Western Branch Girls Win Sixth Consecutive Class 6 Title

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Some familiar names returned to the podium as the Virginia state track and field championships returned for the first time since 2019. 

Na'Taja Ballard helped lead Western Branch to the girls team title in Class 6, winning the 100 meters in 11.96 and the 100-meter hurdles in 14.10. She was also second in the 200. Her older sister, Shadajah, was the star back in 2019. 

Western Branch scored 66 points. 

Mia O'Neil from Landstown, a Tennessee recruit, won the 200 in 24.15 and the 400 in 55.26. 

Madison McConico of Thomas Dale eked out a close victory in the triple jump over Emma Seetoo of Westfield as both went past 40 feet. McConico jumped 40-4 and Seetoo went 40-3.50. 

Seetoo was second in the 100, long jump and triple jump for 24 points. 

Osbourn Park sophomore Lena Goodwin won the long jump with 20-3.75.

Wisdom Williams from TC Williams won the shot put with 47-0.50 and also the discus with 137-4. 

Battlefield High won the boys team title, topped off with a victory in the 4x400 relay (3:19.19). The team got contributions across the board, with Kaden Waller scoring in the 100 and 200, Austin Gallant scoring in the 800, shot put and discus, and Winston Broiles placing top-three in both hurdles finals. 

Michael Bourne of Cosby swept th hurdles events with US#5 13.69 in the 110s and 37.29 in the 300s -- both personal bests. 

TC Williams jumpers stole the show in the jumps. Joshua Peterson won the long jump with US#5 24-10 and teammate David Coles jumped 48-2.50 to take the triple jump. 

Xavier Jemison of McLean won the 800 meters in a photo finish with 1:52.97 and also took the 1,600 in 4:17.26.

TC Nelson of Woodgrove threw a personal best 66-7.50 to win the Class 5 shot put with US#5. The meet record throw sailed over the end of the sector and into the grass. 

Sir-Jonathan Sims of John Randolph Tucker won the triple jump with 48-3. He was second in the long jump. 

Jayson Ward and Luke Affolder led the LC Bird boys to the team title. Ward won the 200 (21.52) and 400 (47.37) and Affolder took the 800 (1:55.53) and the 1,600 (4:18.87). 

LC Bird also won the 4x400. 

Micayah Holland from Princess Anne swept the 5A girls sprints, with 11.92 in the 100 and 24.35 in the 200. 

Midlothian won the team title got big contributions from Caroline Bowe, who won the 800 in 2:12.87 and the 1,600 in 5:00.41. 

Jahnelle Saunders from Bethel won the 100 hurdles in 14.18, the long jump with 19-6 and the high jump with 5-4. 

Meredith Bahn of Glen Allen led a 1-2-4 finish in the pole vault with a clearance at 13 feet. 

Jada Foreman from Atlee won the triple jump with 39-7. 

In Class 4, the Loudoun Valley boys and girls swept the team championships. 

Matthew Smith swept the 800 and 1,600 for LV with wins coming in 1:53.27 and 4:16.78. Graham Mussmon was second in the 3,200 and fourth in the 1,600. The Vikings also had two scorers in the shot put, discus and high jump. 

Ava Gordon also swept the 800 and 1,600 titles for LV, pairing times of 2:17.27 and 4:55.07.

Powhatan senior Anthony Greenhow ran state leading times in the 100 (10.37w) and 200 meters (21.03), winning both finals in dominant fashion. Ashton King of Eastern View (10.72w/22.02) was second in both races. 

Madison Whyte of Heritage, a sophomore, ran a strong double to claim the 200 and 400. She ran US#6 23.62 in the 200 and 54.75 in the 400. 

In the Class 3 meet, Alaysia Oakes won the 100 (12.19w), was second in the 200 (25.27w) and was second in the 400 (58.12) and won the long jump (18-2) and triple jump (38-8.25) to carry the Heritage (Lynchburg) girls to the team title. 

Kennedy Flynn of James Monroe, a freshman, was the top hurdler and won the 100 hurdles (14.15) and 300 hurdles (46.32) by wide margins. She was also on the winning 4x100 relay. 

The Western Albemarle boys got a lift from Henry Sullivan in the hurdles, where he won the 110s (14.63) and took second in the 300s (41.40). Jonathan Kumer (second in the 800), Owen Shifflett (fourth in the 1,600 and second in the 3,200) and Jade Mawn (fourth in the 3,200) also made big contributions. 

Nate Benson from Lafayette made a state-leading height of 15-9 to win the pole vault. 

Aaron Nice and Jo-El Howard led the Stuarts Draft boys to the Class 2 title. Nice was top-three in both hurdles events and part of two top-three relays. Howard was on both relays and scored in the long and triple jumps. 

Desmond Claiborne of King William won the 100 in 10.67.

Carley Wilkes won the 800 (2:18.83) and 1,600 (4:59.67) and Sydney Loder swept the hurdles to lead Glenvar to the girls team title. 

In Class 1, Daniel Graham helped lead Auburn to the boys title with a victory in the 110 hurdles (15.81), second in the 300 hurdles (42.64), third in the pole vault and was on the third-place 4x400 relay team. 

The Patrick Henry girls rolled up 98 points and scored many of them in the field events, including a 2-3 finish for sisters Ella and Avery Maiden in the long jump. Ella Maiden also swept the hurdles and won the pole vault and triple jump, and was third in the high jump and was part of a second-place 4x100 relay. Avery Maiden scored in many of the same events. 

Team champions - 

Class 6A - Battlefield boys 59 points, Western Branch girls 66 points - RESULTS

Class 5A - L.C. Bird boys 84 points, Midlothian girls 44 points - RESULTS

Class 4A - Loudoun Valley boys 86 points, Loudoun Valley girls 71 points - RESULTS

Class 3A - Western Albemarle boys 57 points, Heritage (Lynchburg) girls 74 points - RESULTS

Class 2A - Stuarts Draft boys 65 points, Glenvar girls 76 points - RESULTS

Class 1A - Auburn boys 61 points, Patrick Henry girls 98 points - RESULTS