The Mountain View boys will be looking to win their first indoor regional title as the second year school potentially can pull off the Northwest Region title triple crown this year after winning the cross country crown in the fall. The Commonwealth District champions will be the favorites in Friday's Northwest Region Indoor Track & Field Championships held at Liberty University's Tolsma Track Center behind a complete arsenal in the field and running events.
One established name of prominence with the young Mountain View program is sophomore distance star Thomas Porter as the Footlocker Finalist is the top seed in the both 1600 and 3200 meters and is expected to pick up 20 points total between the two races. Porter has personal bests this season of 4:28 and 9:34 for the 1600 and 3200 meter races respectively.
Mountain View has depth in the distance events past Porter though as shown in the 3200 meter run with four of the top six entrants with Porter, Chris Brown (10:10), Alex Brown (10:12), and Max Desens (10:15). The event could be the icing on the cake for a team championship as one of the last events in the meet. Porter could also go for one of the longest standing Northwest Region meet records as the current record of 9:37.04 was set in 1973.
However, Mountain View will not be position for the win at that point of the meet without strong performances field events as they have one of the region's best jumpers in junior Olu Olamigoke. Olamigoke will be in contention to win both the long jump and triple jump as the top seed in the long jump at 22'3" and second best in the triple jump at 46'1.25".
Culpeper's Jeff Ferris leads the event coming into the meet at 46'6" and looks to be one of the region's top individual performers in the event. Ferris has a shot at winning three events in the triple jump and 55 meter hurdles (7.84) as top seed in both, while having the second best mark in the long jump (21'11.25"). The Culpeper senior should have busy day as he is also set to compete in the high jump, 55 meter dash, and 300 meter dash.
Mountain View could sweep the jumping events with Olamigoke in the horizontal jumps and DeShun Whitaker as the region leader in the high jump at 6'4".
Cardinal District champs Forest Park should be in the mix as a top three team with their strong relays and distance crew. Forest Park has the fastest 4x800 meter relay in AAA currently at 8:00.15. The Bruins may want to go after a sub eight performance on the great track found at the Tolsma Track Center, but may run just to win to have their legs conserve their energy for later individual races. Forest Park has some breathing room in the event with 23 seconds separating them from the second ranked relay from Mountain View at 8:23.
Forest Park's Zack Williams has the fastest time this season in the 1000 meter run at 2:35.34, but will be hard pressed in the race with three seconds separating the top six runners in the event including teammate Ryan Shea at 2:36.97. Colonial Forge senior Blake Arnold is coming off a big win in the 1600 meter run at the Commonwealth District Meet over Mountain View's thomas Porter and will be skipping the 1600 meter run this week to focus on running a fast time in the 1000.
Osbourn Park coach Mike Feldman's son, Alex Feldman, happens to be the region's fastest sprinter in the 500 and 300 meter dash, but runs for Forest Park instead of Osbourn Park. Feldman will be bypassing the 500 meter dash for the 300 meter dash as the top seed with a 35.54 clocking.
The fast section of the 300 should be a great race down to the line though with three other competitors joining Feldman in the race with times under 36 seconds. Potomac Senior's Brice Matthews may be Feldman's biggest competition after running a 35.68 F.A.T. clocking to win the Cardinal District Meet. The Potomac junior is capable of taking two regional titles in the sprints as the top seed in the 500 meter dash at 1:05.55. Matthews will also be featured on either the 4x200 or 4x400 meter relay for Potomac Senior as they are the fastest in the Northwest Region in both events including three seconds at 3:26.37 in the 4x400. Forest Park will be a tough test in the 4x200 though with a 1:31.46 season best and Potomac at 1:31.25.
Despite finishing second to Forest Park by 32 points at the Cardinal District Meet, the Potomac Senior boys appear to have a squad at the regional meet ready to make a splash behind Matthews and their relays. Joshua Turner also looks to pick up considerable points in the 55 meter dash for Potomac Senior with the fastest time this season at 6.46, but Stonewall Jackson sophomore Damien Thigpen right behind him at 6.47 will look to win his first regional title only as a tenth grader.
Last year's indoor state and regional champions from E.C. Glass, will have a tough time coming close to any form of repeat, but should have oe bright spot with pole vaulter Daniel Inge as the junior will look to sharpen up before next week's AAA State Meet at George Mason as he will be considered the favorite with his 15'0" season best. Inge should have no problem picking up a regional title as he has room to spare over his next competitior with a 12 foot best.