Parkersburg's Katie Rutherford, right, runs alongside John Marshall's Kalyn Reese and Big Red teammate Morgan Metz during Friday's 1600 at the Kim Nutter Invitational. Reese, Metz and Rutherford had a 3-4-5 finish. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

PARKERSBURG — The Mountain State Athletic Conference reigned supreme here Friday night at Stadium Field during the Kim Nutter Invitational as host Parkersburg finished runner-up in both the boys (140-130) and girls (146-116) team races to champion Huntington.

Big Red Landen Deuley sped to victory in the 400 with a new meet record clocking of 50.36 to break the previous mark of 50.40 held by Buckhannon-Upshur’s Andrew Carrier since 2007.

Hurricane’s Jai’Den Smith earned high-point honors (30.5) for the boys on the strength of his wins in the 110 hurdles over Parkersburg South runner-up Jordan Foster (15.24-15.77) and in the long jump over Highlander Avonte Crawford (21-5 to 20-8) while also taking runner-up honors in the 300 hurdles to Huntington’s Carter Geveke (40.64-40.79).

Tyler Consolidated’s Amos Kimble, who was third in the 1600 behind Big Red Walker Jones (4:28.74) and Elkins champion Trevor George (4:26.88), etched his name into the record books after finishing the 3200 in 9 minutes and 33 seconds flat. Connor George of PHS was runner-up with a 9:37.87, which also topped the old record of 9:40 established back in 2005 by Preston’s Eric Ryan.

Deuley ran a 23.46 in the 200, but it was only good enough for second behind Wahama’s Connor Lambert, whose 22.43 clocking tied the meet record that Big Red Chandler Hamilton set back in 2014 via hand time. Lambert topped Keagan Sack of HHS, 10.87 to 11.39, to win the 100.

Parkersburg South's Kayden Marshall placed third in the high jump at Friday's Kim Nutter Invitational held at Parkersburg's Stadium Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

The senior standout was far from finished as he ran a leg on the White Falcons’ record-breaking 4×1 team that also included Cooper Roush, Trace Simpkins and Reezin Stitt. The quartet had a time of 44.21, which was just fast enough to break the 44.50 set last year by Parkersburg South’s Chase Anderson, Triston Walker, Anthony Ott and Landon Meredith.

Only one other boys record fell by the wayside and that came from Elkins with George running the anchor in the 4×8 along with teammates Josh Bodkins, Gavin Brown and Bobby Valentine en route to an 8:28.73 effort. Parkersburg South’s Josh McMurray, Doug Teter, Brian Floyd and Shawn Coe had held the record of 8:35.07 since 2006.

Huntington’s Siraye Harper, who won high-point honors with 30, not only broke meet records in the 100 and 200, but she also won the long jump (16-5.5).

Back in 2021, Akron Buchtel’s Nevaeh Lewis ran a 12.70 in the 100 and a 26.46 in the 200, but Harper clocked in at 12.59 and 26.29, respectively.

Huntington’s Mallori Dunn-Martin joined the new record parade in the 300 hurdles after speeding to victory in 45.77, which snapped the old record of 46.24 held since 2013 by Doddridge County’s D’Andra Swiger.

Parkersburg's Walker Jones, front, finished runner-up in the 1600 while Big Red teammate Ricardo Salazar was fourth and Huntington's Alex Irby fifth at Friday night's Kim Nutter Invitational. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

To top it off, Dunn-Martin, Milleah Johnson, Tamara Hamliin and Leilani Bounds had just enough to set a new mark of 1:06.10 in the shuttles, which erased the 1:06.61 set in 2023 by Big Reds Daysha Hastings, Katie Rutherford, Lily Wharton and Addison Gherke).

Rutherford won the 800 with a time of 2:29.19 as she led a 1-2-3 red and white finish with Ellie Hines (2:30.41) and Calli Angelos (2:30.88) just off the pace.

Johnson had Huntington’s other individual win for the girls thanks to a 15.16 showing in the 100 hurdles. The Highlanders won the 4×2 with a 1:51.61 effort via Colette Dickerson, Briley Gilliland, Tamara Hamlin and Quincey Mullins.

Parkersburg’s girls also got 10 points in the 4×8 thanks to a winning time of 10:09.73 from Angelos, Hines, Olivia Carpenter and Audrey Wagoner.

St. Marys freshman Laney Watkins was the champion in the 400 after running a 1:00.35 and she also ran a leg on the victorious 4×4 (4:22.09) with teammates Avry Bennett, Natalie Bartrug and Anna Bennett.

St. Marys freshman Laney Watkins crossed the finish line in first place during the 400 at Friday night's Kim Nutter Invitational held inside Parkersburg's Stadium Field. (Photo by Jay W. Bennett)

Kimble wasn’t the only Silver Knight to win an event as Tyler Consolidated’s Kate Grimm was the first to clear 4 feet, 9 inches, which earned her the high jump crown.

The other girls who captured individual events were Elkins’ Emily Tenney (1600, 5:18.06), Hurricane’s Ella Hardin (3200, 11:23.72), Winfield’s Abbie McGhee (pole vault, 8-6) and John Marshall double-winner Paislee Babizcuk (discus, 118-5; shot put, 37-1.5). The Monarch girls also won the 4×1 (Wyra Pratt, Rylee McKinley, Abigail Morgan, Sarah Hess; 53.37).

The Big Red Deuley had the anchor leg on the winning 4×4 (3:30.80) unit with teammates AJ Payne, Christian Rutherford and Jones.

Also earning 10 points for their respective teams in individual events for the boys were Hurricane’s Mason Lewis (800, 2:01.11), Huntington’s Peyton Scheidler (high jump, 5-11), Redskin Ethan Chill (shot put, 53-7.5) along with Point Pleasant teammates Cohen McDaniels (pole vault, 12-0) and Caden Hill (discus, 157-10).

In the 4×2 boys, John Marshall’s Cannon Goddard, Owen Anderson-Magers, Carter Adkins and Xavier Wells won with a time of 1:34.63, while Hurricane’s Smith, Max Tidd, Zach Turner and Sean Legros posted a 1:00.07 to capture the shuttles.

Also earning points for their respective teams from the Mid-Ohio Valley were Parkersburg’s Javel Chandler (2nd, high jump, 5-9), Connor Petty (6th, 100, 11.68), Jones (2nd, 800, 2:02.07),

Christian Rutherford (3rd, 800, 2:03.59), Lucas Jenkins (5th, 800, 2:06.65), Jackson Wharton (4th, 200, 23.52; 3rd, 400, 51.68), Ricardo Salazar (4th, 1600, 4:35.50), Jay Bowling (4th, 300H, 42.32), Payne (5th, 400, 52.65), Rogan Mincks (4th, long jump, 18-11.5), Ethan Dela Cruz (5th, long jump, 18-9.25), Alex Greer (8th, pole vault, 10-0), John Ash (3rd, discus, 138-11; 6th, shot put, 41-1), Andrew Shafer (6th, discus, 122-7) and Drey Grinter (8th, shot put, 38-0); Parkersburg South’s Kayden Marshall (3rd, high jump, 5-9), Jesse Morris (8th, 800, 2:12.58), Josh Gill (6th, 1600, 4:39.41) and Josh Swiger (T7th, high jump, 5-5); St. Marys’ Parker Barnes (4th, 3200, 10:27.29); Tyler Consolidated’s Travis Moore (7th, 1600, 4:39.97; 5th, 3200, 10:41.28) and Branson Winfrey (7th, pole vault, 10-6); Wahama’s Stitt (8th, 100, 11.77; 8th, 200, 24.25; 3rd, long jump, 19-8), Simpkins (7th, long jump, 18-1) Nate Harris (6th, pole vault, 10-6) and Roush (8th, high jump, 5-5).

Area girls who also scored included St. Marys’ Watkins (3rd, 100, 12.89; 5th, 200, 27.01)

Anna Bennett (8th, 1600, 5:49.02), Avry Bennett (8th, pole vault, 7-0) and McKenzie Armstrong (5th, discus, 95-2); Tyler Consolidated’s Grimm (6th, 100, 13.35; 7th, 200, 27.85), Andi Fiber (7th, 100, 13.38; 8th, 400, 1:05.11), Lily Dillaman (6th, 100H, 17.64; 5th, 300H, 52.01)

Bridget Doak (8th, 100H, 17.95), Addison Blosser (3rd, long jump, 15-3.5), Sloane Wall (4th, long jump, 14-11.75), and Jayden Anderson (7th, high jump, 4-5); Big Reds Thea Bordeaux Nevaeh Ross (2nd, 300H, 49.55), (6th, 400, 1:04.82), Morgan Metz (4th, 1600, 5:26.77; 2nd, 3200, 12:08.55), Rutherford (5th, 1600, 5:30.87), Wagoner (3rd, 3200, 12:12.99), Bella Bowman (3rd, discus, 102-0), Sophia Corbin (5th, shot put, 29-4), Karma Hedges (6th, shot put, 28-7.5)

Makayla House (7th, pole vault, 7-0), TC Allen (6th, long jump, 14-6.75), Ava Sayre (8th, high jump, 4-5; 7th, long jump, 13-8.5) and Peyton Louden (8th, discus, 91-4;34d, shot put, 23-10);

Parkersburg South’s Lexi McKinney (6th, 800, 2:34.61), Addi White (4th, 100H, 17.32; 3rd, 300H, 49.97), Kylie Tallman (7th, 100H, 17.82; 7th, 300H, 52.34), Morgan Stewart (8th, shot put, 28-1) and Isabella Stephens (7th, discus, 91-5) as well as Wahama’s Adyson VanMeter (8th, 300H, 52.46) and Aly Barnitz (8th, long jump, 13-7.5).

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com