The wet conditions didn't seem to bother Sissonville's Sydney Cummings.
In fact, the junior thrived in the drizzle, capturing the Class AA state championship in the girls high jump, then threatening the state meet record Friday evening at Laidley Field.
Cummings cleared 5 feet, 6 inches to beat out Berkeley Springs' Meghan Mock for the title by 2 inches. Cummings then went after the Class AA record, which Mock set last year at 5-8. Cummings was the lone jumper when the bar was moved to 5-81/4, but knocked the bar down on each of her three attempts.
Sissonville’s Sydney Cummings cleared 5-6 to win the Class AA girls high jump.
"I'm used to these conditions,'' said Cummings as she laced up her running shoes for the shuttle hurdles relay. "I came out here almost every day this week and it's been raining.''
Cummings entered Friday's competition with the top regional qualifying mark at 5-5. She had soared as high as 5-7 this season and cleared 5-9 during the summer. Cummings finished second to Mock at the state meet as a freshman and sophomore.
"It feels great,'' said Cummings. "I just really, really wanted it. I didn't know how I was going to perform, but I knew how bad I wanted it. I think that helped me a lot, too. I think my speed was better. I've been trying to improve my speed all year.''
Cummings also spoiled Mock's bid to win four events. Earlier Friday, Mock won the long jump and qualified third in the 100-meter hurdles. Mock, who has won three events the past two state meets, is also the state record holder in the 300 hurdles.
Cummings had quite a busy Friday. She helped the shuttle relay team to a fifth-place finish in a time of 1 minute, 11.77 seconds and took third in the long jump at 15-8 as the Indians tallied 18 points for fourth place.
Cummings said she's been coming to Laidley Field by herself after practice for extra sessions in the high-jump pit. She said she lives about 10 minutes away from Laidley.
"I've been really focused this year,'' she said. "I've worked so much harder this year in the weight room and coming down here after our practices.''
nn
Point Pleasant has emerged as a contender for the Class AA boys state title.
The Black Knights have ridden the legs of sprinters Bernardo Caputo, an exchange student from Brazil, and freshman Allen Wasonga and the strength of throwers John Hipes and Tyler Grant.
Caputo posted the best regional qualifying time in the 100 meters (11.09 seconds) and 200 (22.31) last week while Wasonga's 11.34 was the third-best in the 100. Hipes and Grant qualified second and third, respectively, in the shot put while Grant was also fifth in the discus. The Knights have also posted the fifth- and third-fastest qualifying times in the 4x100 and 4x200, respectively.
Point didn't score any points during the first day Friday, but its strongest events are all on tap for today.
"That's helped us out a lot, [finishing] two and three in shot put and having the No. 1 sprinter and the freshman having to race him all year long,'' said sixth-year Point coach Matt Cottrill.
Even more astonishing is the fact that Point's sprinters have been able to post some of the best times in the state practicing on a makeshift track.
"We have a dirt track out back that used to be cinders,'' Cottrill said. "We run [meets] twice a week just so we can get on a track. We go over to Rio Grande [Ohio] sometimes. We went over twice this week to get on a track and do our relays.
"It's really hard for them to train without having a track. That's the most difficult thing about it. The dirt and [the Laidley Field] track are just way, way different. We just make do with what we have.''
Caputo, who played soccer and was the place-kicker on the Point football team, is competing in track for the first time. The 6-foot-2 senior turned in Friday's top qualifying time in the 100 (11.05) and 200 (22.57).
"My friend and I were talking about making a good 4x100 team,'' said Caputo, who hails from a town near Rio de Janeiro. "In the beginning I didn't expect to run the 100. Then in practice [the coaches] noticed I could do this good. Just [the chance] to get a state championship and bring this back to Brazil, I'm real happy about it.''
The wet conditions didn't seem to bother Sissonville's Sydney Cummings.
In fact, the junior thrived in the drizzle, capturing the Class AA state championship in the girls high jump, then threatening the state meet record Friday evening at Laidley Field.
Cummings cleared 5 feet, 6 inches to beat out Berkeley Springs' Meghan Mock for the title by 2 inches. Cummings then went after the Class AA record, which Mock set last year at 5-8. Cummings was the lone jumper when the bar was moved to 5-81/4, but knocked the bar down on each of her three attempts.
"I'm used to these conditions,'' said Cummings as she laced up her running shoes for the shuttle hurdles relay. "I came out here almost every day this week and it's been raining.''
Cummings entered Friday's competition with the top regional qualifying mark at 5-5. She had soared as high as 5-7 this season and cleared 5-9 during the summer. Cummings finished second to Mock at the state meet as a freshman and sophomore.
"It feels great,'' said Cummings. "I just really, really wanted it. I didn't know how I was going to perform, but I knew how bad I wanted it. I think that helped me a lot, too. I think my speed was better. I've been trying to improve my speed all year.''
Cummings also spoiled Mock's bid to win four events. Earlier Friday, Mock won the long jump and qualified third in the 100-meter hurdles. Mock, who has won three events the past two state meets, is also the state record holder in the 300 hurdles.
Cummings had quite a busy Friday. She helped the shuttle relay team to a fifth-place finish in a time of 1 minute, 11.77 seconds and took third in the long jump at 15-8 as the Indians tallied 18 points for fourth place.
Cummings said she's been coming to Laidley Field by herself after practice for extra sessions in the high-jump pit. She said she lives about 10 minutes away from Laidley.
"I've been really focused this year,'' she said. "I've worked so much harder this year in the weight room and coming down here after our practices.''
nn
Point Pleasant has emerged as a contender for the Class AA boys state title.
The Black Knights have ridden the legs of sprinters Bernardo Caputo, an exchange student from Brazil, and freshman Allen Wasonga and the strength of throwers John Hipes and Tyler Grant.
Caputo posted the best regional qualifying time in the 100 meters (11.09 seconds) and 200 (22.31) last week while Wasonga's 11.34 was the third-best in the 100. Hipes and Grant qualified second and third, respectively, in the shot put while Grant was also fifth in the discus. The Knights have also posted the fifth- and third-fastest qualifying times in the 4x100 and 4x200, respectively.
Point didn't score any points during the first day Friday, but its strongest events are all on tap for today.
"That's helped us out a lot, [finishing] two and three in shot put and having the No. 1 sprinter and the freshman having to race him all year long,'' said sixth-year Point coach Matt Cottrill.
Even more astonishing is the fact that Point's sprinters have been able to post some of the best times in the state practicing on a makeshift track.
"We have a dirt track out back that used to be cinders,'' Cottrill said. "We run [meets] twice a week just so we can get on a track. We go over to Rio Grande [Ohio] sometimes. We went over twice this week to get on a track and do our relays.
"It's really hard for them to train without having a track. That's the most difficult thing about it. The dirt and [the Laidley Field] track are just way, way different. We just make do with what we have.''
Caputo, who played soccer and was the place-kicker on the Point football team, is competing in track for the first time. The 6-foot-2 senior turned in Friday's top qualifying time in the 100 (11.05) and 200 (22.57).
"My friend and I were talking about making a good 4x100 team,'' said Caputo, who hails from a town near Rio de Janeiro. "In the beginning I didn't expect to run the 100. Then in practice [the coaches] noticed I could do this good. Just [the chance] to get a state championship and bring this back to Brazil, I'm real happy about it.''
"He's just been phenomenal,'' added Cottrill. "He's had to fight through a lot of injuries.''
Point captured the Class AA boys state title in 1986 with only six athletes making the trip. This weekend, the Knights qualified 10 for the state meet.
"We have a chance,'' said Cottrill. "We just have to be at the top of our game. If we do everything right, then we have a chance.''
nn
Hurricane's Christy Austin fell short of her goal of breaking the school record in the shot put, but her contributions Friday went a long way in helping the Redskins take the lead in the Class AAA girls title chase.
Austin won the shot with a heave of 37-8 to capture her first state title and took fourth in the discus with a whirl of 104-3. The senior's efforts totaled 14 points for Hurricane, which trails Preston by 10 points (38-28).
"The conditions weren't the best,'' said Austin, who was state runner-up last year in the shot. "I did what I could in the rain and the cold. Getting those 10 points just helps us win that state title even more.''
Austin had her sights set on the school shot record of 41-7 this season, set by Rachel Blankenship, who now competes at Marshall.
"I wanted to get a 40 this year and I got that at regionals and that's all I wanted,'' she said. "We still got our points.''
nn
Doddridge County is seeking a sixth straight Class A girls team title this weekend.
The Bulldogs have won seven out of the last eight state championships, including five straight since the switch to three classes and two out of three in Class AA-A.
"I don't know,'' said longtime Doddridge coach Craig Kellar about his team's success. "We're used to competing at that level and it's kind of helped us with numbers. We kind of got on a roll and [the kids] want to be a part of it.
"Since they've had the success I guess they feel like it's somewhere they want to be. We have most seasons 36 or 37 kids. This team has been a great group of kids working together. They've been willing to change events. I'm very happy about that so however it turns out it's been a good year.''
After five events Friday, Doddridge is right in the mix. Williamstown leads the way with 36 points followed by Doddridge's 29 and Charleston Catholic's 23.
Kellar said the Bulldogs will have to get a few breaks for another title.
"We're an underdog,'' he said. "We were way down there earlier in the year, but we've been making strides [and getting] closer and closer to the top. If we could come up with a couple of big runs, maybe. There's still a lot of events to go.''
nn
The Kanawha Valley Track & Field Officials Association awarded two $1,000 scholarships to seniors Sean Cantrell of Capital and Nora Sheridan of Charleston Catholic.
The group has now handed out $52,000 in total scholarship money, and has also spent $15,000 on track renovations at Laidley Field.
To contact staff writer Tommy R. Atkinson, use e-mail or call 348-4811. Rick Ryan contributed to this report.
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