Stories

Closing stretch

It was fitting that the two teams at the top would each set records. For the girls, the two top teams each had runners breaking Jefferson District championship records with Louisa County freshman Javanique Burruss setting the mark in her first place finish in the 300 meter hurdles and Western Albemarle junior Mattie Webb doing the same in the 3200 run. And although Burruss earned three more first place finishes and was a member of Louisa’s top finishing 4 x 400 relay squad, earning the JD girls athlete of the year award in the process, it was Webb and the Warriors who came up with the team title, edging the Lions by three points.

In the end, it was the 3200 − the second to last girls event of the day − that ultimately pushed Western over the top as Webb took first while teammates Claire Johnson and Emily Moffett took second and fourth place respectively with Louisa’s Hannah Best sandwiched in between at third.

“I was pretty exhausted from the mile but tried to take the (3200) at a modest pace,” Webb said of her record performance. “By the time I got to my third lap I felt pretty good. My splits were pretty even and I took off. The whole last lap I was think about the record and winning.”

The Warriors also can thank their pole vaulters, Nicole Harding, Kelsey Grupp, Christine Wesner and Sarah Gaunt who placed in first, second, third and fourth respectively.

Jordan Haws won the 800 Angela Lounsbury, Lauren Hite, Rebecca Gaunt and Killian O’Connell gave Western two of the three relay races with their top finish in the 4 x 800. The event was not without controversy though, as the Lions were disqualified before the finals and were expected to at least place or show, which potentially could have swung the meet in their favor. But Western would return the favor with a DQ of its own in the 4 x 100.

Nonetheless, Burruss was a one person wrecking crew with her record showing in the 300 hurdles to go along with gold medals in 100 hurdles and long and triple jump.

“I thought we did real good as a team,” Burruss said. “I think we could push ourselves a little more as a team and have won first place. But overall as a team we did good.”

She also ran a leg in on the first place 4 x 400 team with Kia Christmas, Jasmyne Johnson and Nojai Veras. Fellow teammates, Dara Johnston and Raven Robinson respectively won the high jump and discus throw. Robinson also won the shot put.

Other notable winners included VCU bound Sherrie Timberlake of Monticello who won the 100, 200 and 400 dash. Fluvanna County’s K-anna Loyd who won the discus throw.

The Louisa boys proved to be more fortunate than the girls. The Lions took first place as a team by a significant margin with first place finishes by Danta Davis in the 110 and 300 hurdles and ran a leg on for the Lions in its top finish in the 4 x 1600. Louisa’s Brandon Payne finished second in the long jump and was the anchor of the champions 4 x 400 relay team that edged out Western to cap off the day.

The Lions also took the 4 x 800 with the help of Chris Jackson, Devante Payne, Brandon Parker and Rockale Quarles as well as the 4 x 400 with Brandon Payne, Cory Osborne, Gregory Dixon and Jacod Scott.

“We’ve been working on this race,” Brandon Payne said of the 4 x 400. “I guess it just all worked out. We’ve won the last two year so it was good to win it this year since it’s my senior year.”

Kedarrius Bruce helped to lead the Flucos to their second place finish. Bruce showed great versatility by taking second in the high jump – teammate Damien Harris took first – and also taking second in the 100 dash while also leading his the 4 x 100 squad to a first place finish.

“I think we’ve still got to work on that exchange,” Bruce said of the 4 x 100 race. “It was looking a little shaky.”

Other event winners included Western’s Zach Lawson in the pole vault and Monticello’s Taylor Ecenrode in the discus. Charlottesville’s Reginald Sterling won the high jump while fellow Black Knights Steve Allen  and David Johnson won the shot put and triple jump respectively. Orange’s Edgar Coker took the 100 and 200 while Tevin Coker won the 400. Western’s Andrew Jennings won the 800

Monticello’s Nathaniel Hermsmeier was named the boys athlete of the year. Hermsmeier won the two longest individual events, the 1600 and 3200.

Rounding up the districts

Both Anthony Kostelac and Jordan Hill faired well in their final Commonwealth District championship and led Albemarle to a third place showing. Hill won the long jump and the 100, earned second in the 200 and was fourth in the high jump. Kostelac continued his dominance in the 1600 with a first place finish. The Virginia-bound track star also won the 800. Joel Okaah was second in the triple jump. For the girls, Summer Shepherd won the pole vault. Elizabeth Sinclair and Allison Huschke went 2-3 respectively in the 3200.

The Dogwood District championship featured a handful of top performances from Nelson County. Ashley Wells came in first and teammate Brittney Ross in second in the high jump. Ross also was second in the 400 and third in the 100. Elizabeth Alderfer took second in the 3200. For the Nelson boys, Rod Vest won the high jump and Tyler falls earned third in the 400.

In the Bull Run District championships Clare Moretz won both the 800 and 1600. On the boys side, Brandon Thompson was second in the shot put.

Shanice Miles had a big day in the James River championship to pace Buckingham County to a third place finish. The senior took second in the long jump, third and in the high jump and ran a leg for the first place 4 x 100 team along with Tiffany Spencer, Sharonda Swann and Johniesha Smith. Smith was second in the 100 and 200. Kelcee Jones was third in the shot put. Kassie Conway was third behind Miles in the long jump and second in the 400. Stephanie Dick took third in the 3200 and 1600.

The Knights took second as a team for the boys. Kendall Randolph won the triple jump, Jamese Payne did so in the 1600, and Antonn Briley took first in the 110 hurdles, came in second in the 300 hurdles, was third in both the long and triple jump and helped guide the 4 x 100 squad to second.. Antoine Chambers was third in the discus and second in the shot put. Earning third place in the 100  was Damien Glover. Payne also came in second in the 800. Eric Tipton won the 3200.

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