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Gatorade 2023 - 2024: Player of the Year

Boys Track & Field - West Virginia

athletes playing Boys Track & Field
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BOYS TRACK & FIELD

Michael Lunsford

Throws
CABELL MIDLAND HS
ONA, WEST VIRGINIA
SENIOR
Height: 6-FOOT-2
Press Release

Peak Performance

1st

Class AAA State Meet - Shot Put

2nd

Class AAA State Meet - Discus
“Michael elevated the standard for throws in West Virginia. Just like Randy Barnes, he’s put West Virginia on the map. In my 11 years of coaching throws, I’ve never seen a shot put travel that far with that much speed, explosion and height. It was an absolute rocket to the moon and may still be in orbit.”
Kyle Gwinn
Head Coach - Poca High School head coach
excellence star

Athletic Excellence

The 6-foot-2, 250-pound senior throws specialist broke a 39-year-old state record in the shot put this past season, launching the apparatus 68 feet, six inches to eclipse the previous mark set by two-time Olympian and Atlanta Games gold medalist Randy Barnes in 1985. Lunsford’s margin of break was more than 18 inches and ranked No. 9 among prep boys nationally this spring.  He also won the state shot put title at the Class AAA state meet with a throw of 65.3.75 and also took second in the discus with a 156-7 effort, leading the Scarlet Knights to the team title. He threw 64-3 or further four times this spring—a distance only 23 boys managed nationally in 2024. 

a graduation cap

Academic Achievement

Lunsford has maintained a 3.0 GPA in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete on an athletic scholarship at Ohio State University this fall.

first place ribbon

Exemplary Character

Lunsford has volunteered locally as a youth football coach and mentor.