H.B. Thomas: Miller vaults to new heights; big night for Shady girls

Apr. 27—Richwood senior Aiden Miller had a successful day at Shady Spring's H.B. Thomas Invitational on Thursday. He finished second in the long jump and posted a PR on his way to a third-place finish in the high jump.

Those aren't the only field events that he enjoys. The other — one that he's had his eye on since before he was a teenager — is one that he almost never gets to do.

Pole vault isn't the most popular event at track and field meets in southern West Virginia. In fact, Miller is the only one in the area who does it.

He first witnessed the event while watching the state meet and decided he wanted to try it. At first he was met with some road blocks.

"We were at Laidley (Field) when I was probably in sixth grade and I thought it looked cool, but then (Richwood) got flooded," he said. "And we couldn't get a mat."

Fast forward about five years. Richwood finally got the necessary equipment and Miller was able to get started.

"We finally got a mat and I started trying," he said. "I started progressing and we were like, 'We should try it.'"

In his first year and with minimal experience, Miller qualified for the state tournament and posted a best vault of 9 feet.

This year, Miller has competed in the pole vault only once — at his home meet, the only area school that has a mat. He went 10 feet, 6 inches, which ties him for eighth with two other athletes among the state's best performances in Class A this season.

Miller said he cleared 11-6 in practice.

The inconsistency in which Miller gets to compete certainly presents a challenge.

"It's hard to get motivated," Miller said.

To qualify for the state meet, Miller will have to join other Class A vaulters at the Class AAA Region 3 tournament at Laidley Field in Charleston on May 10.

"I kind of like it," he said. "Learning from the kids up there, they're pretty good. The GW boys (twin brothers Harry Wallace and James Wallace), they're really good."

As for the long jump, Miller's winning leap of 19 feet, 7 inches at last week's Pete Culicerto Invitational is currently fifth in the state."

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The competitor who was able to defeat Miller in the long jump on Thursday was making his season debut.

Woodrow Wilson senior Tylai Kimble had been unable to compete due to injury. He finally got in the mix at Shady and won the long jump with a distance of 20 feet, 2 inches.

Kimble was also a member of the winning shuttle hurdle relay team (1:05.37), joining William Lewis, Ryan Mukhtar and Andrew Gwinn.

Kimble was one of the top running backs in the football team's two-year run to the playoffs. He will play at Glenville State next fall.

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The Shady Spring girls team performed well, winning seven of the 17 events. The 4x800 team of Journey Wistoff, Braylie Wiseman, Gwynn McGinnis and Charlotte McGinnis started off with victory in a time of 11:00.61.

Lillian Hatfield picked up wins in the 100 high hurdles (17.72) and the 300 hurdles (50.98). Charlotte McGinnis finished first in the 3,200 (12:53.19).

The shuttle hurdle team (Kylie Wahl, Rachel Mann, Hatfield and Allison Betkijian) won in a time of 1:14.40. Reagan Mann, Rachel Mann, Abigail Honker and Jadyn Farmer teamed to win the 4x400 (4:43.59).

Finally, Carlee Vannatter won the discus with a toss of 89-2. Teammate Grace McAllister was second (88-5).

Oak Hill's Conlan Brooks had another successful day, including avenging last week's loss to Woodrow Wilson's Christian Stewart in the 100 meters. Brooks won the race with a time of 11.32.

He also won the 200 in 23.24 seconds, and was a member of the winning 4x400 team (Holden Hayes, James Green, Ty Wilburn; 3:53.71).

James Monroe's Braydie Carr was able to catch Brooks in the 400 (51.8).

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Other individual winners were:

4x800 — Boys, Oak Hill (Austin Bias, Chase Crosier, Green, Matthew Yarber), 8:59.36.

Boys 110 High Hurdles — Mukhtar, Woodrow Wilson (16.84).

100 — Girls, Abby Persinger, Summers County (13.51).

4x200 — Girls, Greenbrier East (Abby Dixon, Presley Baker, Megan Canterbury, Annie Whited), 1:55.59; Boys, Woodrow Wilson (Gabriel Kidd, Konnor Ray, Stewart, Daniel Walling), 1:35.42.

1,600 — Girls, Katie Collins, James Monroe (6:03.77); Boys, Aidan Kneeland, Woodrow Wilson (4:28.88).

400 — Girls, Whited, Greenbrier East (1:03.63).

300 Hurdles — Boys, Isaac Cutlip, Webster County (44.27).

4x100 — Girls, Bluefield (Arionna Dowell, Krisalyn Dowell, Cara Brown, Melania Hayes), 55.72; Boys, Woodrow Wilson (Kidd, Ray, Stewart, Walling), 45.79.

800 — Girls, Dixon, Greenbrier East (2:42.91); Boys, Kneeland, Woodrow Wilson (2:02.27).

200 — Girls, Riley Chester, Westside (29.08).

3,200 — Boys, Michael Haddadin, Woodrow Wilson (11:09.64).

Shot Put — Girls, Bella Green, Independence (34-6); Boys, Gabe Knoblet, Shady Spring (42-9).

Discus — Boys, Jordan Harvey, Independence (117-0).

Long Jump — Girls, Chester, Westside (14-6).

High Jump — Girls, Sydney Cochran, Westside (4-4); Boys, Owen Keeney, Westside (6-4).

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Final team scores were not available at press time.

Email: gfauber@register-herald.com; follow on Twitter @gfauber5