Charleston CatholicƵs Bella Boggs celebrates winning the 4x800 meter relay during the ƵSSAC Class A track and field state championships Friday, May 23, 2025, in Charleston.
Charleston CatholicƵs Bella Boggs celebrates winning the 4x800 meter relay during the ƵSSAC Class A track and field state championships Friday, May 23, 2025, in Charleston.
After RiversideƵs track and field duo of Cianna Groom and Jada Ward exited PhiladelphiaƵs Franklin Field at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, the event didnƵt end for other track athletes from the Kanawha Valley.
Herbert HooverƵs Maysen Fletcher and Charleston CatholicƵs Bella Boggs competed in championship track events during the remaining three days of the meet. They followed Ward, the ƵSSAC Class AAA girls state champion in the high jump, who made the medal stand with a sixth-place finish.
Fletcher won the Class AA cross country state championship in the fall as a freshman, then followed that with state championships in the Class AA 800 meters, 1600 meters and 3200 meters in May.
The 2024 Gatorade Player of the Year in cross country competed in the Championship categoryƵs 2-mile race Ƶ setting a personal best Ƶ and Championship mile, placing 55th out of 127 runners.
ƵI PRƵd the 2-mile,Ƶ said Fletcher. ƵI didnƵt have anything left in my legs for the mile.Ƶ
She found redemption in the freshman 800 meters, where she PRƵd again with a time of 2:13.56, good enough to finish eighth out of 125 runners who finished the race.
Boggs, who begins her senior year this fall, competed in the Championship level in two events, including the 2-mile against Fletcher.
Like Groom did with the girls discus, Boggs and Fletcher had to contend with weather delays in Philadelphia. The start of that race was delayed by three hours due to weather, finally beginning at 10 p.m.
ƵIƵm not used to running that late,Ƶ Boggs said.
To help with the start time, race officials combined all the runners into a single heat. Boggs said she took some elbows and received bruises but still finished with a time of 11:01.42, good for 67th out of 106 finishers.
FletcherƵs time of 9:55.48 in the 2-mile put her ninth overall.
Like Groom and Ward, Fletcher and Boggs said they enjoyed competing at the event.
ƵI really liked how it was organized,Ƶ Boggs said.
Fletcher was used to the course, having competed in the same venue for the Penn Relays.
ƵIƵd seen the track before,Ƶ Fletcher said. ƵI definitely enjoy the competition in Philadelphia. The competition helps me push myself and see how far I can go.Ƶ
Ward said she was mindful of how good the competition was, but having competed in similar AAU events, she had faced some of those athletes before.
ƵI try not to let it get to me,Ƶ Ward said.
Nitro track and field coach Josh Pimental sent freshman Zach Phillips along with the Wildcats boys 4x100 relay team to compete in the Adidas Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Phillips placed 52nd out of 111 discus throwers.
The relay team consisting of Eli Littlejohn, Landon Hager, Andrew Thomas and Jens Byrd placed 60th out of 110 teams.
Thomas and Littlejohn, who were both seniors in 2025, will be competing for the University of Charleston next year, Pimental said.
Rick Elmore covers sports. He can be reached at 304-348-5122 or relmore@hdmediallc.com. Follow @ElmoreSports on Twitter/X.
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