While the boys should see a few US top 5 and US top 10 performances from likes of Sean Holston in the 200 meter dash and Dylan Ferris in the 800 meter run among others, the girls at the Gala have two events in which the US high school national records could be seriously threatened or at least US #1 performances are likely even if the record attempts fall short with the Blazin' Raiders (Eleanor Roosevelt MD) in the night's final event in the distance medley relay and Northside senior Catherine White in one of the first races of the evening in the 2000 meter steeplechase.
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Girls Sprints:
Matoaca senior Shanneka Claiborne (pictured right by John Herzog) will look to beat her 100 and 200 meter dash double times from the Southern Track Classic as well as with matching wins as the two-time AAA state champion in the 100 meter dash competes one final time on the track at Sports Backers Stadium, which has brought her so much glory including a countless number of Central Region titles. Claiborne clocked Virginia's fastest for 100 meters in 11.63 at Sports Backers in May at the Southern Track and returns with a challenge from one of talented Jameson twins in Takecia Jameson, who is seeded ahead of Claiborne with a fastest time this spring of 11.59 recorded at her county championships. Jameson will be featured on the Blazin' Raiders' distance medley relay later in the evening and will use the 100 meter dash as a warmup event for the big final race.
Claiborne is alone as the lead entrant in the 200 meter dash as her season best in the second sprint event also came at Southern Track in 24.38. The Norfolk State bound Claiborne will look to drop her time as she will have two sub 25 athletes in the event with her in Potomac Senior's Yvonne Amegashie (24.83) and Huguenot's Wanetta Kirby (24.92) to push her.
The 400 meter dash is a bit more unknown or at least the top seeds are less familar and established among track fans in Virginia with two of the top three seeds from the deep Eleanor Roosevelt squad in Doris Anyanwu (55.9) and Afia Charles (56.5). It could be a top three sweep for the state of Maryland with Paris Williams, a senior from Aberdeen High School, returning back to the Gala after finishing second last year in 57.85 to Georgian Callie Pottinger (56.41). Williams ran faster than the meet record at the Maryland State Championships with a personal best of 56.22, while Anyanwu clocked in at 56.09 at the Prince George County Championships.
The hometown Central Region crowd will be cheering for Colonial Heights junior Shae Wilbon, who may be small in size, but has a large motor inside. After running a personal best of 55.84 as a sophomore last year, Wilbon has struggled with injuries this year, but still has a season best of 57.57 within striking distance of the top seeds from Maryland.
Girls Distance:
The excitement starts early in the girls' running events with the steeplechase for girls scheduled to go off prior to 6 PM. Hopefully, the water jumps will cool off the participants enough from this weekend's heat to put up some strong times. There is no doubt that one individual in Northside senior Catherine White (pictured left by David Fleenor) is looking to roll in the event. White, who has earned multiple All-American honors in cross country, indoor, and outdoor track, will be making her steeple debut on Saturday at the Gala. Possibly due to the competitive nature at the national meets that both the mile and two mile have become as shown by White finishing just off All-American honors last year in the two mile at Nike Outdoor Nationals with a great time of 10:32, the conversion into a steepler was decided upon. Or perhaps looking ahead to her future as a Razorback at the University of Arkansas with the steeplechase as a possible event to have future success in at the collegiate level. Regardless of the reasoning behind the move, it is a wise move and will be treat for track fans to watch one of the greatest distance runners in Virginia high school history compete in one of the more exciting distance races on the track in the steeplechase.
If White's not careful, she may end up with a national record in the event on Saturday or at Nike Outdoor Nationals given her ability level. With credentials of a 2:13 800, 4:51 1600, and 10:28 3200, White has the times that are parallel or least are close to the current high school record holder in Marie Lawrence of Nevada. Lawrence set the record in the 2000 meter steeplechase last year in a time of 6:35.63. With Lawrence shutting her season down last weekend at the Southwest Classic, the door is wide open for White to go after the record and a national title in the event next weekend. The Gala will serve as a test for the Northside senior if her hurdle drills and practice over the barriers at a local college in Roanoke have prepared her well to seriously consider a complete conversion over to the steeplechase. She certainly has the mental toughness to become successful in the event as shown by last weekend in winning all three distance events at the Virginia 2A State Meet for the second year in a row including a personal best time for 800 meters of 2:13 at the tail end of the triple. The current US #1 time in the event this spring is by Colts Neck of New Jersey star Ashley Higginson at 6:50.39. White might be looking to just take a baby step and go for the US #1 in her first outing in the steeple.
There were only two girls brave enough to run the steeple at the Gala last year, but the second year event has found that the popularity of the event among the ladies to be growing with 13 entrants in the race this year. There are certainly are some solid runners seeded behind White including an experienced steepler and an All-American at Nike Outdoor Nationals in the event in Ashlyn Sinclair from Montgomery Blair High School in Maryland. Sinclair finished fifth in the 2K steeple at NON last June with a time of 7:20.77 in the same race which Nevada's Lawrence set the national record.
Two more steeplers from Maryland will be in the race with an Eleanor Roosevelt pair of Teshika Rivers and Tyreka Arrington. For both it will be their first time competing in the steeple, but a hot June day in Richmond competing in the 2K steeplechase is nothing to these ladies compared to the conditions they have had to face two years in a row the past two Decembers in the cold, mud, and slop at Nike Team Nationals in Portland, Oregon. Their mental toughness should make them competitive in this race.
Several other Virginian girls in the race have some solid track times as West Potomac's Kelly Jemison is coming off a personal best 1600 meter run of 5:07.42 at the AAA State Championships in All-State performance, while a trio of underclassmen in William Byrd sophomore Alisha Royal (5:10 1600), Lee-Davis freshmen Amanda Lineberry, and Cosby sophomore Jenna Moye (5:13 1600) could gain potentially great early exposure to the steeplechase to really excell in the event in their upperclasmen years of high school.
A scratch by Sarrah Hadiji of W.T. Woodson and Laura Rapp of Heritage dropping the race to save herself for a fresh 800 meter race as well as double back to anchor an All-Star DMR at the end has left Alison Smith, one of Maryland's finest distance runners and a Footlocker finalist this past fall as a heavy favorite in the 1500 meter run. Smith, a graduating senior from Atholton High and competing for the Mac Los Track Club, has a personal best of 4:55 for 1600 meters from her Nike Indoor Nationals mile and finished 18th in the Foot Locker Nationals finals this past December. Even with the two other proven sub 5 1600 meter girls out of the race in Hadiji and Rapp, Smith's trip to Richmond will definitely be made worthwhile and she will be given a race by a pair of Virginian underclassmen in Potomac's Christina Lee and Albemarle's Liz Barclay. Lee has quietly been one of the state's most impressive freshmen distance girls in the state this spring as while the Lautzenheiser twins of Midlothian received plenty of attention in the fall leading their NTN squad all season long, it has been Lee this spring who has been the most consistent and top performers among the class of 2010 girls in Virginia. At last weekend's 2A State Championships, Lee was just off breaking five minutes with a personal best time of 5:01.48 to finish as a state runner-up to White and hold off Heritage's Rapp for second place.
Meanwhile, Liz Barclay of Albemarle is also coming off a huge state meet race in the 1600 meter run as the sophomore who has been splitting time with soccer this spring and having limited track practice time, nearly won the 3A 1600 meter state title out of the slow section with her personal best time of 5:01.74. Barclay chipped nine seconds off her season best previously this season. With both Lee and Barclay running just off a sub 5 mile last weekend, each is hoping to push Smith along under the sub 5 equivalent for 1500 meters (4:39) and go for the win.
Last year's 800 meter run at the Gala produced a state leading time of 2:12.39 by Kristy Tobin of Great Bridge in a swift race as Michaeline Nelson of Potomac School pressed the field with a strong first 600 meters. Nelson, who ran her all-time personal best of 2:14.83 to finish third in the 2006 Gala is back with another strong field looking to post personal best times. Two Virginians in the race in Laura Rapp of Heritage (2:14.30) and Tasia Potasinski of Westfield (2:14.67) will enjoy the opportunity to get to race the two lap event fresh after having to double in the event from the 1600 meter run for several weeks and for Potasinski, running the 800 off of a triple as she did last weekend with a state championship 4x800 meter relay on the front end. Rapp had an even tougher triple last weekend at the AA State championships with a 3200 meter instead of a 4x800 meter leg on Friday night.
A sophomore from DC in Ashley Seymour, a sophomore from Archbishop Carroll, has ran 2:15 this spring and it will be interesting to see who will be the top private school girl in the race between herself and Nelson.
The 5000 meter run for girls is one of the smaller fields in the meet, but who needs a road race size field when there looks to be a legitimate pack of half dozen girls in a field of eight who have just as great odds as the other five to pull out a victory with Blacksburg sophomore Allison Homer, Maggie Walker sophomore Susannah Piersol, Hanover freshmen Lauren Hopper (18:50), Tallwood junior Octavia Rinehardt, Pinecrest (NC) senior Amanda McKinney, and Clarke County sophomore Erin Broy. Both Hopper and Rinehardt were regional champions this spring in the Central Region and Eastern Region respectively in the 3200 meter run, while Piersol in the Central Region and Broy in Region B were regional runners-up in the longest distance event offered on the track.
Meanwhile, Allison Homer of Blacksburg has the fastest 5K time from cross country among the entrants as the tenth grader clocked in at 18:21 at Foot Locker South and has a personal best of 11:16 for 3200 meters this spring. Tallwood junior Rinehardt has the momentum going in though after running a four second personal best time of 11:09.73 for 3200 meters as she was only one of three girls in the entire field of 31 at the AAA State Championships to run a lifetime best in the race with her fifth place All-State finish. Look for Rinehardt and the pack to push into the lower half of the 18's on Saturday evening at the Gala.
Girls Hurdles:
Twins are always naturally competitive. Tameka Jameson would be lying if she said that she does not want to beat her twin sister Takecia's season best and US #4 time of 1:00.66 in the 400 meter hurdles this spring from the Penn Relays. Takecia also has one of the nation's fastest times in the 300 meter hurdles at 41.79. Tameka's best this season in the 300 meter hurdles is no slouch time at 42.79 and shows she is capable of putting up a 60 second flat performance in the event at the Gala.
Their should be little to surprise as to the probable winner in the 400 meter hurdles with Jameson as a top seed by several seconds in the event, but the 100 meter hurdles could become interesting and have itself a close finish at the line between Western Branch's Jessie Gaines and Huguenot's Wanetta Kirby. Gaines has the fastest time this season between the two with the state's fourth fastest at 14.41, while Kirby is right behind her in the state rankings at 14.50.
Girls Field Events:
Top athlete in field events for both boys and girls based on her current national ranking and recent state meet performance is Park View junior Natalie Baird (pictured right by John Herzog), who launched the state of Virginia's best discus mark in sanctioned high school season (state meet and prior) ever with AA State Meet shattering record and US #2 throw of 159'4" last Friday evening at Harrisonburg High School in Harrisonburg. The mark comes with the "but" because according to the "Bible" on all-time high school national lists in Jack Sheppard's High School Track, Lafayette's Jackie Wallace recorded a mark of 159'9", which appears to have been recorded past the state meet competition, which Sheppard's lists counts towards the annual high school lists. Baird will be coming to the Sports Backers venue on Saturday to put any asterick on the official or unofficial state record (however you want to interpret state records or view performances recorded at state championships) and look to continue another fantastic close in championship season as she did last year as a sophomore with two AA state titles in the throws and an All-American finish in the discus throw at NON.
Unlike the state meet venue for AA where the discus competition is held outside of the stadium, the discus competition will be held right in the middle of the infield area of Sports Backers for all in the stands to have a clear view if Baird launches another big one at the Gala this weekend.
Speaking of the other throwing event, throws fans will be thrilled to see AA's best in baird and AAA's best in indoor and outdoor state shot put champion Samella Koroma go head to head as both come in with nearly identical season bests with Baird as the state leader at 43'1.25" and Koroma right behind her at 43'00.75". Koroma and Baird competed against one another indoors at Nike Indoor Nationals in the weight throw as Koroma put a better mark than Baird in the event and earned All-American honors with a top 6 finish in the event. with a mark of 45'4.50"
On the other end of the infield area, the pole vault competition will be taking place featuring the AAA State Meet record holder in the pole vault for both indoors and outdoors in Mills Godwin senior Anne Marie Gordon. Gordon will be the easy favorite in the event at the Gala with her best of 12 feet this spring and then a decent size group of 10'6" vaulters behind her. Gordon cleared 12 feet for the fourth time this outdoor season and seventh time total in her senior year last weekend at the AAA State Championships to claim her first outdoor title to go along with her previous two state crowns from indoors. She now graduates setting the standard for other AAA vaulters to follow with a matching meet record height of 12 feet for both the AAA State Indoor and AAA State Outdoor Championships.
There is a looming Central Region battle in the long jump with the likes of Huguenot's Wanetta Kirby, Deep Run's Ashley Orr, and Henrico's Elaine Derricott. All three have ventured well over 18 feet this season with Kirby as the top seed at 18'10". Orr leaped over 19 feet indoors with a mark of 19'1.25", but has had the remainder of her junior year marred by a hamstring injury. She is looking to end her season on a positive note with a win at the Gala and close to personal best mark.
Three girls in the triple jump are ranked in the top ten in the state and certainly a healthy Orr could have produced a mark to put her in the same ranking this season. Western Branch's Ermeshia Fair produced her season best of 38'10.50" at the biggest stage possible in the Penn Relays in April. Meanwhile, Matoaca's Mia Agahji has a mark not far behind her at 38'8.50" from Dogwood, while Manchester's Alaina Hite (37'11.75") and Deep Run's Ashley Orr (37'8") are looking for their first jumps over 38 season this spring.
The high jump will pit two of the state's top underclassmen jumpers against one another in Briana Hudson of Deep Run and Potomac's Pearl Bickersteth. Hudson's season best is 5'4", but her lifetime best happens to be 5'9", which she cleared for the AAA State title indoors with two other girls in the competition also clearing 5'9". Hudson has had difficulty reaching 5'9" since then including a tenth place finish last weekend at the AAA State Championships with a clearance of 5'4". Meanwhile, fellow
sophomore Bickersteth has gone on a different direction from indoors to outdoors as shown by last weekend's state runner-up finish to Ashley Gatling with her first clearance ever at 5'8". Perhaps the competition between the two as the best in their sophomore classes will bring out the best in both Hudson and Bickersteth at the Gala.