Jamarian Bates*

Check out the all-time list for VA's oldest meet right here.

Whether by land (100 and 200 meters) or through the air (long and triple jumps), Jamarian Bates made the most of his senior season at Matoaca. Bates used his versatility as a sprinter and jumper to help the Warriors capture the Central District title. He paced them to a third-place finish at the Central Region championships by scoring 29 of Matoaca's 51 points. En route, he earned the 2012 Times-Dispatch boys outdoor track and field athlete of the year award. (via Richmond Times-Dispatch)

A look at the Virginia boys individuals and relays ranked among the top 50 in the United States for the 2011-2012 indoor season based on the MileSplit US national rankings database as of February 29th. The 7 foot clearance by Rashaan Jones of South Lakes in mid January at Liberty University still puts him as a co-national leader in the high jump. A nice consolation for Jones after being knocked off for the state title this past weekend by Nick Simmons of J.R. Tucker with a US #3 height at 6'10". Tallwood's Steven Dunbar joins them in the top 10 nationally with a 6'8" season best performance.   Next are three US #2 performers from Virginia between Ahmed Bile of Annandale in the 1000 meter run, Jamarian Bates of Matoaca in the long jump, and David Johnson of Charlottesville in the triple jump. Bile has clocked two 2:26 performances this season with his season best of 2:26.37 on the banked track of Virginia Tech in late January and his most recent 2:26 run came this past weekend at the state meet with a Boo Williams Sportsplex facility record time of 2:26.44 to repeat as state 1000 meter champ by 6 seconds.   Only former Nansemond River and current Norfolk State star James Taylor has jumped further at Boo Williams than Matoaca senior Jamarian Bates (pictured right by Scott Reid) on the above ground runway at Boo Williams. With the boys long jump finals occurring during the excitement of running event finals on Saturday, the big US #2 mark of Bates was overlooked at a personal best leap of 23'11.25". A second state championship for Bates, who claimed his first state title last June at the outdoor state meet in the long jump.   Charlottesville's Johnson nearly eclipsed one of the more impressive meet records at Group AA in the triple jump (Ryan McCoy of William Fleming - 49'0.50" - 2003). His season best of 49'10.25" would have gotten the record, but only was able to muster a best mark of 48'10.50" this past weekend at Liberty University, which would have won at the Group AAA State Meet by nearly a foot and a half.   Oscar Smith junior Michael Cherry sits #4 nationally in both the 500 and 300 meter dash after successfully doubling to win state titles in both events this past weekend at Group AAA, which is a rare accomplishment in the sprints. Cherry leads 8 Virginians among the top 50 in the 300 with his 34.08 best, while leading a whopping 19 runners from VA among the US fastest 50 at 500 meters with his 1:04.20 state meet performance.  

The first annual Clover Hill Outdoor Track & Field Invitational will feature over 500 athletes from 16 schools comprising of mainly Central Region squads from all four districts as well as Commonwealth District teams Colonial Forge and Riverbend. With teams able to enter as many as 6 runners in the distance races, 5 athletes in the sprints and hurdles, 4 competitors in the field events, and 2 relays per event, coaches are able to get a good early season look at virtually their entire roster. Field events start at 9:00 AM and the racing on the track begins shortly thereafter at 9:30 AM with an estimated finish time before 4:30 PM. 

Brooke Point senior Katherine Walker completed a late blooming and breakthrough final season of high school in grand fashion on the national stage by winning the girls 5000 meter run at the New Balance Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina. Walker entered the race with a personal best of 18:06 5K from cross country, but left the race with a huge PR of 16:57 to pull away from Foot Locker All-American Wesley Frazier (16:59) of North Carolina in the end. Also performing well in the event from Virginia with significant PR drops were Northside junior Erin Wheeler winning the slower section in 18:14, while Western Albemarle junior Mattie Webb just missed a sub 18 minute performance in eight place in the fast section at 18:00.88.   Logan Moore, a freshmen at Riverheads High School, won the freshmen 400 title in a time of 50.68 to drop sixth tenths of a second from his previous PR of 51.23. Moore just missed All-State honors at the Group A State Championships with a ninth place finish in the 400 meter dash. Skyline's Thomas Madden placed sixth in the freshmen mile race with a time of 4:27.06.   In emerging elite field event action, Fauquier senior John Billings won the boys discus with a mark of 156'8". Only a sophomore at Matoaca High School, Jamarian Bates hit a significant personal best leap of 23'1.25" to take runner-up in the emerging elite boys long jump, while Western Branch's Josh Marriner took fourth with a mark of 22'9.25". Atlee's Chris Pillow finished tied for fourth in the emerging elite pole vault at a height of 15'0.25", while Justin Dutton of Caroline and Nicole Harding of Western Albemarle cleared matching heights of 10'8.50" to tie for fifth in the girls' vault.   Day 1 Results MileSplit Meet Page with Coverage & Photos