MileStat.com\'s Brandon Miles interviews Robert E. Lee senior Sean Holston after the defending AAA 300 meter state champion posted the nation\'s fastest time for 500 meters in his debut in the event as well as US #17 all-time (has to rank much higher on unbanked surface list) with a 1:03.93 clocking at the 2006 F.I.T. Invitational held at the Prince George Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland on Friday, December 29th.
Robert E. Lee senior Sean Holston made a splashing debut in the 500 meter dash in Friday\'s F.I.T. Invitational held at Prince George Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland. The defending 300 meter state champion posted the fastest time in the country this season and 17th fastest 500 meter time in U.S. prep history with a 1:03.93 clocking. Time has to rank fairly highly among top all-time unbanked 500 meter times. Holston blitzed the new event from the start with a 36 second first 300 meters and dipping under 50 seconds at 400 meters. Complete results are posted with more to come from F.I.T. on Saturday including elites, more highlights, meet summary, photos, and video clips. Sean Holston Audio Interview
MileStat.com\'s Brandon Miles interviews Lee-Davis senior Rachel Butler at the CVTF Clinic Invitational held at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond, Virginia on Thursday, December 28th. Butler broke her own school record in the high jump with a 5\'5.50\" clearance as well as also picked up a win in the 55 meter hurdles. Butler was an All-American in the pentathlon indoors last March at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships and also won the AAA state championship in the triple jump last outdoor season.
Several of the Richmond area\'s best track athletes made appearances at the CVTF Winter Clinic and Invitational held at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond, Virginia including Lee-Davis senior Rachel Butler in her festive holiday striped socks. Butler set a school record in the high jump clearing 5\'5.50\" and also won the 55 meter hurdles on Thursday. Other highlights include the return of the Midlothian distance girls and in impressive fashion as M.C. Miller trounced defending Central Region 400 meter champion Shae Wilbon of Colonial Heights in a distance versus sprint duel in the 500 meter dash with Miller winning in 1:22. The Lautzenheiser twins of Midlothian showed no signs of slowing down from their phenominal freshmen year of cross country as Kathleen won the 1600 (5:18) and 1000 (3:06) with Leia taking the 3200 (11:19). Manchester\'s Anthony Chesson breezed through victories in the 55 and 300 meter dashes, while defending 100 meter state champion Shanneka Claiborne put up a fine early season time at the Ashe Center of 7.24 in the 300 meter dash. Anne Marie of Mills Godwin continued her consistent level of clearing high heights in the pole vault this winter with a 11\'0\" win. More to come from the Ashe Center including complete results, meet summary, photos, and video. Be patient as Friday will be spent at another meet all day in another state at the F.I.T. Invitational in Maryland. Expect photos and videos from Thursday\'s clinic invite to start to be posted on Saturday evening into Sunday. Select photo gallery from CVTF Clinc Invite (full gallery to come by weekend\'s end)
Performance list for the 2006 F.I.T. Invitational to be held Friday, December 29th at the Prince George Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland.
Several of the Richmond area\'s best track athletes made appearances at the CVTF Winter Clinic and Invitational held at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond, Virginia including Lee-Davis senior Rachel Butler in her festive holiday striped socks.
The middle of the winter holiday season in this area will once again have a potential competition and spectator gap in track and field more than ably filled with the 12th Annual Friends of Indoor Track Invitational this Friday, January 27 at the Prince George\'s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, Maryland. Following is a preview of some of the top performers expected for the F.I.T. Invitational. Photo to left: Centreville\'s Brittni Finch will be one of the featured athletes in Friday\'s F.I.T. Invitational as she returns as the AAA state champion and record holder in the long jump (19-10.25 best).
The All-MileStat.com Girls Cross Country Team has been selected for the 2006 season. Awards were given out to runner of the year, coach of the year, freshmen of the year, most improved runner of the year, and comeback story of the year. Also being named were first, second, and third teams consisting of seven members for each team. Performances throughout the season were looked at with championship and post-season races being given stronger, but not ultimate consideration. The very unpredictable and inconsistent nature of the sport on a week to week basis makes any selections tough to break down into a science, but our hope is the main goal of trying to give as much as recognition as possible to individuals in the sport is noted and appreciated. MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
The All-MileStat.com Boys Cross Country Team has been selected for the 2006 season. Awards were given out to runner of the year, coach of the year, freshmen of the year, most improved runner of the year, and comeback story of the year. Also being named were first, second, and third teams consisting of seven members for each team. Performances throughout the season were looked at with championship and post-season races being given stronger, but not ultimate consideration. The very unpredictable and inconsistent nature of the sport on a week to week basis makes any selections tough to break down into a science, but our hope is the main goal of trying to give as much as recognition as possible to individuals in the sport is noted and appreciated.
Quite a few Virginians were found on this year\'s Washington Post All-Met cross country team that was announced today. While Footlocker Nationals qualifiers Alison Smith and Matthew Centrowitz of Maryland took runner of the year awards, Virginia had three girls on the first team and four boys on the first team. Sarrah Hadiji, Michelle Presley, and Becky Stewart made it on the first team as did Adam Henken, Mike Spooner, and Thomas Porter for the boys.
If you are an All-American high school caliber athlete, it does not matter that you are competing on Arthur Ashe Center\'s 11 laps to a mile track without spikes. As Bethel senior Shakia Forbes and Hampton senior Tierra Brown showed, great athletes can put up great performances on a less than great indoor track at the Green Dragon Relays in Richmond.
USA Track & Field (USATF) has awarded its 2008 Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships to Hanover County, it has been announced. The event, to be held on December 13, 2008 at Pole Green Park, was awarded on the strength of a bid presented by the Sports Backers, Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Virginia Association of USA Track & Field.
After careful review of all data, the Executive Committee of the V.I.S.A.A. declared that the posted results were in error and has awarded first place to The Covenant School. A tabulation error in the finish chute produced an incorrect final posted result on race day. The Miller School placed second, and the Potomac School placed third. Below is the revised results.
The Lake Braddock squad made what has become an annual trip to the New York Armory fot the 53rd annual Bishop Loughlin Games and turned in some fine early season performances on one of the fastest indoor tracks in the country. Meanwhile, Stonewall Jackson sophomore Damien Thigpen picked up a big win and shows plenty of promise as argubably the state\'s fastest underclassmen.
Plenty of teams are talking about being the best team in the state. The Manchester boys are proving they are one of the best teams in the state on the track. Despite missing one of the top returning middle distance runners in Andrew Duty as Duty suffered a stress fracture at the end of the cross country season, the Manchester boys look to have the ingredients for a powerful punch this season at Saturday\'s Wally Gilbert Invitational in Lynchburg. Meanwhile, a total of nine state best performances were put up throughout the day including a 1:31.10 4x200 meter relay from Manchester.
Video clips from the 2006 Wally Gilbert Invitational held at Liberty University\'s Tolsma Track Center in Lynchburg, Virginia on Saturday, December 16th. More video clips from Wally Gilbert to come the next few days.
MileStat.com\'s Brandon Miles interviews Manchester senior Anthony Chesson at the Wally Gilbert Invitational held on Saturday, December 16th at Liberty University\'s Tolsma Track Center in Lynchburg, Virginia. Chesson won the 55 meter dash in 6.48 (6.47 in prelims), ran opening leg on a state leading 1:31 4x200 meter relay squad, and anchored the 4x400 meter relay to victory.
Complete results and elites posted from Wally Gilbert Invitational, Green Dragon Relays, Bishop Loughlin Games, and St. Christopher\'s Quad Meet. Meet summaries posted from Wally Gilbert, Bishop Loughlin, and Green Dragon. Photos posted from Green Dragon and Wally Gilbert with more to come from Wally Gilbert. All videos now posted from Wally Gilbert. (Photo to left: A rare smile out of Hampton sr Tierra Brown on the track as she ran a state best of 8.48 at Green Dragon Relays in the 55 meter hurdles on the spikeless Ashe Center track surface)
The VMI Track and Field/Cross Country staff is off to a great start in its recruiting efforts for the 2007-08 season, announcing the commitment of eight student-athletes for next year\'s freshman class. The class, being one of the largest early commitment totals in the program\'s history, is comprised of four men and four women who should all make an immediate impact for VMI track & field and cross country teams.
Video clips from the 2006 Hardy Invitational held Tuesday, December 12th at Fork Union Military Academy\'s Estes Athletic Center in Fork Union, Virginia. More videos to be added throughout the week.
The Hardy Invitational, hosted Tuesday night at Fork Union\'s Estes Athletic Center saw some outstanding early season times on the 160 meter track out of the distance races. After running in the 4x800 meter relay earlier in the event, two-time AAA state cross country champion Rachel Rose looked tough to beat clocking a time of 5:15 for 1600 meters. Meanwhile, Fork Union\'s middle-distance star Axel Mostrag was the unofficial pace setter at Tuesday\'s meet as he helped pace teammates Szymon Rola (4:25) and Jeremy Haney (4:28) in the 1600 meter run and Jamie Reichlen (2:34) in the 1000 meter run to early season state bests on a less than ideal track to post leading times in Virginia. Some scary early season times when thinking about the possibilities for the FUMA boys in the 4x800 and distance medley relays this year. More to come from FUMA including photos (more still being posted), video, and interview with Reichlen. Saturday On-Site Meet Coverage: Brandon Miles at Liberty for Wally Gilbert Invitational and John Herzog at Arthur Ashe for Green Dragon Relays. All-MileStat.com XC Team to be posted on Sunday!
Performance list for the 2006 Wally Gilbert Invitational to be held Saturday, December 16th at Liberty University\'s Tolsma Track Center in Lynchburg, Virginia. MileStat.com will be on-site with coverage from Brandon Miles.
Several big names started off their 2006-2007 indoor track season with big performances this past Saturday across the state with several meets being held. In a good sign for Virginia high school track and field and the improving number of quality 200 meter indoor track facilities being built over recent years, there were five meets held this past weekend on 200 meter surfaces. MileStat.com will be getting started with its on-site coverage schedule Tuesday at Fork Union with the Hardy Invitational. The meet starts at 5 pm. Then Saturday...its off to Lynchburg for the Wally Gilbert Invitational held at Liberty University\'s Tolsma Track Center. (Photo to left: Brooke Point senior and Clemson bound April Sinkler won three events at George Mason as she swept the jumps with a 5-4 HJ, 17-11 LJ, and 37-5 TJ).
Aurora Scott wanted the win, but had to settle for second place behind fellow South region runner in Kathy Kroeger of Tennessee (17:29) at Foot Locker Nationals in 17:39. After a slow and strategic early portion of the race, the two South region runners were able to gap the field after two miles with Kroeger able to pull ahead of Scott on the final hill. Scott\'s finish is the highest by a Virginian girl at Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego since 1986 and it is the first occassion that the South region has had the top two finishers. Meanwhile, the three Virginian boys did not get the results they wanted with Mike Spooner as the top finisher in 23rd place at 16:03 and followed in by Griff Graves in 28th at 16:11 and Thomas Porter in 31st at 16:19 in the 40 runner field. However, Graves and Porter as juniors and sophomores gained valuable experience in their first trips to San Diego, which could help considerably if they are able to make it back next year. More coverage from San Diego as MileStat.com was on-site with Brandon Miles and John Herzog covering the Virginia athletes as well as the other \"Milesplit Network kids\" (South region runners in particular). Plenty of great photos from John Herzog and videos, stories, and interviews from Brandon Miles!
Virginia will have four representatives in Saturday\'s Foot Locker Nationals held at Balboa Park in San Diego, California. The lone female among the Virginians is Aurora Scott as the homeschooled junior from Chesapeake has a strong chance at becoming the first Foot Locker Nationals champion from the state of Virginia as well as the South region since 1986. Meanwhile, Abingdon junior Griff Graves and West Springfield senior Mike Spooner have All-American top 15 aspirations and higher in the 40 runner field for the boys. Mountain View sophomore Thomas Porter will be getting valuable early experience on Saturday at Balboa as only one of a few underclassmen who have qualified for the race among the four Foot Locker regions.
Audio interviews by Brandon Miles with some of the Footlocker Nationals finalists this weekend in San Diego, California. More to come throughout the weekend.
The George Mason University Women\'s Track & Field/Cross Country team is hosting a High School Indoor Track & Field Meet on Saturday, Dec. 9 and four former Olympians will be on hand to assist and hand out trophies. Twenty-five area schools will compete at the George Mason Field House with a girl\'s and boy\'s team crowned champion at the end of the meet. The field events start at 8:30 a.m. and running events start at 9 a.m.
Performance list for the 2006 CNU High School Winter Frolic to be held Saturday, December 9th at Christopher Newport University\'s Freeman Center in Newport News, Virginia.
Performance list for the George Mason University High School Invitational to be held this Saturday, December 9th at GMU Fieldhouse in Fairfax, Virginia.
Performance list for the Liberty High School Christmas Invitational to be held this Saturday, December 9th at Liberty University\'s Tolsma Track Center in Lynchburg, Virginia.
While the final leg of MileStat.com coverage of the 2006 cross country season comes to a close this weekend with Brandon Miles and John Herzog traveling to sunny and warmer San Diego for Footlocker Nationals with Aurora Scott vying for the state and South Region\'s first national championship since former Langley star Erin Keogh\'s 1986 win at Balboa Park and a strong trio of Virginia boys in Griff Graves, Mike Spooner, and Thomas Porter also repping the state, indoor track also gets into full swing with a several meets this weekend. MileStat.com will keeping everyone up to date with how the Virginians do in San Diego, while also getting everyone excited for this weekend\'s track and field action with indoor previews and features. Click above for more to be added throughout the week previewing the indoor season and covering this weekend\'s Footlocker Nationals. Foot Locker South Preview - Brandon Miles looks at the chances of Virginia\'s four qualifiers and makes predictions on their finishes and times. Photos from Friday\'s Course Preview - Intro rehearsals, course walk through, course runs, picnic, and other miscellaneous shots by John Herzog. Pre-Meet Audio Interviews - Interviews by Brandon Miles with the four Virginia qualifiers as well as others from the South Region.
Top 25 returnees in the boys distance events from last year\'s indoor season based on personal bests performances in the 2005-2006 indoor track season.
Top 25 returnees in the girls distance events from last year\'s indoor season based on personal bests performances in the 2005-2006 indoor track season.
Top 25 returnees in the boys field events from last year\'s indoor season based on personal bests performances in the 2005-2006 indoor track season.
Top 25 returnees in the girls field events from last year\'s indoor season based on personal bests performances in the 2005-2006 indoor track season.
Top 25 returnees in the boys sprints and hurdles from last year\'s indoor season based on personal bests performances in the 2005-2006 indoor track season.
Top 25 returnees in the girls sprints and hurdles. from last year\'s indoor season based on personal bests performances in the 2005-2006 indoor track season.
Top eight returning boys in each event from the 2006 VHSL Group AA State Meet.
Top eight returning girls in each event from the 2006 VHSL Group AA State Meet.
A list of teams entered in the George Mason University\'s High School Invitational to be held Saturday, December 9th at the GMU Fieldhouse in Fairfax, Virginia. Performance list to come soon.
Top returning boys from the 2005 VHSL Group AAA State Meet. Returnee lists for the AA athletes for state meets and personal bests performances to come throughout the week as well as preview articles for this indoor season.
Top returning girls from the 2005 VHSL Group AAA State Indoor Track Meet. Returnee lists for the boys and AA athletes for state meets and personal bests performances to come throughout the week as well as preview articles for this indoor season.
In their first NTN experience, the Midlothian XC Club girls of Virginia had some growing pains. Luckily for them, only one runner graduates from their top seven in senior M.C. Miller. The team\'s usual number two or three runner, Miller, fell midway through the race and broke her arm. She was never able to recover and faltered to a 97th place finish in 21:55 as the team\'s sixth finisher. The team from Midlothian finished 10th overall in the team standings with 255 points. The bright spot for Midlothian and the Southeast boys was the individual run by junior Jason Witt. The boys championship race had a major spill that included dozens of runners within the first quarter mile and first turn of the race and Witt went down in the middle of it. Witt continued to pick runners off throughout the race and until he found himself finishing seventh overall in 16:51. However, Nike Team National is a team event and Midlothian has a team took a so-so finish of 14th place. Not great in looking at the team\'s optimstic expectations coming in, but not awful either consider the outsider\'s expectations of the team. More to come from NTN with on-site coverage from Brandon Miles. Replay the Webcast on DyeStat.com Photo Galleries by Brandon Miles: Pre-Meet Festivities - Championship Girls Race (417 photos) - Championship Boys (392 photos) - Open Girls (261 photos) - Open Boys (360 photos) Southeast Teams Meet Summary - By Brandon Miles NTN Audio Interviews - By Brandon Miles with Midlothian\'s Tommy Reese, Midlothian\'s Jason Witt, Eleanor Roosevelt\'s Marika Walker, and Chapel Hill\'s Taylor Muir Tuesday & Wednesday: Indoor previews
The Southeast Region did not have the greatest day at Nike Team Nationals. The boys had the last place team in the field with Chapel Hill XC Club (Chapel Hill NC) and despite having a pre-race favorite in Midlothian XC Club (Midlothian VA) and predicted top five finisher in Greenbelt XC Club (Eleanor Roosevelt MD), neither ended up cracking the top five at Portland Meadows. The news was not entirely dim for the Southeast. Despite being part of a major fall and pileup with less than 300 meters into the race, Midlothian junior Jason Witt had a gutsy run to take seventh overall in 16:51. While the Southeast girls were unable to matchup with the Northeast, who continued their dominance at NTN with three of the top four teams, the region\'s three team representatives all finished in the top 12 and their first two top ten teams.
Audio interviews from Nike Team Nationals in Portland, Oregon will be added throughout the week by Brandon Miles.