Ravenswood High School two-sport standout Hadleigh McGoskey nears the finish line during last year’s Class A state cross country meet at Cabell Midland High School. The Red Devil senior, who is likely to become the school’s all-time career scoring leader in basketball, just missed all-state honors last fall after finishing in 14th place. (Photo Provided)
RAVENSWOOD — Hadleigh McGoskey has just one year remaining as a student-athlete at Ravenswood High School before she embarks on the next chapter in her life at Kentucky Christian University.
The two-sport standout for the Red Devils, who is among the top of her class with a cumulative 4.125 GPA, has been working hard as ever this summer preparing for another cross country campaign with head coach Bryan Canterbury.
“There’s no basketball player in West Virginia that is as good as her that runs cross country,” said Canterbury, who watched his then junior finish 14th in Class A a year ago in Ona with a time of 21minutes and 24 seconds, which was just outside the coveted top 10 for all-state honors.
“Not only has she became a really good runner, but she knows what that does for her because of the way she plays in basketball with her physical style. It’s hard in this day and age to be an all-state talent in two sports, regardless of what sport they are. She definitely has all-state potential as a runner and a basketball player.”
McGoskey currently owns single season school records for 3-pointers made, foul shots converted and free-throw shooting percentage. She surpassed 1,000 points as a junior and currently is sixth on the all-time scoring list. If things go as planned this winter, she easily will move into the top spot ahead of Hailey Miller’s 1,495 points and No. 2 Pam Conrad’s 1,487.
“In myself,” McGoskey responded when asked where she finds her motivation from. “I’ve always had this drive. I feel like if you don’t give your best what are you doing?”
The Red Devil dabbled in volleyball during middle school, but ultimately decided to stick with the hardwood and cross country, which KCU would like her to do both at the next level.
“I’m feeling really enthusiastic. Our team is looking really good,” she said. “Gwyn Gorrell, she’s a freshman and my running buddy.”
McGoskey admitted when it came time for last year’s state cross country meet that “I thought I had a chance (for top 10). I ran my hardest and I gave it my all and that’s enough for me.
“I think I’ve improved a lot throughout the years. That’s a lot of thanks to coach Canterbury. He pushes us every practice and keeps us going.”
The Ravenswood senior finished 19th at the state meet as a freshman and had to settle for 47th as a sophomore after dealing with a hip injury all season.
“She ran through it, competed and ran every race,” Canterbury added. “Hadleigh is a tough kid. She takes that punishment in basketball and I think it’s because she runs cross country and isn’t afraid to test her limits. Most kids with her skill type in basketball don’t want to test them in running.
“It’s made her mentally stronger. She’s worked really hard in the weight room for four years. She works hard as a runner to get in shape and she works hard on her basketball game. She’s one of those kids that if someone is not going to come and work out, she’s still coming.”
A soon-to-be four-year letterwinner in basketball as well, McGoskey helped the Red Devils to the Class AA state tournament as a freshman and again last winter.
“We played in the Pit and we lost to Buffalo in a heartbreaker. It was bad,” McGoskey admitted of how her sophomore season came to a close in the regional final.
“My team and I just used it as motivation going into junior year. We knew we had to get to states. We had like a fire under us in every game and we weren’t going to let that kind of upset happen again.”
McGoskey, who landed on the all-state second team in basketball, can be a vocal leader according to Canterbury, but “she’s going to lead by example, which is ultimately what you want. The girls love Hadleigh.
“She just has that type of personality. She’s so competitive that you always know the races and the games you are going to get everything she’s got, and sometimes you have to hold her back in training.”
Without question, McGoskey considers herself a gym rat and she also plans to run track for the first time this spring.
She put up 25,000 shots last summer and admitted shooting is her best strength in hoops, but she’s concentrating on improving more defensively.
“I’m going to miss it,” she said of when her time at RHS concludes. “It’s been great. I moved here in seventh grade. Everybody has been so welcoming and I have a great group of coaches around me always encouraging me to do my best. They don’t settle for less than you can. It’s really just a big community of everybody likes each other and it’s a great place to be.
“I’m very grateful that I have the ability to do it and God has blessed me with my athletic ability, and the group of coaches I have around me are always supporting me and helping me to do my best. Nothing is going to be easy. You just got to give your best. You’re going to be uncomfortable and you just have to go through it. There’s nothing better than hard work. You just have to push through even when things get hard. You can’t give up.”
Contact Jay Bennett at [email protected]
