Chandler leads PHS boys to HHS Invite title

From staff reports

HUNTINGTON – Parkersburg’s Javel Chandler earned high-point honors to help lead the Big Reds to a 147-142 victory against the runner-up Highlanders here Saturday at the season-opening Huntington Invitational.

While teammate AJ Payne was a double-winner in the 200 (23.02-23.27) and 400 (49.57-50.43) with fellow Big Red Landen Deuley right behind in each event, Chandler had first-place efforts in the high jump (6-4) and 300 hurdles (41.43) while finishing runner-up in the 110 highs (15.11), and joining Santana Jones, James Lewis and Tyler Shahan on the third-place shuttles (1:14.10) team en route to 29.5 points.

Payne and Deuley helped the Big Reds to a victorious 3:30.17 clocking in the 4×4 with Gavin Bowman and Anthony Herrera. Head coach Rod O’Donnell also watched Drey Grinter throw 48 feet, 3 inches to best the field in the shot put.

Connor George was second in the 1600 with a time of 4:38.26 and was followed in third by PHS running mate Ricardo Salazar (4:41.36). Parkersburg South’s Gatlin McLain was fourth (4:41.76).

In the pole vault, PHS got a 12-6 clearing from Alex Greer, which was good for third. Parkersburg’s other top effort came from Carter Thorpe’s 10:03.12, which placed him third in the 3200. McLain was sixth (10:29.15) and Big Red Calvin Lantz finished seventh (10:30.11).

The red and white picked up points in the 800 from Herrera (4th, 2:06.99), George (5th, 2:10.49) and Caden Moat (7th, 2:11.14).

PHS was aided in its title effort by Bowman (5th, 100, 11.96), Lewis (5th, 110H, 17.69), Shahan (7th, 100, 12.00) and Ben Eakins (7th, shot put, 40-5).

Parkersburg South got a throw of 107 feet, 5 inches in the discus from Ryland Nichols, which was good for seventh.

The Big Reds girls of head coach Lia Fleek amassed 100.5 points, but had to settle for runner-up behind Huntington’s 132.

PHS got wins from Bella Bowman in the discus (100-0) and Mya Baruwa in the high jump (5-3).

Parkersburg South, which tied St. Albans for seventh with 49 points, had its top individual effort by Kymani Prince, who went 15-2.5 in the long jump to tie for first.

It was a photo finish in the 4×1 as the Big Reds crossed in 52.51 with TC Allen, Adilynn Deuley, Kelina Utietiang and Addison Mosso to edge Parkersburg South’s 52.55 effort from Lilly Dye, Sophia Shamblin, Jaclynne Welch and Prince.

Parkersburg also got 10 points in the 4×8 thanks to Morgan Metz, Olivia Carpenter, Hadley Edwards and Calli Angelos clocking in at 10:17.81. Metz also was runner-up in the 3200 (11:22.06) while Patriot Alyssa McCrady was second in the 800 (2:32.28). Big Red Daysha Hastings cleared 5 feet, 1 inch to tie for second in the high jump.

Parkersburg’s 4×2 (Mosso, Deuley, Olivia Eakle, Allen – 1:54.76) and 4×4 (Hastings, Carpenter, Utietiang, Mia Butterfield – 4:25.21) placed runner-up as too did the Patriots’ shuttle team of Welch, Shamblin, Kyra Jones and Prince – 1:13.15. The Big Reds took third with a 1:13.59 thanks to Hastings, Avery Matthews, Chloe Gribble and Butterfield.

Also placing individually for the Patriots were McCrady (5th, 1600, 5:37.12), Welch (5th, 100H, 17.49), Haley Raper (6th, 3200, 12:51.68) Dye (8th, 100, 13.98), and Lexi McKinney (8th, 800, 2:37.56)

PHS also featured Allen (4th, long jump, 14-10), Makayla House (T4th, pole vault, 7-6), Sophia Corbin (6th, discus, 84-2), Matthews (6th, 100H, 17.84), Deuley (7th, 200, 28.88), Carpenter (7th, 800, 2:34.777), Aniya Payne (7th, 300H, 52.80) and Mosso (8th, 200, 29.03).

The Patriots and the Big Reds will be back in action Friday at Stadium Field for the Kim Nutter Invitational.