Aaron Dudley

Here are the top 1,000 times from Great Meadow's non-state course.

The USATF National Junior Olympics wrapped up on Sunday with only several high school athletes from Virginia making the trip to Nebraska. Meanwhile, a much larger delegation of Virginians will be in Detroit, Michigan this week for the AAU National Junior Olympics with many Eastern Region athletes competing. Live Results at aauathletics.org AAU National JO Results by Day: Day One - Day Two - Day Three - Day Four - Day Five - Day Six - Day Seven Day 8 (Saturday, August 2nd) Highlights: Dejor Simmons closed out a remarkable week in Michigan at the AAU Nationals by winning national titles in both the 100 and 200 meter dash on Saturday in the intermediate boys division. Simmons first won the 100 meter dash in convincing fashion with a 10.54 clocking with second place in the finals at 10.85, while the Green Run rising junior was a big winner again in the 200 meter dash at 21.55. Bethel's Ja-Vell Bullard added a third individual national title to his collection for the year as put on a thrilling finish to overtake Bernard Goodwyn from Delware in the final stretch for a 47.32 victory in the finals of the young men's 400 meter dash. Taylor Sykes of Great Bridge and Darryl Brickhouse of Nansemond River also competed in the same finals race as they placed seventh and eighth respectively. Keith Ricks did not win a national title like Simmons in the 200 meter dash, but rolled out an even faster time and the state's fastest performance of the year with his 21.19 clocking to earn All-American honors in a third place finish in the young men division finals. An All-Star team of athletes competing for the Norfolk Real Deal Track Club put up a stellar time to win the AAU 4x400 national title in the young men's division as the quartert of stars Darryl Brickhouse, Sherrard Marrow, Keith Ricks, and Ja-Vell Bullard clocked in at 3:10.57 to close out the meet with a first place finish in relay action. Day 7 (Friday, August 1st) Highlights: With 16 runners breaking 49 seconds, it was very competitive for the eight spots of athletes advancing onto the finals in the 400 meter dash for the young men division. Three Virginians in Ja-Vell Bullard, Taylor Sykes, and Darryl Brickhouse al made the cut with Nike Outdoor Nationals champion Bullard as the third fastest qualifier at 47.41. Great Bridge rising junior Taylor Sykes was just off of Bullard's time winning his heat in a new personal best time of 47.55 (previous best of 47.87). It was only the second time that Sykes has ever broken 48 seconds. Nansemond River's Darryl Brickhouse also needed a personal best performance to advance onto the finals as he nearly broke 48 seconds for the first time as the sixth fastest qualifier at 48.06. Two other Virginians also had solid performances, but failed to make the finals in Bethel teammates Sherrard Marrow (48.38) and Austin Cuffee (48.81). Marrow earned All-American honors earlier in the week in the 400 meter hurdles. Cosby's Andre Redd was the last qualifier to the 400 meter dash finals in the intermediate boys prelims with a 49.78 performance. Redd just completed his sophomore year and first season of track at Cosby with a 48.17 personal best at 400 meters, but has competed in AAU summer track since a young age. Churchland's Tiffany Harris had an outstanding race in the prelims of the young women 400 meter dash as she ran a personal best time of 55.86. Harris had a previous all-time best in the event of 56.69 from the AAU Regional Meet and had not broken 57 seconds during the school year at Churchland.  

 The Southeastern District Meet could be a Western Branch show with the potential of Bruins coach Ryan Carroll to have both individual and team champions in the boys and girls races. The Western Branch girls have looked sharp this fall as a team that could possibly represent the Eastern Region well beyond the regional meet onto Great Meadow.