It was a close race for much of the 2011-2012 sports season, but in the end, Ashe County took fifth place in the Wells Fargo Conference Cup Championship.

Wilkes Central pulled away in the spring thanks to Mountain Valley Conference Championships in baseball and women’s soccer. The Eagles finished the year with 134 points. Elkin took second place with 110 points, just enough to beat Forbush who had 109. Elkin finished the year with conference titles in men’s tennis and men’s track and field. Forbush earned one conference championship in spring sports, finishing in the top spot in men’s golf.

Starmount finished fourth with 100.5 points, just ahead of Ashe’s total of 98.5. Ashe earned a conference title in women’s track and field, and a second place finish in women’s soccer.

West Wilkes was sixth with 87.5 points, followed by North Wilkes (69 points), East Wilkes (68 points) and Alleghany (52.5 points).

The Wells Fargo Conference Cup is awarded to the top performing schools in each conference throughout the state. Each conference sets a certain point total that is given to each team based on how they finish the conference season in each respective sport.

In other area conferences, Avery County finished fifth in the Western Highlands 1A/2A Conference with 142 points, and Watauga took first place in the Northwestern Athletic 3A/4A conference with 198 points, 21 points in front of second place Hickory. The Pioneers wrapped up the 2011-2012 season with conference titles in men’s tennis, men’s track and field as well as women’s track and field.