What’s particularly crazy about Albemarle’s girls 4×800 team? All four of them are underclassmen.
That quartet of three juniors and sophomore Ryann Helmers combined Friday to set a new school record with a 9:34.33 clocking at the Group 5A Indoor Championships, with juniors Halley Dillenbeck, Lauren Hughlett and Kathryn Mayo teaming up with sophomore Kathryn Mayo. The time was enough to bring home a state title as they edged out Deep Run who checked in at 9:36.65 in second place.
That was the Patriots’ lone points on day one of the Group 5A championships, putting them in seventh place overall at the Boo Williams Sportsplex.
Orange County’s Dequane Simmons got things going Friday too as the Hornets’ senior took second place in the boys triple jump Friday with a leap of 44-8.
Group 3A
Like Albemarle, Western Albemarle’s girls 4×800 squad also made a huge mark and they also did it with three juniors and a sophomore teaming up. The Warriors took second place with Zoe Clay, Faith Reed, Emma Ratcliffe and Averi Witt combining for a 9:47.17 clocking that was good for second place behind champion Tabb High. Fluvanna’s girls 4×800 squad took fifth in the state, with Saige Haney, Jackie Rodriguez, Bridget Bosson and Kristen Cabrera running a 10:12.07. Monticello’s girls relay team finished ninth with Samantha Payne, Laura Habermeyer, Gena Lewis and Kate Walz posting a 10:30.71.
Western’s Lydia Garner took third in the high jump Friday while Matasha Martin grabbed fourth while also taking third in the long jump. The Warriors’ Nichole Heon took sixth in the long jump.
Western’s boys 4×800 squad of Trevor Stutzman, Davis Green, Jack Ehlenberger and Gannon Willcutts checked in at 8:17.10 which was good for third place behind champion Blacksburg and runner-up Warhill.
The Western boys also had some pole vaulting success with Landon Smith taking fifth while Jackson Smith took seventh. Fluvanna’s Keegan Campanelli took fourth in the state for the Flucos in the pole vault.
