Friday evening's Mid Area Track Classic held at Liberty University's Tolsma Track Center in Lynchburg saw a US #3 time in the boys' 3200 meter run, a state leading 4x800 performance, and the Blacksburg distance runners continuing to roll through the indoor season.
Centreville senior Yazid Zouaimia ran the nation's third fastest time for 3200 meters with a 9:16.27. Zouaimia encountered little competition as he finished 35 seconds ahead of the second place finisher. The Northern Region currently has the nation's top two times in the event with Chris Foley of Chantilly as the US leader at 9:14. Add in Foot Locker finalist Kevin Dowd, the region posses three of the state's best in the 3200 meter run.
The Blacksburg distance runners continued to excel in the indoor season led by the Stevens twins running on a 9:26 4x800 meter relay and followed with individual wins in the 1000 meter run for Joanna Stevens at 2:59 and the 3200 meter run for Kathleen Stevens at 10:29. The Stevens twins have ran under 10:30 twice this season each for 3200 meters, which only a select few ever in Virginia high school history have ever ran under during the indoor season.
Teammate Hannah Brown, a Group AA state champion last year as a freshmen in the 500 meter dash, won the event in a personal best and US #11 time of 1:17.92. The always overlooked Leah Fitchett made it a sweep for Blacksburg with a 5:09 win in the 1600 meter run. Fitchett will certainly be a prized pick-up for any college she attends despite being overshadowed by the success of the Stevens twins this year.
The Blacksburg boys joined their female counterparts as state leaders in the 4x800 meter relay with their season best time of 8:09.12. The relay featured George Carter, who later picked up wins in the 1600 and 1000 meter run in a solid triple.
Ashontae Jackson followed up her 55 and 300 meter dash wins last weekend at Fork Union with another pair of victories in the same sprint events at Liberty with the Orange County senior running a season best time of 41.36 in the 300 meter dash.
Nicole Harding of Western Albemarle is making clearances over 11 feet a common occurence for herself this season in the pole vault, which will bode well for her come championship season when she attempts to win the Group AA state title. Other Group AA leaders in the field events securing wins at the Mid Area Track Classic included Heritage's Lillie Reid in the girls' shot put (37'2"), and Fluvanna's Kadarius Bruce in the boys' long jump (21'6").
Hayfield's Garrett Knudson went over 50 feet in the shot put for the first time, which currently puts him as the best in the Northern Region in the event.
Amherst's Terrance Morse impressed in his two runner-up finishes in the 500 (1:08.88) and 300 (36.61) in taking second behind Lewis in the 300 and Archbishop Carroll's (DC) Karrie Butler Jr. in the 500. Morse might be in contention for the state title in Group AA in both the 500 and 300 meter dashes.
Only a quarter inch separated Christiansburg's Brittany Bostwick and Brookville's Uniquequa Jackson from each other in the girls' long jump with Bostwick having the top mark at 16'10.25" and Jackson just short in second place at 16'10".
Mid Area Track Classic Complete Results
Below are the performances entered for the meet that met the national silver standard.
Friday evening's Mid Area Track Classic held at Liberty University's Tolsma Track Center in Lynchburg saw a US #3 time in the boys' 3200 meter run, a state leading 4x800 performance, and the Blacksburg distance runners continuing to roll through the indoor season.