Photo courtesy of Mark Romano Elkins High School’s Jaden Hatfield is first to the finish in Tuesday’s 100-meter dash during an eight-school meet hosted by Buckhannon-Upshur.

TENNERTON — The Elkins High School track & field teams opened the season Tuesday at Freal “Red” Crites Memorial Stadium on the campus of Buckhannon-Upshur High School.

Eight schools competed in the meet, with the EHS boys capturing first with 149 points to edge Lincoln’s 148.5 points.

B-U was third with 92 points, followed by Philip Barbour (84), Nicholas County (62), Braxton County (55.5), Lewis County (16) and Tygarts Valley (11).

The Tigers got first-place finishes from Jaden Hatfield in the 100-meter dash (11.71), Atahan Paso the 200 (24.73) and Josh Bodkins in the 1,600 (4:40.91).

Elkins captured three of the three relay events, with Elias Jones, Hatfield, Lucian Breault and Randal Marks winning the 4×100 (46.26) and 4×200 (135.77) and Dylan Fortney, Logan Jones, Reed Burdette and Treven Schaefer the 4×800 (8:51.31).

Earning second places for the Tigers were Trevor George (400, 53.50), Ben Tenney (1,600, 4:43.93), Logan Jones (3,200, 10:51.66) and Donovan Howes (discus, 125-1).

Philip Barbour’s Patrick Webster, Malachi Poling, Hayden Dalton and Isaiah Starks claimed the 4×400 relay (3:43.77) and were second in the 4×200 relay (1:36.66)

Poling captured both the high jump (5-10) and long jump (20-07) and Starks the 400 (53.29).

Webster turned in a second-place showing in the long jump (19-8.5).

The Bucs garnered a first-place effort from Greyson Wyland in the shot put (43-11) and seconds from the 4×400 relay of Theo Williams, Zack Simmons, Bryce Mullens and Lucas Fortney in a time of 3:49.81, the 4×100 relay (Easton Metzner, Levi Cook, Shayden Rogers and Kadyn Baisden) in an effort of 49.46 and Bryce Mullens the 800 (2:16.00).

Tygarts Valley’s Connor Rose was third in the 800 (2:19.57).

“For the first meet, the young men and women had great performances,” said EHS boys coach Adam Romano. “With the recent weather we have had they showed out. There were some great early season marks and personal records. We are thrilled with this starting point.”

Lincoln captured the girls meet with 160.5 points, followed by Elkins (133), Braxton County (97), B-U (86), Lewis County (68), Philip Barbour (28.5), Tygarts Valley (21) and Nicholas County (21).

The Lady Tigers’ Marissa Brenwalt was first in the 100 hurdles (16.01), the 300 hurdles (50.65) and high jump (5-02), along with placing second in the long jump (15-06), the 4×800 relay (Julia Biola, Haley Kelley, Alyssa White and Molly McFadden) was first in a time of 10:35.51, McFadden first in the 3,200 (12:46.89) and Emilia Tenney crossed the line first in the 1,600 (5:17.66).

Biola was second in the 400 (1:02.82).

The 4×100 relay of Shyla Dominguez, Lilly Irons, Savannah Rowan and Kenadi Carte was second in a time of 57.72 and the 4×200 relay (Mencia Gomez, Emma Gilbert, Irons and Carte second in a time of 1:58.94.

“We were really pleased with how the kids responded in their first track meet,” EHS girls coach Scott Biola said. “There are certainly plenty of things we can fix, but we are pleased with how they took care of the little details that add up to make a big difference.”

For the Lady Bucs, the 4×400 relay (Chloe Lewis, Jayla Westfall, Rylen Carlyle and Ella Whitehair placed first in a time of 4:37.59, Carlyle was first in the long jump (15-7.5), second in the 100 (13.5) and third in the 200 (29.30).

Whitehair was third in both the 800 (2:42.33) and 1,600 (5:57.41).

Philip Barbour received third-place showings by Kacey Cutright in the discus (78-5) and Tatiem Jeffries the long jump (15-01).

Tygarts Valley’s 4×100 relay unit of Emily Smith, Raegan Booth, Alyssa Swecker and Sarah Defibaugh posted a third-place finish with a time of 57.84.