4A State Meet Preview
Any classification can make the argument for having the best teams or individuals but we know for a fact that this argument doesn't work this year as the 4A classification has separated itself from the state in a big way. Leading the classification are six time defending champions Blacksburg on the girls' side and US #1 team Loudoun Valley going for their third team title in a row on the boys' side. Both of these squads bring very strong athletes and depth to the championships and will look for historic marks.
The first of these races will be the girls race featuring Blacksburg and superstar Kaitlynn Wolfe. Wolfe, only a 10th grader, from Blacksburg has run a blistering 17:31 this season and is ranked second in the entire state and 13th amongst her classmates nation wide. Her toughest competitor is going to be last year's runner-up, Natalie Morris of Loudoun Valley. Morris, who is Peter Morris' older twin, has already run 17:49 this season.
Also entered in the meet under 18:00 is junior Ailene Edwards of Blacksburg who has gone 17:54. Her's and Wolfe's potential scores really help Blacksburg in a bid to tie the longest winning streak (7 consecutive titles) in state history. Loudoun Valley will provide the largest challenge as they too have a very strong 1-2 punch.
Which ever team can put their first three in first will likely win the title.
In the boys' title race the pre-race favorites Loudoun Valley are chasing another record. Friday they are attempting to score the lowest score ever in state meet history. The record right now is 17 points set back by Rappahannock County in 1972 and equalled in 1974 by John Handley. Only three times since then has a 3A-6A school been able to score under 30 points with only the 2012 Blacksburg squad breaking 20 (19) points. That shows you how historically tough and nearly impossible this goal is.
To tie this record Loudoun Valley would have to place 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th. Anything short of this and they will not tie the record. Their biggest team threat also has their biggest individual threat in Grafton's Price Owens. He returns from last year's meet as the runner-up to Peter Morris and a Foot Locker national finalist.
Price, a Georgetown commit, cruised thru his regional meet and since the summer has been primed for a strong state meet where he knew it would be him against the world. What we didn't expect though was his Grafton teammates stepping up this big and positioning themselves well for a runner-up finish.
Chasing Grafton for that second position is Midlothian, Blacksburg, and Dominion.
Individually though things are very tough to decide. Peter Morris returns as both the state leader on time and as the defending champion. His teammate Sam Affolder is a close second and has proven to be the only Virginia guy to have the ability thus far to defeat Peter.
Price Owens enters as the third seed with Colton Bogucki (Loudoun Valley), Jacob Hunter (Loudoun Valley), John Delaney (John Handley), Kevin Carlson (Loudoun Valley), and Chase Dawson (Loudoun Valley) all entered under 15:49 as well.
This race very well could be the fastest race in state history both up front and for the entire top 15.
The 4A State Championships will be run at 11:45am and 12:30pm Friday.