At Fork Union, it’s become an expectation to win a state title in track and field, and Saturday the Blue Devils did just that, rolling to a VISAA state title by 94 points over second place Woodberry Forest at St. Christopher’s.
FUMA swept up 11 event state titles en route to the victory, winning everything from the 100-meters to the shotput with a balanced, dominating effort.
Denver Wright had a huge day with state titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter races, winning the 100-meters with a blazing 10.9-second finish. Clyde Gross also won a pair of titles by sweeping the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles.
Jordan Roach had a huge day too with his third-straight discus state title, unleashing a state record 182-foot, 10-inch throw in the discus to wrap up a state title and put his name in the record book. The toss was a 20-foot improvement on his state title-winning toss back in 2011, and blew away the previous private school state record of 165 feet set in 1971 by another Fork Union thrower.
Michael Idziak won the 800-meter title with Avery Martin taking second place, then the tandem switched places in the 1600-meter with Martin winning the individual title while Idziak helped the Blue Devils pile up points in second place.
Staton Mayfield’s title in the pole vault with a 14-foot clearance, a triple jump victory by Obiero Okeyo at 46-08.25 and Charlton Larkins with a shotput win at 49-08.75 rounded out the individual titles. The 4×100 squad also picked up a championship with a 42.39-second performance. Matt Desaulnier finished just behind Larkins in the shot.
Dondre Wright, Randle El and freshman Arnel Combs went third through fifth for the Blue Devils in the long jump.
Woodberry had a strong day in Richmond too, with the highlight coming in the 4×400 relay when Woodberry’s quartet of Eric Ways, Jonathan Yellets, Roma Pivovarnik and Michael Kelley rolled to a private school state meet record of 3:22.44 breaking a record set back in 1966 by a foursome out of Randolph Macon.
The Tigers also took second in the 4×100 and third in the 4×800 behind St. Christopher’s and Fork Union. Wallace Branche took second for the Tigers in the triple jump. C.J. Prosise picked up a key runner-up finish in the 100-meters.
Blue Ridge finished ninth overall entirely on the points of Leon Straus. Straus took second in the 200-meters and third in the 100-meters for the Barons to post 14 total points.
Junior runner Elias Hubbard got the Miller School on the board with an eighth place finish in the 1600-meter run.
