Podium Shocker and Rivalry Takedown: Local Runners Ignite the State Championship!

ONA, WV – The dust has settled at the state cross country championship, but the shockwaves from the incredible performances of local runners are still being felt. In a day filled with high-stakes drama and personal triumphs at Cabell Midland, area athletes didn't just compete—they dominated.

Leading the charge was Parkersburg High School junior Morgan Metz, who delivered a jaw-dropping performance in the Class AAAA girls' race to secure a podium finish. Smashing expectations, Metz claimed an incredible third place with a stunning time of 18 minutes and 46 seconds. In a breathtakingly close finish, she was just five seconds behind the runner-up, proving she is one of the most formidable runners in the state and dramatically improving on her previous fifth-place state finish.

Meanwhile, PHS senior Connor George capped his spectacular high school career in the most fitting way possible: by cementing his legacy. George powered through the grueling boys' course to seize eighth place, clocking in at a blistering 16 minutes and 17 seconds. This top-ten finish earned him first-team all-state honors for the second consecutive year, a monumental achievement.

"What a great ending to Connor George’s career finishing as a two-time all-stater," celebrated Big Red head coach George Angelos. "He will join the long list of those from our program running at the next level."

The individual heroics set the stage for an even bigger story: a fierce battle for local bragging rights. In the ultimate rivalry showdown, the Parkersburg South girls' team delivered a clutch performance to triumph over their crosstown rivals. Led by the phenomenal Haley Raper, whose 15th-place finish (20:03) earned her second-team all-state honors, the Patriots clinched sixth place as a team with 173 points.

That strategic finish was just enough to edge out the Parkersburg High girls, who finished in a hard-fought seventh place with 184 points. While individual medals were won, it was South's team victory that sent one of the loudest messages of the day, proving that in a rivalry this intense, every single point matters.