The state meet predictions are based on results have gathered throughout the season, head-to-head competitions, regional results, perceived potential, trends and (of course) gut feeling.
AAA Boys Team Predictions 1. Wheeling Park 95 2. Cabell Midland 78 3. Hedgesville 35 4. Robert C. Byrd 34 5. Buckhannon-Upshur 32 6. Parkersburg 31 7. Capital 26 7. St. Albans 26 9. Martinsburg 24 10. Woodrow Wilson 23 11. Hurricane 22 11. John Marshall 22 13. Parkersburg South 18 14. Bridgeport 17 15. Jefferson 16 16. Preston 14 17. University 12 18. Nitro 8 19. Hampshire 6 20. Elkins 4 20. George Washington 4 20. Greenbrier East 4 23. Musselman 2 24. Brooke 1 24. Huntington 1 24. Morgantown 1 24. North Marion 1 24. Princeton 1 This is really a two team race, and it's Wheeling Park's to win or lose. Cabell Midland will come closer than most expect, but a lot of things will have to happen for them to win it. The battle for third should be very, very tight.
AAA Girls Team Predictions 1. Preston 66 2. Buckhannon-Upshur 64 3. Morgantown 37 4. Cabell Midland 36 4. Parkersburg 36 6. Wheeling Park 35 7. Hurricane 33 8. University 32 9. Jefferson 29 10. Huntington 28 11. Hampshire 24 12. Parkersburg South 23 13. Musselman 21 14. Bridgeport 16 15. John Marshall 14 16. Capital 11 17. George Washington 10 17. Robert C. Byrd 10 19. Nitro 8 20. Fairmont Senior 6 20. Nicholas 6 20. South Charleston 6 23. Hedgesville 4 24. Elkins 1 24. Martinsburg 1 24. Ripley 1 This meet could very well come down to the last event. I love it when that happens. How close are things, as I was typing up the predictions, I made several changes (as I normally do...when I start to type my "why" something else may make more sense or be a more defensable pick). When I started typing, I had Buckhannon-Upshur winning by three points, and now I have Preston winning by 2. I had Morgantown in 8th place, and now they're in 3rd. I can't see anyone but Preston or Buckhannon-Upshur winning the meet, and the battle for third will be a lot of fun.
AA Boys Team Predictions 1. Winfield 61 1. Weir 61 3. Oak Glen 58 4. Berkeley Springs 56 5. Ravenswood 54 6. Philip Barbour 52 7. Keyser 32 8. Sissonville 24 9. Lincoln 20 9. Wayne 20 11. Magnolia 18 12. Frankfort 16 12. Oak Hill 16 14. Ritchie 12 15. Independence 10 15. Point Pleasant 10 17. Liberty Harrison 9 18. Liberty Raleigh 8 18. Webster 8 20. Chapmanville 4 20. Roane 4 22. Shady Spring 3 23. Grafton 2 This could shape of to be one of the best team races ever. I have a tie for first and the top 6 teams separated by 9 points. They all have places where they can pick up and lose points. There are critical events for each of them where they have to perform. I can easily see any of the top five taking the title home. Philip Barbour would likely have to have a few teams falter and have a good meet. I guess this makes Weir the favorite for the meet, but it's a tenuous favorite at best. This one will be lots of fun.
AA Girls Team Predictions 1. Winfield 120 2. Berkeley Springs 81 3. Oak Glen 55 4. Ritchie 53 5. Lincoln 47 6. Weir 30 7. Roane 28 8. Frankfort 24 9. Logan 17 10. Tyler Consolidated 16 11. Keyser 15 12. Oak Hill 14 12. Point Pleasant 14 14. Philip Barbour 12 15. Grafton 10 15. Sissonville 10 17. Bluefield 6 18. Independence 2 18. Magnolia 2 20. Poca 1 20. Ravenswood 1 Winfield's sitting in a better position than they were last year. It's really their meet to win. All they have to do is go out and perform normal. Berkeley Springs has a couple places they can pick up points, but not enough. Those two are well ahead of the field. Oak Glen, Ritchie, and Lincoln could finish in any order.
A Boys Team Predictions 1. St. Marys 74 2. South Harrison 69 3. Williamstown 63 4. Doddridge 48 5. Wheeling Central 47 6. Charleston Catholic 44 7. Mount Hope 31 8. Gilmer 25 9. Bishop Donahue 24 10. Pocahontas 23 11. Moorefield 18 12. Tygarts Valley 16 13. Richwood 12 14. Greenbrier West 11 15. Buffalo 10 15. Valley Wetzel 10 17. East Hardy 8 18. Wirt 7 19. Cameron 6 19. Tucker 6 21. Paden City 4 22. Clay-Battelle 2 St. Marys comes in as the favorite with some very solid points throughout the meet. Dustin Hall, Matt Hickman, the 4x100 and 4x200 points are very solid. The shot put points are very solid. They could drop a couple here or there, but they could also pick up a couple here or there. South Harrison has been an afterthought for most people all season, but they're very much in the hunt for the title this year. They could conceivably win seven events. That could possibly win the meet without another point being scored. Williamstown has a little upward potential in some events, but will probably have to have St. Marys and South Harrison slip a little win the title. Doddridge probably has the most upward potential, due in large part to the Grandt factor, but there are other events where they could move up a couple spots as well. They'll have to have a near-perfect meet to really be in the hunt though. Wheeling Central and Charleston Catholic can probably realistically hope for a top 3 with strong meets.
A Girls Team Predictions 1. Doddridge 97 2. Charleston Catholic 74 3. Wheeling Central 54 4. Williamstown 54 5. Gilmer 47 6. Pocahontas 45 7. St. Marys 41 8. Madonna 32 9. South Harrison 27 10. Tygarts Valley 22 11. Paden City 16 12. Mount Hope 14 13. Wirt 12 14. Buffalo 6 14. Clay-Battelle 6 16. Tucker 4 16. Valley Fayette 4 18. Union 2 19. East Hardy 1 Doddridge is a pretty solid favorite and has places where they could pick up a few more points. Charleston Catholic has a couple places they could add to their point total, but they probably need Doddridge to falter somewhere. Wheeling Central and Williamstown just don't look like they've got the horses to fight it out with the top 2. Gilmer, Pocahontas, and St. Marys could move up if Wheeling Central or Williamstown is slightly off.