With all of the excitement generated from Webb's performance at last year's Penn Relays, he was able to match such a feat this year.
On Saturday, Webb and his South Lakes squad won the 4x800 in a nation's best time of 7:41.75. South Lakes was back in the pack however after their first 2 legs, but South Lakes junior Richard Smith had a remarkable leg as he picked off a bunch of runners and passed the Jamaican squad of Holmwood Tech on the last 200 to put South Lakes in the lead for good with his personal best split of 1:52.7. Webb put the nail in the coffin, hammering out an incredible 1:49.1 split which was the faster 800 split ever run at the Penn Relays. The South Lakes legs (and splits) went as followed...Kanda Karmo 2:00.8, Yonathan Kebede 1:59.2, Richard Smith 1:52.7, Alan Webb 1:49.1. The day before in the 4x800 qualifier South Lakes won their heat with a time of 7:47.16, thanks to a 1:50.2 anchor leg from Webb which was the fifth fastest time ever ran by a high schooler at the meet. The time is now 6th however after Webb's 1:49.1 in the 4x800 finals which ranks him 1st all time.
A very active and successful Friday night for Webb and his South Lakes squad as not only did they win their 4x800 heat and advance to finals but they won the DMR, running the 6th fastest HS DMR time of all time with their time of 9:59.66. South Lakes won with ease with the absence of last year's winning squad, St. Malachy of Ireland and the Atlantic Delray Beach HS (FL) squad that consists of the Jefferson twins who have beaten Webb's DMR squad twice this year. Richard Smith gave South Lakes a small lead of Cherokee HS (NJ) with his 3:00 1200 opening leg. Cherokee took a slight lead over South Lakes in the next exchange with a 50 second 400 leg. Kanda Karmo took the baton over from Justin Smyser for the 800 leg and kept South Lakes in contention, but another New Jersey school, Christian Brothers Academy, took a 5 meter lead heading into the anchor leg. Webb went out conservative (for him) as he drafted off the CBA 1600 leg for the first 800 in a time of 2:04, but then made a huge surge on the backstretch of the third lap to give South Lakes the lead for good. Webb finished running negative splits of 2:04 and 2:00 as South Lakes won by over 13 seconds over second place CBA.
Bobby Lockhart went into the high school boys mile race wanting revenge. Also entered in the boys mile race was Bobby Curtis of Kentucky who nipped an unaware Lockhart at the finish line at the Nike Indoor Classic back in early March. The first lap went through with Lockhart in third and Curtis right behind him in fourth. Lockhart then surged to the front at the 800 mark going through in 2:07 and with Curtis still following him. However, the next lap Lockhart broke away from Curtis making sure to build a lead where Curtis' nasty kick would be ineffective as he shifted gears with a 61 second third lap. Curtis came his powerful kick on the last lap and closed the gap significantly, but Lockhart's 63 second last lap was good enough to hold on for the win.
Also in the mile race were two other Virginia distance studs as two Northern Region runners, Robinson senior L.A. Snead and Oakton senior Matt Maline finished 5th and 8th with times of 4:16.35 and 4:20.83 respectively with were both PR's for both individuals.
National indoor track champion triple jumper Alonzo Moore finished 2nd in the triple jump to a Jamaican as he was the first American with his jump of 47'10.50". He looks to be one of the top contenders for the national title in the triple jumper at the Adidas Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Raleigh, North Carolina in mid June.
Another indoor track champion, high jumper Keith Moffatt of Menchville placed second in the high jump with a jump of 6'11.00". He was beaten by the guy that was expected to win the high jump at indoor nationals, Dan Olson of NY. Also performing well in the high jumper were Quentin Matthews of Deep Creek and Garrett Brickner of Lake Braddock whose best jump were both 6'8" as they finished 5th and 6th respectively.
In the pole vault, Andrew Kessler of Fork Union and Mark Kupets of Centreville both vaulted to heights of 13'09.25" as they finished 4th and 6th respectively.
The lone Virginian athlete participating in the long jump, Chris Clifton of Deep Creek finished a respectable 6th place with his jump of 22'3".
The Bethel boys 4x400 squad had the best time from any Virginia school as they finished 4th in their heat with a time of 3:22.04. Deep Creek had the second fastest time with their clocking. of 3:22.43.
Deep Creek ended up with the fastest 4x100 squad in the state though, running a blazing time of 41.59.
On the girls side, there were more individuals winners as there were two.
One of those individual winners was Cox junior Lindsay Neuberger. Neuberger, already is arguebably the best female thrower in our state, but now she is looking to take her success to the national level as she won the shot put with her powerful throw of 47'05.25". Just behind her in second place was another Virginia, Amanda Walker of Bethel with her throw of 46'00.50".
One of the best middle distance runners in the nation, Thomas Jefferson senior Kelley Otstott, finished 5th in the mile with not one of her better times, but still an amazingly quick time of 5:01.65.
Finishing 1st and 3rd in the high jumper were two Virginians, Krystle Moss of Thomas Jefferson and Bonnie Meekins of Oakton. Moss reached a height of 5'08.00" while fellow Northern Region high jumper, Meekins, was just a inch below Moss at 5'07.00".
The Robinson girls 4x800 was very impressive as in their qualifying heat they placed 3rd with a time of 9:19.42. The squad consisted of Lauren Hovland, Sam Ference, Joanna Rodgers, and Michelle Gregory.
The girls 4x400 at the 3A State meet in June should shape up to be a great race between Bethel HS and Lake Braddock HS. Though in different heats, Bethel had the better time of the two in this heat with their time of 3:51.59 to Lake Braddock's 3:53.22.
The Bethel 4x100 squad consisting of the two superstar sprinters in Ara Townes and Asia Carrol put forth the fastest Virginian 4x100 squad with their 47.34 clocking.