We are just two days away from the Virginia Middle School State Championships. More teams, athletes, and fans will be on-site at Pole Green Park than ever before. This year also features more awards for teams and looks to be shaping up to have perfect weather and course conditions.
All of that to say, all the records are in danger of falling. The current 4K meet records are 13:13 for boys and 14:14 for girls. The current 2K meet records are 7:27 for boys and 7:50 for girls.
Individually like we said, things are going to be fast. In the Boys Middle School Championship 4K the favorite is certainly 8th grader Jonathan Grimm who ran a blazing 12:47 to win at MileStat (same course). Jaiden Diaz was a close 4th place in that race with his 12:59 clocking. Diaz is also the top returner from last year's state championships where he finished 7th, Grimm finished 13th.
Also entered in competition are Indiana Owings, Calvin Wilbon, Jimmy Dunlavy, Rivers Matthews, Caleb Cooper, and Wyatt Kirkpatrick who have all broken 14 this season.
On the girls side things are looking just as fast with current state leader Amelia Valenti leading the way. She ran a fast 14:25 at MileStat and will have her sights focused on the 14:14 meet record. She will have quite a bit of company though with Emilia Natalucci, Maddie Ramirez, and Emily Gordon all also under 15:00 this season.
Hayley Mincini, Josie Mayo, Isabella Strumke, and Macey Rowe will also push the pace and have run faster than 15:25 this season.
Team wise things are going to be just as impressive. It will be doubly impressive this year thanks to a new scoring method that will score all teams together, just the club teams, and just the school teams all while running just one race per gender.
In the girls club competition XC Elite looks elite! They will be tough to beat but Greater Williamsburg Distance Running, NOVA AC, and Studley Stingers should provide some excitement.
In the girls school competition Blacksburg looks to be the team to beat with Valley Blaze, Crozet Crew, and Kate Collins all entering solid squads. This will certainly not be a runaway and all five scorers will need to take care of business.
In the boys club competition it looks like it will be a battle between XC Elite, Greater Williamsburg Distance Running, and NOVA AC. Right now, in our opinion it is too close to call.
In the boys school competition it looks to be Elizabeth Davis, Forest, Blacksburg, and Wilson. There could be another team to sneak up here but right now these look like the heavy hitters.
In the elementary races we will see full squads from Rappahannock Ospreys, FYPC Cheetahs, and Lee.