Parkersburg’s 4x4 relay team celebrates after winning the Class AAA state title Saturday in Charleston. Pictured from left to right are AJ Payne, Christian Rutherford, Jackson Wharton and Landen Deuley. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

CHARLESTON — For Parkersburg High’s 4×4 relay team, a state title wasn’t enough.

They had their sights set on state history.

After setting the all-time state record in the event last week, the quartet of AJ Payne, Christian Rutherford, Jackson Wharton and Landen Deuley stepped onto the biggest stage in the state Saturday and put together an unprecedented performance.

When anchor Landen Deuley crossed the finish line, the time popped up on the scoreboard.

“3:22.53.”

Parkersburg’s Landen Deuley crosses the finish line to secure the victory for the Big Reds’ 4x4 relay team during Saturday’s state track meet in Charleston. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

The Big Reds had not only captured the state crown, but shattered a 45-year-old state meet record set by Wheeling Park in 1980.

“It’s my last race with these two seniors I’ve ran with for a while,” Deuley said referring to Rutherford and Wharton, “so we’re just going in to the race with the mindset of getting the win and coming out with the state title and state record, which we did, so it feels amazing.”

A little more than a month ago, the foursome ran a 3:29 at the Russ Parsons Invitational. Earlier this month at the Mountain State Athletic Conference championships, they cut it down to 3:25.

Then at regionals last week, they had the race of their lives, clocking in at 3:21.68, an all-time West Virginia record.

“We all really started working on it at practice,” said Deuley, who earlier in the day won the state title in the 400 (49.10). “We started realizing if we really put our minds to this that we could do something special. We all had trust in each other. Jackson coming off that turn, I trusted and knew that he would get me the baton in first place. I knew we’d bring it home from there.”

Parkersburg’s Landen Deuley gets ready to take a handoff from teammate Jackson Wharton during the 4x4 relay at the state track meet Saturday in Charleston. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

Payne started things off and Rutherford was next. By the time Wharton got the baton for the third lap, PHS was neck-and-neck with Cabell Midland, the eventual runner-up at 3:25.89.

Wharton had one thing in mind when he started running — get the baton to Deuley.

“Lately, we’ve been just blowing everyone out,” Wharton said. “We knew Midland was going to have a horse at two, so I knew I’d have to do a little bit of cleanup work.”

Wharton paused and motioned toward Deuley.

“I knew I had to just give the state champion 400 runner some room to grow and he’d win it for us.”

Parkersburg’s Jackson Wharton takes a handoff from teammate Christian Rutherford during the 4x4 relay at the state track meet Saturday in Charleston. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

PHS led by one-tenth of a second when Wharton handed it off, and Deuley sealed the deal from there, running a 49.33 on the final lap.

Teamwork played a major role in the Big Reds’ success this season. The foursome spent a lot of time competing together this spring, and that chemistry was apparent on Saturday.

“I want to thank all these guys,” Rutherford said. “Been with me since day one. Got a little freshman right here, AJ. Love him to death. Ran his heart out and showed guts. Landen Deuley, always coming in clutch when we need it.”

Payne, who placed seventh in the 400 (50.75) earlier in the day, added “These three people, they’ve been here since day one. They pick each other up. If one’s down, we all come help. It’s actually great. Great teammates.”

Two words were drilled into the Big Reds’ heads by head coach Rod O’Donnell leading up to the state meet this week — relaxed confidence.

Parkersburg’s Christian Rutherford takes the baton from teammate AJ Payne during the 4x4 relay at the state track meet Saturday in Charleston. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

“Every day this week,” Payne said. “He told us ‘relaxed confidence.'”

Those words rang through the minds of Payne, Rutherford, Wharton and Deuley as they each took their turn making history Saturday.

“Coach helped us get through the season through our highs and our lows, kicking us in the butt and telling us when we needed to go,” Rutherford explained. “He told us, ‘relaxed confidence,’ and we showed it today.”

Winning the team title in triple-A was University, which bested runner-up Hurricane 95-80. Jai’Den Smith of Hurricane secured high-point honors.

In girls action, Morgantown edged out Huntington 99-94 for the team championship. Greenbrier East’s Annie Whited was the high-point winner.

Parkersburg South’s Jordan Foster competes in the 110 hurdles during the state track meet Saturday in Charleston. (Photo by Jordan Holland)