Bees track and field brings home crown in Class AA Region I track and field championship

RACHEL — Sometimes slow and steady wins the race, but when you’re competing for the Class AA Region I Championship, it’s probably best to pick up the pace.

On Wednesday afternoon at North Marion High, the East Fairmont boy's track and field squad did just that, and earned first overall as a team and won the 2025 regional championship with multiple athletes qualifying for the state competition in the process.

The Bees tallied a total score of 140, while Williamstown finished in second place trailing by just five points with a final of 135. North Marion, despite hosting the event, finished in eighth place in both the boy’s and girl’s team results.

For East Fairmont’s girl’s squad, the Bees finished behind Elkins High in third place with a score of 108.5 points. Williamstown brought home first with a commanding 153 points.

In individual competitions for boy’s varsity, East Fairmont’s Jaden Dawson, Mason Blauvelt, Jaxon Conaway, and CJ Brandli earned first place in the 4x110 shuttle hurdles. The group set a new personal record with a time of 1:00.61. North Marion finished fourth in this event, with Taylor Hayes, Evan Curry, Tristan Musick, and Mitchel Poling placing a time of 1:03.20, also a new personal record for the Huskies.

For boy’s discus, the Bees had three athletes finish in the Top 10: John Thomas (5th, 35.15m), Larry Nichols (6th, 35.00m), and Adrian Fleming (7th, 34.37m). North Marion’s Kevin Ramsey would earn 10th place, throwing 32.94m.

In the pole vaulting competition, East Fairmont’s Mason Blauvelt captured first place with teammate Cole Vangilder finishing behind him in second. Blauvelt set a new personal record with 3.81m, while Vangilder jumped 3.51m on the afternoon.

On the girl’s side, future Seton Hill track standout Breeona Pheasant earned second place in the 100m dash with a time of 12.60. This time would also be a new personal record for Pheasant, who is entering the final weeks of her track and field career as a Bee. Pheasant also set a new personal record in the 200m (26.42).

In the 100m hurdles, Huskies’ standout and future WV Wesleyan star Maylee Bland finished third overall with a time of 16.63. Bland also secured second place in the pole vault competition, jumping 3.05 m.

The Bees girl’s squad, composed of Pheasant, Kyra Hamilton, Caroline Corwin, and Torunn Radcliffe also received first place in the 4x100 relay, setting a new personal record with a time of 51.27.

With the regional championship now safely secured, East Fairmont athletes will now set their sights on state competitions. Currently, the track and field state tournament is set to begin on May 23.