own school record in the fly (51.94). He has another opportunity in an individual event with the 100 backstroke on Friday.

"I was real close to breaking the record," Harris said. "But I've dropped a lot of time and I've only trained for the butterfly for the last two weeks of the season. So all things considered, it was an amazing time."

Parkersburg's 200 medley relay placed second, while South followed in third place. Big Reds' Adelaide Vann was quite busy on Thursday - swimming in three events, including the 100 free where she finished fourth (58:01).

"Prelims are definitely more scary, but I told myself tonight to just have fun with it," Vann said. "I'm doing a sport that I love."

Coach Martin basically etched that same message throughout the PHS team camp.

"Tonight, our mantra was no pressure - have fun," Martin said. "The more pressure you put on scoring points, the less fun it is for the kids. So literally, the message going into tonight was do you best and have fun. And it really paid off."

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com

Starting at /week.