WELLSBURG — After COVID-19 forced them to stay home for several weeks, Brooke County students came back in a big way, with several groups distinguishing themselves in academic and athletic competitions.

The Brooke County Board of Education brought many of them together in the Brooke High School auditorium to be recognized at its April 26 meeting.

Among them was the Brooke High School chapter of the West Virginia Technology Student Association, whose members captured awards, as individuals and teams, in many categories at a virtual state competition held in April.

They included Thomas Packer, Logan White, Morgan Roadman and Jason Polgar, who each placed first in the respective categories of computer aided drafting- engineering, essay on technology, information technology and extemporaneous speaking.

The team of Lucas Neel and Jeg Hilt placed first in structural engineering, while Greg Thorfinsin and Nathan Anderson placed first for their on-demand video. Thomas Olenick placed third in the CAD engineering category.

The chapter’s Vex Robotics team, comprised of Sam Mockbee, Christian Packer, Neel and Hilt, placed first; while robotics teams led by Ethan Robey and Logan White placed second and third.

As a team, Jake Stuckey, Shaylie Keener and Roadman tied for third place in the Technology Bowl event of the competition, and the chapter overall placed second in the state competition.

The club is advised by Chris Mockbee.

The Brooke Middle School TSA chapter also placed second overall among middle school chapters competing at the state level, with members winning numerous awards.

They included first place winners Elijah Lanigan, for his essay on technology; Cameron Racicot, for foundations of information technology; Jerri Wilson, for creed; and Pierce Ferrell, for cybersecurity.

Isaac Lanigan, Paul Higgins and Isaac Orovic placed first, second and third in computer aided drafting foundations, and Sydney Clark placed second in career prep.

Two VEX Robotics teams from the school competed, with a team comprised of Elijah Lanigan, Josh Blair, Cameron Racicot, Ashton Blair and Jerri Wilson placing first and another consisting of Pierce Farrell, Faith Farrell, Brayden Farrell, Brayden Racicot and Isaac Lanigan placing second.

In addition, Pierce Farrell and Orovic placed first in data science and analytics and Racicot, Wilson, Elijah Lanigan and Ronald Tallman placed first in mechanical engineering.

Eljah Lanigan, Brayden Racicot and Jeri Wilson also placed first in the Technology Bowl event and Racicot, Josh Blair and Ashton Blair placed third for video game design.

The club’s advisers are Jami Diserio Packer and Keith Huntzinger.

With members from various career courses at the high school, the SkillsUSA chapter was named a Gold Chapter of Distinction at the organization’s state leadership and skills conference.

Members also received individual honors for their performance in competitions testing skills and knowledge related to various careers as well as Skills USA itself.

They included: Kendrick Fish and Logan White, who received gold medals for mobile robotics; Ethan Robey and Logan White, who placed first in additive manufacturing; Sidney Felouzis, who placed first in the job interview simulation event.

Krysten Myers received a silver medal for early childhood education, Jason Polgar placed second in extemporaneous speaking and the team of Madison Ely and Joseph Fluharty placed second for video production.

In addition, Lucas Neel placed third in the event’s Job Demonstration Open.

Advised by Thomas Bane and Autumn Beatty, the group includes: Jason Polgar, president; Kendrick Fish, vice president; Brooke Ohler, secretary; Thomas Packer, treasurer; Ethan Robey, parliamentarian; Madison Ely, reporter; Rylie Winters, historian; Sidney Felouzis, chaplain; Alexis Woodling, Krysten Myers, Camden Mackey, Logan White, Brianna Ferguson, , Seth Coburn, Ashton Burns, Braydon DeMaria, Joseph Fluharty, Lucas Neel, Franchesca Higgins, Angelina Montesano, Christian Packer, Haeley Shaffer and Kamryn Bailey.

The board also acknowledged the high school’s cheerleaders for being runners up for the Class AAA division in both the state and regional cheering competitions.

The squad advanced to the state event after being among the top two winners in the regional competition.

Its members are seniors Jeana Battista, Olivia Cipoletti, Abigail Horvath, Mara Pendergrast, Makenzie Stevens and Taylor Kolb; juniors Jaclin Hedmond and Emma Martino; sophomores Erica Berringer and Rielee Stanley; and freshmen Kelsey Elson, Alissa King, Johnna Knorr and Alyssa Jezierski.

Head coach Michelle Scherich noted changes wrought by the pandemic made for a more challenging year for the squad and they worked hard to prepare for the competitions and their other performances.

Scherich was aided by assistant coaches Meredith Young and Haley Bowman and volunteer coaches Melissa Lyle, Kristin Weppler, Chris Stucin and Julie Rogers.

Also recognized was freshman Aubrey Moore, who was winner in her weight class in the second girls state wrestling championship held in March, making her Brooke’s first state champion in the sport.

Moore, who also is a member of the school’s dance and softball teams, has been wrestling for eight years.

Her coach, Doug Sizemore, joined the board in acknowledging her hard work.

Congratulations also went to the middle school’s sixth and seventh grade basketball teams, which won the President’s Athletic Conference championships for their grade levels.

The seventh-grade team included: Josh Chambers, Will Scott, Blake Swanson, Cooper McMahon, Marcus Reed, Grant Hastings, Ty Sperringer, Aiden Provenzano, Andrew Murdock, Ethan Fisher and Christian Keller.

The sixth-grade team was comprised of Cory Maynard, Brody Cross, Vince Kolb, Parker McMahon, Michael Gibson, Anthony Maple, Pierce Ferrell, Andrew Petrella, Grant Yost, Blake Bennett, Remington Parr and Pete Fodor Both teams were coached by Steve Marino and Ethan Sole.