April 22, 2004
by Jeff Toquinto
Editor of The Bridgeport News

The only thing more impressive than Friday’s weather during the middle school portion of the third annual Harry Green Invitational was the showing of the Bridgeport Middle School girls.
BMS dominated the 12-team field, nearly doubling up the total of the runner-up. The Braves finished with 152 points, which was well ahead of Charleston McKinley’s 77 points and Lumberport Middle School’s 71.
Although the boys did not fare as well, the team managed to tie for third place in the 14-team field. The Braves and Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School both finished with 64 points. Hurricane Middle School won the event with 136 points, while McKinley was second with 82 points.
On the girls side, Kendall McCaugherty and Kasie Carbacio both had a huge afternoons by sharing high point honors with 34 points each.
McCaugherty won the 75 meter hurdles (12.85 seconds), the high jump (5 feet, 7 inches) and the long jump (14 feet, 6.75 inches). For good measure, she added a fourth-place finish in the 100 meter dash (14.2 seconds).
The high jump win stood out as the highlight of the meet, said BMS track coach Rob Riley. McCaugherty's mark was not only better than the boys' winning mark, it was also the highest in the state this year, including high school. The best leap in the state is in Class AAA, but it is only 5 feet, 4 inches.
"The high jump mark is just amazing. It was the talk of the meet," said Riley. "I've done this for seven or eight years now and I've haven't seen anything like it at this level."
Carbacio's efforts were as impressive as they were typical. She won the 400 meters (1 minute, 6.21 seconds) and the discus (86 feet, 10 inches). Carbacio also was second in the 200 meter dash (29.37 seconds) and third in the 200 meter hurdles (34.26 seconds).
"That's what she does," said Riley, who said her discus throw was a new meet record. "She can place, and place high, in just about any event we place her in. She's one of the best athletes I've seen."
Schelby Bordner picked up the only other win for BHS by running 28.89 seconds in the 200 meter dash. Bordner was also third in the 100 meters (14.17 seconds) and second in the 400 meters (1 minute, 7.66 seconds).
Whitney Rhoades took third in the 800 meter run. She finished with a time of 2 minutes, 49.77 seconds.
BMS was also strong in the relays. The 4x400 team of Chelsea Swain, Jen Alastanos, Sarah Claprood and Rhoades (4 minutes, 57.78 seconds) was seconds; the 4x800 team of Rhoades, Taryn Rose, Alastanos and Claprood (11 minutes, 36.89 seconds) was third; while the 4x60 shuttles team of Rose, Courtney Steele, Mariah Howell and Tiffany Oldaker (46.2 seconds) came in second.
For the boys, Riley said it was imperative that Wes Eades have a big day. The eighth grader didn’t disappoint.
"The goal for the boys going in was to get in the top six so to finish third was excellent," said Riley. "Wes was amazing considering it was his third track meet he's ever participated in. He does what he has to do to win."
Eades won the 200 meter hurdles - one of two BMS boys first place finishes - with a time of 29.93 seconds and placed highly in two others. He was runner-up in the 200 meter dash (25.49 seconds) and third in the 400 meters (57.55 seconds).
The other individual win went to Tanner Moore in the long jump. Moore’s leap of 15 feet, 11.25 inches secured the win, while his toss of 11 feet, 3 inches was good for third place in the discus.
"The long jump was a surprise," said Riley. "We had hoped he could get in the top six, but to come out on top was really big."
Trey McCutcheon also came up big. McCutcheon was runner up in the 3200 meter run with a time of 12 minutes. 15.56 seconds.
The Indians had one relay team finish in the top three. The team of Andrew Hoover, Daniel Coles, McCutcheon and Robert Stearns was third in the 4x800 with a time of 10 minutes, 40.91 seconds.
The Braves hosted a dual meet Monday against Doddridge County. The teams will visit Charleston tomorrow to take part in the McKinley Invitational.