In one of the largest weekends in this sport annually we saw some of the best performances of the entire year. Vote here for which one you feel is the most impressive and best complete performance!
Candidate Performances
Matthew Zajac (E.C. Glass)
200-9 Discus State Record, Penn Relays Champion
On his last throw, senior Matthew Zajac, joined his older brother in winning a Penn Relays title. Zajac stepped up when it really mattered and improved nearly 20 feet on his previous best mark to win the competition and throw further then any Virginian ever.
Andrew Hunter (Loudoun Valley)
8:16.31 3000 National Sophomore Record, Penn Relays Champion, High School Individual Athlete of the Meet
Andrew ran the perfect race sitting back and then making a decisive move. His time of 8:16.31 was very impressive, his victory in such a fast field was also very impressive but what was most impressive was that he did it only as a sophomore. He is not the fastest sophomore 3000 runner all time in the country. His time and performance made him the Penn Relays high shcool boys individual athlete of the meet.
John Warren (Prince George)
50-8.5 US #1 Triple Jump at MileStat.com Elite
In his first real competition of the year, indoor national leader John Warren did not dissapoint. He hop, skipped, and jumped his way back in the US #1 spot with his mark. While jumping he has remained the US #1 since January in both indoor and outdoor season.
LaChyna Roe (Henrico)
40-7 VA #1 Triple Jump at MileStat.com Elite to go along with her 38-8.5 TJ at Penn Relays
Not only did LaChyna post a very imrpessive mark this weekend at MileStat.com's Elite Track Classic but she did it after some long hours of travel coming back from the Penn Relays where she previously had jumped at that time one of the best jumps in the state. To pull off this double was very impressive.
Western Branch Girls 4x800
9:03.76, less the .50 off the state record
Faith Ross (2:13.65), Amanda Thomas (2:14.09), Ebony White (2:09.52), Nina Massie (2:26.50)
Western Branch did not come to this meet just to say they did it. They came to win. They led through the first leg and were in the lead pack the entire race. They ran a VA #1 time, one of the fastest times in the nation this year, and were less then half a second off the state record.
Noah Lyles (T.C. Williams)
Anchor of the 4x400 (46.36 & 47.47 qualifying) and 4x100 on the same day
Noah impressed a lot of people this weekend by pulling off a very impressive triple. He split a 47.47 around noon secure his fellow Titans in the COA final of the 4x400. He then anchored the 4x100 to place first amongst Americans in the final. He then only hours later came back and walked down four teams to finish first amongst American teams in the 4x400 with his 46.36 split.
West Springfield Girls DMR
11:53.07, Penn Relays Champions of America
Katie Kennedy (3:44.13), Michelle Lipka (1:01.62), Reagan Bustamante (2:20.86), Caroline Alcorta (4:46.46)
The girls from West Springfield did it again! This marks their third major DMR win in a row. They were the national champions last outdoor season, national champions indoors and now Penn Relay Champions. Caroline Alcorta walked down the entire field on her anchor leg to lead her quartet to the victory.
Blacksburg Boys 4x800
7:42.83, Penn Relays Small School Champions
Flip Bishop (1:59.22), Jacob McCoy (1:53.95), Michael Carter (1:57.95), Kenneth Hagen (1:51.72)
Blacksburg ran very impressively and finished second amongst American teams and fourth overall in a very fast final. They ran a US #3 time and split some very impressive splits. They also were the Small School Champions and did this only a day after running an impressive time in qualifying.
Bryce Simpson (Atlee)
14-7, VA #1 Pole Vault at MileStat.com Elite
Bryce used his weekend well and vaulted a 14-7 mark to not regain leadership ontop of the state leaderboard.
Photo Credit: Scott Reid, Mary Ann Magnant, Patty Morgan, KNLPIX