AAA State Meet (Day 2): Wesh US #1 6.30 55, Williams US #1 1:13.30 500, Western Branch sweeps titles

VHSL Group AAA State Indoor T&F Championships

MileSplit Staff

Feb 27, 2010

Boys Top 3 Team Scores

1. Western Branch - 41 pts

2. Landstown - 38 pts

3. Ocean Lakes - 34 pts

Girls Top 3 Team Scores

1. Western Branch - 78 pts

2. Great Bridge - 41 pts

3. Midlothian - 35 pts

MileStat.com Boys MVP - Darrell Wesh (Landstown)

Photo by Ryan Kelly

The Landstown senior without a doubt, left her older sister's shadows with this overall showing at the 2010 indoor state meet. Wesh blew out the 55 dash finals field in a US #1 6.30 clocking and showed his range beyond 200 meters with a state leading 34.33 300 and second individual state title in the meet. His most incredible race of the day though had to be his 4x400 meter anchor leg with a state team title on the line. Landstown's third leg crashed to the track with the lead before the exchange zone and was able to get back up to hand off to Wesh, but now in third/fourth place with ground to be gained. Wesh nearly pulled it out despite the odds and time lost in a three way photo finish with Booker T. Washington (1st, 3:26.21) and Bethel (2nd, 3:26.28). Wesh anchored Landstown to near 4x400 win and state title with a final time of 3:26.31 for third place.

MileStat.com Girls MVP - Shakeela Saunders (Great Bridge)

Photo by Ryan Kelly

The multi-event star Saunders scored 41 points by herself to give Great Bridge second place as a "team". Saunders won state titles in the 300 (39.83) and long jump (19'0.50"), along with runner-up finishes in the 55 meter dash (7.04) and triple jump (39'7.50". Her 300 meter dash win was most impressive on tired legs and bouncing back from an earlier defeat and fourth place finish (1:15.22) in the 500 from a US #1 1:13.30 performance by Green Run's Monica Williams. Saunders was able to make it a draw between her friendly rival with a sub 40 second performance.