MileStat.com visited the Mills Godwin cross country team in the West End of Richmond on Tuesday morning for a high quality workout which included a 20 minute tempo run, an all out 600, and 4x200 meter repeats. The Mills Godwin boys had one of the most successful seasons in school history last fall led by Grant Pollock, but graduated six of their top seven as this fall will be a rebuilding year behind lone top 7 varsity returnee in junior Dan De Nijs. The potential for great success shifts to the Mills Godwin girls this year as not only should they be vying for one of the four state meet berths out of the Central Region, but their great returning depth could help them challenge Maggie Walker for the Colonial District title. A lot of the program's recent success and improvement has to be attributed to their young coach Jon Lauder, who has challenged the Godwin runners to become more competitive since coming on board several years ago as an assistant coach to long-time coach Kemper Towler. The former University of Richmond and Oakton runner has since become a head coach in cross country and track. The Godwin girls have six girls back who have ran under 6 minutes in the 1600, three under 12 in the 3200, and three in the 19 minute range for the 5K. The big key for their success this season might be finding a front runner or at least finishing reasonably close to their rival team's top finishers. Lizzie Powell and Katie Wood look to be the top candidates as both were just a few places away from qualifying individually for the state outdoor championships as Powell ran 5:20 in the 1600 and Wood ran 11:45 in the 3200. With experienced seniors Catelyn Hill and Anne Menefee and a rising talent in sophomore Courtney Burton, Mills Godwin has a top five pack of girls in place which as they move up together can take their program to new level. Watch workout video and interviews below!   The Warmup Interview w/ Coach Jon Lauder Workout Video - 20 Minute Tempo Run Workout Video - 600/4x200 Strengthening Exercises Interview w/ Lizzie Powell, Katie Wood, Catelyn Hill, & Ann Menefee Interview w/ Dan De Nijs  

Virtual meet preview for the 2010 Colonial District Indoor T&F Championships based on performances currently in the MileStat.com database as of February 2nd.

This year's VHSL State Championships could be a historic meet for the Northwest Region. The Northwest Region has arguably the greatest assembly of individual state title contenders with a big three in seniors Kaitlyn Davis of Mountain View, Ariel Karabinus of Osbourn Park, and Katherine Walker of Brooke Point. Meanwhile, the Mountain View boys will look to not only get on the state meet podium for the second time in three years, but also claim the school’s first state title. In the first cross country season without Thomas Porter leading the Wildcats, Mountain View is in its best situation since the school opened five years ago to win a state cross country team title.

The Midlothian girls have won the last four Central Region cross country titles to coincide with their four straight Group AAA state titles. Do not expect the regional streak to discontinue this weekend for the Lady Trojans, but Lee-Davis freshmen Bonny Turnage (pictured left by John Herzog) might attempt to spoil an individual three-peat for Midlothian senior Kathleen Lautzenheiser. However, a highly anticipated individual match-up between Grant Pollock of Mills Godwin and Ted Richardson of James River might be the top story coming into the 2009 Central Region Cross Country Championships. Pollock is also attempting to not only become Godwin's first boys individual champion in regional meet history but also lead his squad to their first Central Region team title ever.

Anne Marie Gordon won her first state title as sophomore in huge upset win at the 2005 VHSL Group AAA State Indoor Championships. She had to deal with injuries and setbacks from then until her senior year in which she made a comeback to the top again with a clean sweep of the indoor and outdoor state titles as well as etching her name in the state meet record books for the pole vault.   Adding to her three state titles in the pole vault, Gordon (pictured right by John Herzog) also earned All-American honors at the 2007 National Scholastic Indoor Championships with a high school personal best height of 12'1.50". Gordon was consistently over 12 feet for much of her senior season with 8 clearances over 12 feet.   She now enters her junior year at Duke University and still competes on the track & field team. Read more for interview with Anne Marie Gordon...

 Photo by Ted Plunkett Without a doubt, the Colonial District Meet on Saturday at Pole Green Park will showcase the most depth in the Central Region. The Capital, Central, nor the Dominion will have as strong of a fourth place team squeaking out of the district onto the regional meet as the Colonial District will certainly have in both the boys and girls' races. The Maggie Walker girls and Susannah Piersol come in as favorites, but still are very wary of the potential of the defending district champions in the Douglas Freeman girls to run up to their potential come championship season. An upset by the Freeman girls would almost guarantee a team sweep as the Douglas Freeman boys have shown themselves to the be the second best team in the region this fall behind Midlothian. Freeman is led by one of the individual favorites in Lewis McPherson (pictured above), but Mills Godwin's Brian Welch and Patrick Henry's Davis Barry will make for an entertaining battle.

Hanover's Lauren Hopper winning the 2007 Lee-Davis Subvarsity Invite in 18:59.While small in size, the Lee-Davis Subvarsity Invitational will have some great quality in a meet which emphasizes the freshmen and sub-varsity divisions with medals going 25 individuals deep in those races versus 10 deep in the varsity races. In particular, several girls could be pushing to go under 19 minutes on the Pole Green Park 5K course in Mechanicsville as cooler temperatures and dry course should cater to fast times. Tallwood's Octavia Rinehardt as the #4 ranked runner in Virginia and coming off a 18:23 5K personal best run on Wednesday leads a handful of fast individuals racing this weekend at Pole Green including Disney Classic winner Lauren Hopper of Hanover, Hagan Stone Park Classic winner Amanda Lineberry of Lee-davis, and one of the state's fastest freshmen in Abby Badura of Clover Hill. The Jamestown boys headline the varsity boys field as the Eagles look to have a better showing in Richmond than they did two weeks ago at the Maymont Festival.

MileStat.com's Brandon Miles reviews the top freshmen girls this spring in the state of Virginia including top 25 rankings per event. There were plenty of ninth graders making quick impacts on the state scene. Kathleen Lautzenheiser of Midlothian won the AAA 1600 meter state title, while Christina Lee of Potomac Falls has emerged as one of AA's best distance girls with a state runner-up finish in the 1600. Meanwhile, Tynita Butts (pictured left by John Herzog) of T.C. Williams looks to help carry on what was an amazing year in the girls' jumps after leaping to a personal best mark of 19'5.50" in a state runner-up finish to NON champ Shakia Forbes. Jazmen Townsend had a large role in Deep Creek's state team championship as the Eastern Region 200 meter champ anchored home their 4x100 meter relay to a state title, while Ariel Karabinus was a savior for Osbourn Park's previously subpar state team showing in the 3200 meter run and gives them strong team aspirations for next year. Mills Godwin nor Patrick Henry may have to wait long for replacements in the graduation of the state's top two vaulters in Anne Marie Gordon and Anne Powell with Caitlin Walton and Lizzie Powell already matching or exceeding their mentors freshmen year bests in the vault.

Mills Godwin senior Anne Marie Gordon is in \"The Biggest Little City in the World\" in Reno, Nevada this weekend to compete in the Pole Vault Summit. The Summit gathers some of the nation\'s best high school, collegiate, and professional vaulters to compete in a festive and competitive event for the unique field event. Gordon is Virginia\'s best in the event by a foot and three inches with her 11\'9\" this best.

The East Coast Invitational continues to be one of the longest standing high school indoor invitationals in the state of Virginia as well as the country and continues to bring in some of the state\'s best talent. The first East Coast Invitational was held in 1960 and this year\'s meet will be the 48th annual. The meet use to be hosted inside the Richmond Coliseum on a wooden banked track before moving over to the Arthur Ashe Center in 1983. The 2007 edition of the East Coast Invitational will feature Shanneka Claiborne, Aramis Massenburg, Rachel Butler, and Anthony Chesson as some of the state\'s top athletes in the meet with the Manchester boys and Midlothian girls as the top teams attending.

MileStat.com Athletes of the Week winners for the week ending January 6th are Lakeland senior Predist Walker and Mills Godwin senior Annie Marie Gordon.

Mills Godwin senior Anne Marie Gordon likes drama apparently. Not only is she in theatre at school, but seems to like to wait till the final attempt when clearing personal best heights in the pole vault. At last March\'s National Scholastic Indoor Championships, Gordon cleared 11\'7.25\" on her third attempt at the height. On Saturday at the Keydet Invitational, Gordon cleared a best height of 11\'9\" in similar dramatic fashion on her final attempt at the height.

Mills Godwin junior Anne Marie Gordon heads into this weekend as the favorite at the AAA State Indoor Track Meet in the girls\' pole vault. Gordon was a surprise state champion last March as a sophomore as she hit a personal best mark of 11\'3\" to do it. After competing through last spring\'s outdoor season injured and it showed with a dropoff in her performances, Gordon had arthroscopic surgery to correct her problems in September and has shown great resiliency in bouncing back quickly this winter. With a season best height of 11\'0\" so far this season, Gordon might need to match her performance from a year ago at George Mason to capture her second crown.

Many of the Central Region\'s best teams and athletes gathered to compete at the Green Dragon Relays held at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond. The meet serves as a final meet for most teams before winter break. One state best and several other solid performances were posted on the spikeless 145.45 meter track surface.

The Dragon Relays saw some exciting field event and relay action at the Arthur Ashe Center. Huguenot\'s Ronnie Bussell posted a state best of 22-11 to win the boys\' long jump, while second place finisher Reynold Smith of Forest Park (22-2.50) was a winner in the triple jump at a state best of 45-11.50.

Athletes of the week for the week ending on March 23, 2002, are Matt Wolak of Mills Godwin and Morgan Barry of St. Catherine\'s. Each athlete had outstanding opening performances for their outdoor track season at the Manchester Relays despite very windy a

In a meet loaded with fast distance runners, John Piersol, Matt Wolak and Julia Siegel put on a show. All three set meet records - Piersol got two - but in Saturday

Pictures of Phil Gaeta's win in the 1600 at Microtel Invitational.

Pictures from the boys' and girls' 1600 meter races at the 2002 East Coast Invitational at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond.

Pictures of Matt Keally's eye-popping 3200m run at the CNU Showcase where he clocked a state best time of 9:14.

Two of the best in the state, the Bethel girls sprint relays and Menchville's national champion high jumper, Keith Moffatt wasted no time in getting serious this indoor season.

Taking advantage of Midlothian senior Austin Smith's knee injury, Thomas Jefferson junior John Piersol upset the defending Central Region champion.

The Thomas Jefferson cross country team had both the boys and girls individual winner at the Colonial District Meet held on Deep Run Park 5K course.

Last year, the Christopher Newport Cross Country Invitational was forced to be cancelled due to torrential rains and flooding the weekend of the meet. The meet bounced back from the setback this year though with outstanding performances.