It has been quite a season already! Though the season runs for another month and a half, we are nearing the start of the postseason and that means it's time to look back and see some of the biggest performances of the season thus far. Obviously there are so many great performances so this list is just the tip of the iceberg for all the great performances we have seen so far.
1. The St. James Academy at Penn Relays
It is very rare for a team to make the Championship of America final at Penn Relays, what is even more rare is having three teams make it! The St. James Academy qualified teams in both the boys and girls 4x100 and a boys team into the 4x400m final. Those qualifications are super impressive considering they ran 40.24 and 45.99 in the prelims WITHOUT blocks. The girls team also ran without their fastest leg in the prelims.
2. Imani Moore (Varina)
We cannot put just one performance down for her since she is crushing it in so many events. She is your state leader at 100m (11.51) and 200m (23.73) and on top of that has jumped 19-9 in the long jump to rank second in the entire state. Did we mention that she's only a freshman!!!
3. Samantha Nitzsche (William Monroe) - VA #1 10:22 3200m Run
Samantha is a multiple-time state champion in Class 3 but her goals are much higher than just that. This past weekend she threw down one of the fastest times we've ever seen in the 3200 running 10:22.96 to win the prestigious Dogwood Track Classic.
4. Cole Boone (Pulaski County) - VA #1 1:50.7 800m Run
The national record holder over 1K, Cole Boone, continues his winning ways with another state leading time. This season he has run 1:50.7 in the 800 but his focus isn't on fast times in April... he wants fast times in June so we know there could be more in store.
5. Joshua-Kai Smith (Gar-Field) - VA #1 13.17 110mH
Joshua-Kai has run some fast times these past few years but none are as fast as his Arcadia winning time of 13.17 in the 110mH. That time is the fastest time a Virginia athlete has ever run and counts as our state record but it was with the slightest edge of illegal wind (2.7m/s). Considering that time was nearly a month ago we are sure he can go even faster and maybe even dip under 13 seconds this season.
6. Apria Smith (Chantilly) - VA #1 42-7 Triple Jump
The three-time triple jump and one-time long jump champion, Apria Smith is looking to hop, skip, and jump even further this season. Her season and personal best of 42-7 is a huge jump but we know she wants that 43 foot mark. We truly think she has it in her after we looked at her consistency from indoors until now. In that time frame she has triple jumped 10 times and 9 of those times it ended with a victory. The one time she didn't win was at NBNI where she finished second in the entire country.
7. Sammi Gaylord (Loudoun Valley) - VA #1 Shot/Discus
Sammi not only leads the state in the shot put but does so in the discus as well. She has thrown 137-3 in the discus and 42-4.75 in the shot put. She is the defending discus champion for Class 4 and is a three-time runner-up in the shot put so it wouldn't be a shock if she is really focused on the shot put this postseason.
8. Kebryl Chandler (Parry McCluer) - VA #1 8:54.82 3200m Run
Breaking nine minutes is a huge deal, doing it twice is insane. That means you could take his second best time this season and he would still be your state leader. On top of that time he has also run 4:11 for the 1600 and 1:58 for the 800 this season.
9. Elaina Pierce (Charlottesville) - VA #1 4:45.46 1600m Run
Elaina is doing well in not just one but multiple events. She currently leads the state in the 1600 and on top of that she ranks VA #12 in the 3200 (solo run early in the season) and VA #5 in the 800m run. She is the Class 4 state leader in both the 800 and 1600m runs. She also anchored the VA #1 Sprint Medley Relay team this past weekend at Dogwood.
10. Christopher Hwang (Chantilly) - VA #1 188-8 Discus Throw
The defending Class 6 state champion is at it again. This season he has thrown a monster 188-8 to lead the state but is still chasing a new PR of 190-8 or better. Last year he threw his best mark at States so if he continues that trend he is going to be very close to that 200 foot barrier. That is something only one guy in VA history has ever achieved.