Daniel Mcfadden

Highlights from this past weekend's Peninsula District Ice Breaker at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton. MileStat.com was on-site with photo coverage from John Herzog.     Western Branch senior Keilah Tyson clocked a 300 meter personal best to become the first girl in the US under 40 seconds in the 300 meter dash with her 39.72 clocking. A past state champion in the 55 meter dash, 100 meter dash, and high jump, Tyson also won the high jump with a successful clearance of 5'6".     Tehquin Warrick of Phoebus, a 48.50 quarter miler last spring, opened his indoor season as a double winner in the 500 (1:07.69) and 300 (36.48) meter dash.     A very early clash of some of the expected top girls' 4x400 meter relays between Bethel, Phoebus, and Western Branch with the Bethel girls impressively breaking 4 minutes in their first race of the indoor season in a 3:59.47 victory ahead of Phoebus (4:00) and Western Branch (4:02).     Heritage High School out of Newport News had three star individuals winning events this weekend including hurdler Daniel McFadden returning to his top form prior to a hamstring injury late in the 2009-2010 indoor season with a 7.48 first place to start this season.     Heritage's Jenira Shufford leaped out to a mark of 17'10" for the best performance in the long jump and ahead of triple jump winner Thireyona Legg of Booker T. Washington. Shufford finished third in the 55 meter dash finals with freshmen teammate Asonya Anderson's 7.09 high school opener allowing her to beat defending state and national indoor champion Christal Peterson of Phoebus. Anderson and Shufford teamed up as members of the victorious 4x200 meter relay as well.   Complete Results MileSplit US National Elite Performances (99 Total) Photo Gallery by John Herzog - Over 2,000 photos.

  Coach Ray Pollard at Heritage High School in Newport News is arguably one of the state's best high school coaches in the hurdles. Now that Coach Pollard has one of the top rising athletes in the hurdles with junior Daniel McFadden, the coach and athlete duo could go far in the next two years. McFadden most recently clocked a US top 10 and state leading time in the 55 meter hurdles with his 7.58 clocking at CNU. McFadden was a blip in the map as a sophomore making an early exit in the prelims at the state indoor meet last February and failed to qualify for the state outdoor meet, but made great strides during the summer in AAU competition including a 14.44 personal best 110 meter hurdles performance at the AAU Nationals. The Heritage junior is by no means the clear cut top hurdler in the state right now as shown with his photo finish at CNU, but with four seasons of high school track remaining, McFadden has the time to become Virginia's best especially under Coach Pollard's guidance.

There was a total of 13 US top 10 performances on the first day of events at the CNU High School held Friday at the Freeman Center's Vince Brown Track in Newport News. The Midlothian girls 4x800 meter relay had the leading performance of the evening with their US #2 and state best time of 9:36.64. Despite nearly missing the race with a late arrival and no time for a warm-up, Midlothian senior Kathleen Lautzenheiser motored a 2:17 split on anchor leg for the Lady Trojans.

The Peninsula District currently has Virginia's top two hurdlers in the 55 meter hurdles with Daniel McFadden of Heritage (pictured left) and Samantha Scarlett of Bethel (pictured right) posting state leading times this past weekend at Christopher Newport University. Both have been selected as MileStat.com's Athletes of the Week in the hurdles event.