PARKERSBURG – The third decade of the Wood County middle school cross country championships is set to get underway today in Mineral Wells at the 4-H Campgrounds.

Jackson’s Collins Rader will be looking to join an exclusive club when the seventh grader hits the course.

A year ago, the General crossed in 11 minutes and 6 seconds to top the field and she enters the meet as the favorite.

If Rader is victorious she’ll be just the third back-to-back champion in the 20-year history of the race. The only others to win titles consecutively were Hamilton’s Madison Trippett, who ran a 10:48 in 2014 and a 10:35 in 2015, along with the 2011-12 races where VanDevender’s Allie Bunner went 11:32.2 and then 11:31.1.

Sharon Marks, the head coach at Jackson and the only leader to guide her squad for the past two decades, said last year’s girls team champion Blennerhassett very well could repeat, but that both Jackson and Williamstown were firmly in the mix.

“I began this journey knowing running, but cross country was not really in my wheelhouse at first,” admitted Marks. “I can’t thank the early coaches, Larry Games and Steve Fox, enough for their knowledge and guidance.

“I have made many valuable friends along the way and I have had the privilege of getting to coach and watch many amazing young athletes. I am proud of my small part in the origin of Wood County cross country 20 years ago.”

The junior high championships started back in 2005 and moved to middle school in 2008.

“The first year was a trial year in 2004 and did not count toward the junior high overall champions,” recalled coach Games. “Steve Fox and I made a presentation to the board of education. Before that I had spoken to the junior high principals and then wrote up a proposal that the board approved.

“For the trial year our proposal was set up to cost each school nothing. High school boosters paid their entry fees. They rode on our buses and they already had track uniforms they could use. High school numbers then skyrocketed. We had over 60 kids at PHS and there were more junior high cross country runners than any other Wood County junior high sport.”

In the inaugural 2005 race the Edison boys and Jackson girls won the team titles with Jackson’s Matt Brooks (10:50) and Williamstown’s Nicki Rea (11:49) earning gold.

The girls race is set to get underway at 5 p.m. with the boys following at 5:30 p.m.

Things are a little more clear with the boys team race as Blennerhassett looks to extend its recent domination with a fifth consecutive championship.

The last team not named the Bobcats to win the crown was Williamstown back in 2020 when Yellowjacket Will Coiner (10:17) won.

Eighth graders Joshua Eddy and Slaten McLain are expected to lead the Bobcats .

Of note, there only have been three boys win back-to-back championships. Hamilton’s Keegan Barnette was the first in 2015 (9:56) and 2016 (9:40). Blennerhassett’s Brody Cochran accomplished the feat in 2018 (10:10) and 2019 (10:02) while ex-Bobcat and current Parkersburg South Patriot Gatlin McLain won it in 2022 (10:12) and 2023 (9:47).