The Deep Creek boys were the lone Virginia relay to make into the Championships of America finals this past week at the Penn Relays as the Hornets won their qualifying heat on Saturday morning with a time of 3:18.08. In the COA finals of the 4x400 meter relay, Deep Creek finished sixth in 3:19.44 as the second US squad with Long Beach Poly of California winning in 3:09.89. The finals were dominated with Carribean schools including three teams from Jamaica, one from Trinindad & Tobago, and one from the Bahamas in the field of eight. Making up the Deep Creek 4x400 were Keonta Coleman, Dejor Simmons, Dewey Gatling, and Curtis Campbell.
Western Branch also dipped under 3:20 for the first time this season at Penn Relays as the Bruins finished fifth in a loaded 4x400 heat with a time of 3:19.66 with the team of Daniel Nix, Javanti Sparrow, Dionte Melton, and James Gibson. The Eastern Region will be a hotbed for great relays in the event as Nike Indoor Nationals champion and defending AAA outdoor state champions Bethel were the next fastest from the state in fourth place in their section at 3:20.66 in the same race, which Deep Creek won and qualified for the Championships of America finals. The potential for several teams under 3:20 at the AAA State Outdoor Meet is very high.
The large school finals of the 4x100 meter relay were not so pleasant for Virginia with the two qualifiers in Bethel and Deep Creek taking a disqualifying and DNF respecitively, but the I.C. Norcom boys held their own in the small school finals finishing second behind a Herbert Morrison team from Jamaica with the state's fastest time this season at 41.50. The AAA indoor state champions in the 4x200 meter relay have improved their stock with their Penn Relays performance as a favorite to win the 4x100 state crown. The 4x100 at Penn Relays for I.C. Norcom consisted of Antonio Norvell, Mario Briscoe, Anthony Hines, and Isiah Gyasi.
Lakeland junior Chris Copeland had the highest individual finish at Penn among any of the Virginia boys in the high jump as the Nike Indoor Nationals All-American and defending AAA state indoor champion matched his personal best height with a clearance of 6'8" to earn second place honors. Copeland was an inch below the event champion from the Bahamas in Raymond Higgs at 6'9".
Two of the top four in the triple jump were Virginians as Lafayette's Garrick Piggott was not predicted to be the top finisher from the state with AAA state indoor runner-up Kelvin Griffin of Western Branch and defending AAA state outdoor champion Antonio Miller of Manchester also competing. However, Piggott beat both with a personal best mark of 47'3.75" to take third overall in the event as Griffin was only a few inches behind in fourth place at 47'0.25".