A contingent of seven Virginia schools ventured across the Chesapeake Bay to compete in the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore Lid-Lifter Invitational on Saturday with Centreville, James Robinson, Lakeland, McLean, Oakton, Western Branch, and Woodside. Three early season state leading performances were turned in at the meet. Centreville sophomore Britni Finch nearly PR\'d by two feet indoors in winning the long jump with a jaw-dropping leap of 19-7.50. Meanwhile, Oakton senior James Phillips got his state qualifier out of the way in his opening race of the season as he won the 3200 meter run in a time of 9:37.13. The James Robinson boys currently have the fastest 4x400 meter relay team in the state after opening at the UMES Invite with a win in the event with a 3:32.24 clocking.
Oakton senior Kayley Byrne nearly posted the state\'s top time in the 3200 meter run, but more importantly got state qualified early with a first place finishing time of 11:33.85. The 3200 meter run was Byrne\' second win of the day as she won the 1600 meter run earlier in a time of 5:22.34.
Virginians faired very well in the field events as they picked up five first place finishes out of the eight events with Finch in the long jump, Western Branch\'s Kearney Darien in the boys\' shot put (45-10), Lakeland\'s Preist Walker in the boys\' long jump (21-8), McLean\'s Megan Ney in the girls\' high jump (5-2), Centreville\'s Alex Grant and James Robinson\'s Tommy Barrineau tying in boys\' high jump (6-2).
Walker from Lakeland also scored another victory in the boys\' 60 meter hurdles with a 6.43 clocking. Centreville sophomore Finch was a double winner as well with a 7.98 clocking to win the girls\' 60 meter dash.
Western Branch\'s Courtland Marriner posted the top time in the 60 meter dash (7.04) and was also a member of the first place 4x200 meter relay squad (1:33.97).
Centreville swept both 300 meter dashes with Jordan Grant winning the girls\' race in 41.96 and Cameron Dohse winning the boys\' race in 38.06.
The Robinson girls posted a swift time of 1:48.85 to hold off Centreville (1:49.25) to win the 4x200 meter relay. The Robinson would win the second relay of the day with the final event of the meet in the 4x400 meter relay in 4:10.99 clocking.
Oakton took the top three places in both the boys\' and girls\' 3200 meter races behind race winners Byrne and Phillips with teammates Hallie Eilerts (2nd, 12:12.14) and Rebekah Berlin (3rd, 12:13.24) rounding out the top three in the girls\' event, while Matt Kroetch (2nd, 9:53.73) and Tommy Mason (3rd, 10:09.20) were the next two finishers in the boys\' race.