VHSL FLASH RESULTS: Both course records fall. Andrew Colley clocks 15:02, bettering the mark of 15:03 set by Alan Webb; Megan Marsico's 17:38 was 10 seconds better than previous mark set by Catherine White; Thomas Porter outkicks Ben Dejarnette over the last 400 meters for the AAA win; Midlothian wins 4th straight title; Jamestown, led by Colley, placed 3 in the top 6 for the win; Oakton boys also impressive in victory; Stacey Nobles over Kathleen Lautzenheiser; Blacksburg girls over Hidden Valley by virtue of a sixth runner; Clarke County boys, led by individual champion Ben Veilleux; George Mason halts Clarke County girls' streak.
MileStat.com will have comprehensive coverage of Saturday's VHSL State Cross Country Championships at Great Meadow. Results, photos, race videos, interviews, stories, and more!
State titles & course records on Colley and Marsico's minds
Plenty to look forward to in the Group AAA, Group AA, and Group A races...
Glenvar junior Megan Marsico and Jamestown senior Andrew Colley are capable of course record runs after recent all-time historic performances. Marsico has ran the nation's 3rd fastest time for 3 miles at 16:51 and among the top 30 nationally with a 17:45 5K performance. Colley's converted 3.05 to 5K performance from his district meet ranks him 3rd in the US at 14:54. State meet course records at Great Meadow are held by Alan Webb at 15:03 (2001) and Catherine White at 17:48 (2005). Colley will have more competition in his race to push him with some of the state's fastest found in Group AA, while Marsico will have to run a record time solo in the Group A.
US #11 Jamestown boys are gunning for their first state title since 2001 and end the Region II dominance of champions in their last hurdle to clear before the NXN Southeast Regional. A Region II squad has won the Group AA boys title every year since Jamestown won the title in 2001 and two Region II squads in Potomac Falls and Western Albemarle figure to be the biggest threats for the VA #1 ranked Eagles.
Midlothian girls are attempting to join the Lake Braddock girls (1985-1988) as the only AAA team to win 4 straight titles with potential their toughest challenger yet in the Northern Region champs from Thomas Jefferson. Midlothian senior Paige Johnston will be running in the Lady Trojans' top 7 for the fourth straight year at Great Meadow and could potential be a member of four state champion squads.
Two crowd favorites Thomas Porter and Ben Dejarnette battling it out in the Group AAA boys race for their first state cross country championships after dealing with second place finishes, falls, illness, and bad luck in past state meets. In the 2007 state race, Mountain View's Porter was a runner-up to Jason Witt, while Dejarnette was one spot away from All-State with a 16th place battling illness. Neither wants to come up short again at Great Meadow.
George Mason girls have had their number all season, but Clarke County girls have won 4 straight Group A titles and could upstage Midlothian making it 4 in a row with an upset over their Region B rival.
Blacksburg and Brentsville girls have the history of state championships on their side, but the 2008 Hidden Valley girls have talent and momentum on their side after knocking off the defending state champs from Blacksburg at the Region IV Meet. Blacksburg and Brentsville have victories over Hidden Valley this season and will try to keep the Lady Titans from winning their first state title.
The technological evolution of the state meet....chip timing will be used for the first time this year!
And more!
Pre-VHSL State Championships Rankings
Virginia High School League cross country rankings by MileStat.com prior to this weekend's state championship at Great Meadow. Top 16 teams (only state qualifiers) and top 25 individuals for each classification are ranked based off of regional meet performances.
Virtual Meet Scoring for VHSL State Championships
Virtual meet scoring for the VHSL State Championships. Note that individual qualifiers are not included and only team qualifiers.
VHSL State Championships Preview - Group AAA Boys
Thomas Porter has qualified for Foot Locker Nationals twice. He won a national title in the freshmen mile and earned All-American honors. Add numerous district and regional titles to his list of credentials. He has been one of Virginia’s best distance runners over the past few years. However, one honor has eluded him in the form of an individual state title. His time window to win a state crown is not running low. His time is now.
The three-time Northwest Region champion Porter is one of two popular race favorites along with Atlee senior Ben Dejarnette. Dejarnette has at least one state title under his belt in a 3200 meter victory at last March’s indoor state championships. However, Dejarnette has had his share of misfortunes in cross country including last fall when an intestinal illness hampered his performances in championship season.
So naturally with Porter coming up just short on multiple occasions as a state runner-up in cross country and track as well as Dejarnette having his share of ups and downs, both runners will have a large contigency of fans rooting for them to pull out the victory at Great Meadow this weekend.
VHSL State Championships Preview - Group AAA Girls
The Midlothian girls will looking to put themselves in history right along with the greatest dynasty previously among AAA girls in their pursuit of a fourth straight AAA state cross country title at Great Meadow this weekend. Another state title would tie Midlothian for the most consecutive AAA girls state team championships with the great run by the Lake Braddock girls from 1985 to 1988.
There may have been better versions of the Midlothian girls over the past few years, but the 2008 Midlothian squad still has to be considered the best team in the state of Virginia heading into Saturday’s VHSL State Championships. The potential is there for the team to be just as dominant though in another state victory. One athlete who has been a member of all three state championship teams running varsity as a freshmen for the Lady Trojans is Paige Johnston. Johnston, now a senior, will be given the rare opportunity this weekend to see if she can be a part of state championship all four years of high school.
VHSL State Championships Preview - Group AA Boys
The best team in the state of Virginia and the #11 ranked team in the country will be featured in the 11:15 am and second race of the day with the Jamestown High School boys cross country team from Williamsburg. The Eagles have soared head and shoulders above the rest of the teams in the Commonwealth, regardless of classification, this fall. Their victory in the invitational division at the Maymont Festival and fourth place finish in Eastern States Championships race at the Manhattan Invite against the best high school cross country teams on the East Coast have asserted this team in a class of their own. It could be argued that the 2008 Jamestown boys are the boys’ team of the decade in Virginia, but their historical standing will all be determined by how they finish their seasons especially this weekend at Great Meadow.
VHSL State Championships Preview - Group AA Girls
Hidden Valley’s upset over the previously AA top ranked Blacksburg girls for the Region IV title last week has created a similar situation as a year ago with a renewed belief for several teams of their chances to win the Group AA state team title instead of conceding a win to Blacksburg. The Hidden Valley girls are in great position to begin a string of state titles by defeating two teams in Blacksburg (10 state titles) and Brentsville (7 state titles) who have a great history of championship glory in November.