Lady Warriors and Black Knights in AA driverseat

BLACKSBURG, VA -- After destroying the competition at their regional meet, there is no question that the Western Albemarle girls and Charlottesville boys are favored to win the state team championships at this weekend\'s VHSL Group AA State Indoor Track Meet. The meet will be held Saturday at Virginia Tech\'s Rector Fieldhouse in Blacksburg. The Western Albemarle girls are aiming to win their second consecutive indoor state title, while the Charlottesville boys are looking to improve upon their runner-up finish at last year\'s meet.

The Western Albemarle girls will be depending heavily on point contributions from their distance crew, which has become a dynasty in AA over the past few years. Leading the way for the Lady Warriors is the Fanning sisters, Jessica and Tasmin. Jessica, a senior, is the second fastest seed in the 1600 meter run (5:02.24) behind defending race champion Sarah Bowman of Fauquier (4:53.27), while Tasmin, a junior, finds herself in a similar situation as the second seed in the 1000 meter run (2:57.84) behind race favorite Bowman (2:55.57). Bowman is clearly favored to win both events, but the Fanning sisters and others could give the Fauquier junior a honest challenge.

In the 3200 meter run, Western has three potential All-State finishers in Kelsey Stafford (11:31.84), Gina Casella (11:53.92), and Samantha Stafford (11:55.59). Kelsey Stafford was the Region II champion in the event and seeded third in the event at the state meet behind Roanoke Valley area stars Kirsten Hagen of Christiansburg (11:06.98) and Jennifer Beury of Hidden Valley (11:26.74).

Western Albemarle junior Kathryn Goeke comes into this weekend\'s state meet with the fastest time in the 500 meter run for Group AA at 1:19.42 and will be looking to pick up 10 points for the Lady Warriors\' cause.

The reason why the Fannings are not doubling up in additional individual distance events is because Western Albemarle coach Carin Ward is loading up her 4x800 and 4x400 meter relays for probable wins as each relay squad bests Group AA\'s fastest times in each event with season bests of 9:46.83 and 4:06.95 respectively.

Another expected ten points for the Lady Warriors is in the pole vault with Western Albemarle sophomore Ashley Early. Early not only ranks as the top vaulter in AA, but as well as the best in the entire state with a season best clearance of 11-4 this season.

In the girls\' long and triple jump, Amherst County senior Shemeca Berkley has the best marks entering in the contest of 17-10 and 38-3.75 respectively. Berkley has a strong chance of coming home with two state titles as her toughest competition appears to be from regional foes such as Prince Edward County senior Octavia Best, who is the second seed in both events.

While Berkley has the opportunity to win two state titles, Fauquier\'s Sarah Bowman is entered in three events as the top seed. Last year as a sophomore, Bowman notched five state titles total between the cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track seasons. Bowman was a double winner at last year\'s state meet in winning the 1600 and 1000 meter races and is expected to win the same events this year. Bowman currently has the state meet records in both events at 5:00.29 in 1600 meter run and 2:52.44 in the 1000 meter run and will be looking to better both records. The high jump has now become another potential state title victory for Bowman as she boasts a 5-4 personal best for the season as the top seed for Saturday\'s meet.

State champions as sophomores last year, Angela Johnson of Charlottesville and Tra Sceen of Heritage return to defend their titles in their respective sprint events. Johnson won the 55 meter dash last year in a 7.30 clocking and returns this year as the top seed with a faster best of 7.26. Ironically, Screen appears to be Johnson\'s biggest threat in the 55 meter dash with a 7.32 best. Screen is favored to defend her state title in the 300 meter dash as the top seed in the event with her season best of 41.12.

Another state champion returnee, William Fleming senior Tierra Hubbard, is the odds-on favorite to win the shot put once again with her 42-0.50 season best. With no other AA thrower having tossed for over 40 feet, Hubbard is sitting in a comfortable favorite role.

One team that could pose a threat to Western Albemarle is Region III champions and last year\'s state runner-up to Western by two points, Heritage. With Screen expected to score major points in 55 and 300 meter dashes, the chances for the Heritage girls look even better when looking at other possible point contributors. The two top seeds in the 55 meter hurdles reign from Heritage in Jade Moore (8.66) and Jessica Alexander (8.76). Alexander was a state runner-up in the event a year ago. Prince Edward\'s Octavia Best is the defending state champion in the event, but finished behind Moore and Alexander at the Region III Meet. More points can be tallied in the field events for Heritage as Alexander and Moore are also seeded in the top six for both the long and triple jump, while Alexander is seeded second in the high jump (5-2). Heritage also possesses the fastest 4x200 meter relay in AA with a best of 1:47.32. With a point scoring potential that is very high, Heritage has to make the defending champs Western Albemarle a bit unease.

State team runners-up last indoor season, the Charlottesville boys return to Blacksburg this year with the intent to come away with the first place trophy. The Black Knights possess a handful of talented athletes in the sprints and jumps that should provide for plenty of point support in the meet. Charlottesville senior Reuben Jones returns as the defending champion in the 55 meter dash with a top seed time of 6.49. Teammates Wesley Watson in the triple jump (46-5) and Tommy Lucas in the 55 meter hurdles (7.62) also hold the top performances in AA entering this weekend\'s state meet. Watson is also the fourth seed in the long jump and second seed in the high jump, while Lucas is seeded fifth in the triple jump. The Black Knights are also solid in relay action with AA\'s fastest times in in the 4x200 (1:33.33) and 4x800 (8:30.64) meter relays. In the 4x800 meter relay, Charlottesville be counting on healthy Michael Negash as anchor leg to pull through with the win. Negash suffered a hamstring injury at the Region II Meet and his status of course then comes into question for this weekend\'s meet.

Spotswood senior Nathan Turner with a 54-10.75 best throw this season in the shot put, is heavily favored in the event as he will be looking to earn his first state title after a close second place finish last outdoor track season.

The boys\' pole vault should be a very exciting contest with no clear favorite. Last year\'s defending champion is back in Western Ablemarle junior Stephen Thompson with a season best of 13-6, but is joined by three other vaulters at the same or higher clearance. Jefferson Forest seniors Jason Wilson and Anthony Pavia both have cleared 13-6, but the biggest surprise is the improvement by Thompson\'s teammate, Matthew Early. Early, brother to the current top girls\' pole vaulter in the state, Ashley Early, improved his personal best height significantly at the Region II Meet with a 13-9 clearance.

The boys\' 1600 and 3200 meter races look to be a two battle between Rustburg senior Donnie Mikels and Rockbridge senior Will Williams. Mikels is the top seed in both events with times of 4:26.39 and 9:37.59 respectively, while Williams is not too far behind at 4:32.64 and 9:48.34.

John Hopke of Lafayette is the sole entrant in the 1000 meter run that has dipped under 2:40 this season with his 2:39.27 best and will be the race favorite with the second fastest seed being nearly three full seconds behind with Turner Ashby senior Matt Miller (2:42.10).

The boys\' 500 meter run should be a fiercly contested event with no clear favorite. Fauquier senior Matt Bierlein has the top time in the event at 1:08.31, but Bierlein was defeated at the Region II Meet by Brentsville sophomore Eric Lane (1:09.40). Tabb junior Jordan Wynder (1:09.76) and Pulaski County\'s Thomas Doolittle (1:09.83) also figure to play a role in the race.

The boys\' 4x400 meter relay looks to be decided between two Bay Rivers District rivals in Jamestown (3:36.36) and Tabb (3:37.19) with the two top seed times.