Western Branch Remains On Top Of 6A In Virginia

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

The loss of transformational coach Claude Toukene did not derail Western Branch's national-brand track program, which swept the boys and girls Class 6A titles at Todd Stadium in Newport News.

Shadajah Ballard led the girls team by winning three events. She won the 100 meters (11.88), the 200 meters (24.25), the 100-meter hurdles (13.47). Her younger sister, Na'Taja, finished second in the 200 and third in the 400. 

The Western Branch boys won the 4x400 relay in 3:19.98 and took fourth in the 4x100. Joe Wagner won the discus with 169-6.

Doval Simmonds of West Potomac won the 6A titles in the 200 (21.72) and 400 (47.22) meters. 

Sophomore Mia O'Neil of Landstown won the girls 400 meters in 54.70.

Oscar Smith High hurdlers Kurt Powdar and Aaron Shirley traded victories. Powdar won the 110 hurdles in 13.66 as Shirley took second in 13.86. In the 300-meter hurdles, Shirley won in 36.90 and Powdar was second in 37.84. 

Jaren Holmes of Riverbend won the long jump crown with 24 feet even. 

Sydney Banks of Osbourn Park jumped 5-10 to win the girls high jump. 

Hannah Waller of South Lakes jumped 39-3 to win the triple jump and placed second in the 100 (12.16), third in the 200 (24.65) and second in the 400 (55.40).

Lloyd C Bird High of Chesterfield won the 5A boys title, which included a 3:14.83 performance in the 4x400 relay.

Edward Richardson III of Bethel edged out the 100 meters winner, Javonte Harding from Prince George, in an epic 200 final -- 21.32 to 21.33. Richardson also ran 46.55 to win the 400 meters and ran on the second-place 4x400 relay.

William Spencer from Highland Springs swept the hurdles finals, running 14.26 in the 110s and 37.85 in the 300s.

Sophomore Carlos Alexander from Hermitage won the shot put (55-8) and discus (170-5) titles.

Tyler Pride from Potomac Falls won the long jump with 23-7.

Britton Wilson of Mills E. Godwin, a Tennessee recruit, enjoyed a big day in her final state meet. She won the 200 meters in 23.59 seconds, won the 400 meters in 53.19 seconds and ran on the third-place 4x400 relay team. 

Sophomore Aaliyah Pyatt from Massaponax won the 100 meters in 11.77, placed second in the 200 in 23.66 and placed third in the 400 in 54.74. 

Junior Bethany Graham of John Champe won the 1,600 meters in 4:50.06, edging out junior Ellie Desmond of Broad Run (4:50.09). Graham also won the 3,200 meters in 10:29.66 and ran on the winning 4x800 relay.

The Nansemond River girls ran 3:49.68 in the 4x400 relay to overtake Bethel wand win the 5A girls team title by a point, 66-65. Kori Carter led the way with victories in the 100 hurdles (13.95) and 300 hurdles (43.13).

Jalani Davis of Bethel won the shot put with 43-7.75.

Gennifer Hirata of Stafford won the pole vault title with a  clearance at 12-7.

Bethel sophomore Jahnelle Saunders won the high jump (5-4) and long jump (18-8.75).

The Loudoun Valley boys took five of the top six places in the 4A boys 1,600 meters and swept the top seven spots in the 3,200 meters -- pulling 62 points out of those two events alone. In the boys 800 meters, Theo Woods of E.C. Glass won in 1:51.98 and Sam Affolder (1:52.21) and Jacob Hunter (1:55.14) of Loudoun Valley finished second and third.

The team of Jacob Windle, Connor Wells, Hunter and Affolder also ran US#2 7:38.93 -- the top time in the country prior to New Balance Nationals Outdoor.

Isaiah Allen of Sherando won the shot put by nearly 10 feet with 62-5.50, the top throw of the season in Virginia.

Patrick Atwell from Fauquier won the 400 meters in 47.66 seconds. 

Grace Boone from Pulaski County won the 400 in 56.62, the the 800 in 2:11.48 and the 1,600 in 5:03.77.

Kaitlynn Wolfe and Ailene Edwards went 1-2 in the 3,200 meters to help Blacksburg win the girls team title.

Sophomore Layla Anderson from Churchland won the 100 (12.26), 200 (25.20) and 100 hurdles (14.90).  

Taylor Beard of John Handley jumped over 5-8 to claim the girls high jump. She also jumped 18-11.25 to win the long jump and 39-3.50 to take the triple jump. 

Zach Coldsnow and Elijah Bell piled up field event victories to secure the 3A boys team title for Tabb. Coldsnow won the shot put (55-9.25) and discus (163-10) and Bell won the high jump (6-9.50) and long jump (21-4.50w). 

Ryah Hinds of York won the girls 100 (12.53) and 200 (24.84) running into headwinds, and also ran 55.40 to win the 400 meters. 

Tru Crenshaw of Booker T. Washington swept the 100 and 200 on the boys side.

Ethan Mills of Christiansburg ran 1:53.38 to win the 800 and also won the 1,600 with 4:17.27.

Western Albemarle had five place-winners, all non-seniors, in the boys 3,200 meters. 

New Kent produced both winners of the 3A triple jump, with CJ Reeders going 48-0 in the boys event and Raven Harris jumping 38-0 in the girls'. 

Maggie L. Walker High of Richmond swept the Class 2A team titles. Senior Adam Sachs won the 1,600 meters and was second in the 3,200 meters. Michael Schweiker won the 800 and was part of the winning 4x800 relay squad. The girls also won the 4x800. 

The team titles had a lot to do with success in the pole vault. The MLW boys placed 1-3-4-5-7 in the pole vault. The girls team swept the top four places and had six scorers in the event.  

Deniya Gravely of Martinsville won the 100 (12.10) and 200 (25.29). Kyle Clanton of Central (Woodstock) duplicated the feat on the boys side, running 11.06 and 22.16 in the sprint finals.

Kahorie Batten, a junior from Surry, one of the fastest sprinters in Virginia, clocked 10.52 to win the 1A boys 100 meters and also won the 200 in 21.83. He added a third win in the long jump with 22-5.50.

Maggie Buchanan led Patrick Henry (Glade Spring) to the 1A girls title with her wins in the 200 (25.53) and 400 (57.43). She was also on the winning 4x100 relay and placed fifth in the long jump.

Team Scores - 

Class 6A - Western Branch boys 66 points, Western Branch girls 81 points RESULTS

Class 5A - Lloyd C Bird boys 74 points, Nansemond River girls 66 points RESULTS

Class 4A - Loudoun Valley boys 87 points, Blacksburg girls 57 points RESULTS

Class 3A - Tabb boys 74 points, Heritage (Lynchburg) girls 84 points RESULTS

Class 2A - Maggie L. Walker boys 84 points, Maggie L. Walker girls 97.5 points RESULTS

Class 1A - Lancaster boys 70.5 points, Patrick Henry (Glade Spring) girls 114 points RESULTS