It was not the best of times for Western Albemarle senior Tyler Stutzman in late November for the Foot Locker South in Charlotte, North Carolina. He had given his all in a quest to make it to the Foot Locker Nationals, but his body shut down on him. In top 10 position with less than 400 meters to go, a dehydrated and energy depleted Stutzman bonked and was unable to finish the race. Meanwhile, his teammate Kyle Satterwhite and familar rival Alex Ott went by him at that time to move onto the Foot Locker Finals in San Diego. It was not Stutzman's day, but this indoor season has proven to be very fruitful for him and he has rarely come up empty handed. Between punching his ticket to Millrose with an incredible negative split and 2:02 last half mile in a victory at the Montgomery Invitational mile earlier this month as well as most recently running the nation's fastest 3200 meter time at 9:05 in a great duel against Bobby Peavey at Virginia Tech, Stutzman has made up for that missed opportunity in November. His redemption from not making it to San Diego may come this weekend on the big stage in the high school mile at the Millrose Games, which will be televised to a national audience on ESPN. With one of the fastest mile times currently in the nation and fresh off his big PR 3200 performance at Tech, the senior from Crozet, VA has an excellent chance to make history in becoming only the third Millrose Games high school mile champion from Virginia. Read more...
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The Millrose Games this upcoming weekend at the Madison Square Garden will feature the nation's fastest two high school boys' 4x800 meter relays. The mile races are typically the highlight of the high school portion of the Millrose Games, but this year's 4x800 meter relay could trump the individual races with a highly anticipated matchup between US #1 Morris Hills of New Jersey and US #2 Albemarle of Virginia.
A total of 11 US #1's were produced at this past weekend's Virginia Tech Invitational as some of the very best athletes from Virginia, Maryland, DC, and North Carolina all gathered in Blacksburg to take advantage of a rare opportunity to run on a fast banked indoor track surface found inside the Rector Fieldhouse. Four of those national leading performances came from Virginians, while a countless others ran state leading and US top 10 performances. A few also etched their names into Virginia high school history among the top 25all-time indoor performers (see below). More coverage on the way from Blacksburg including videos, photos, and interviews! New US #1's Boys 300 - James Taylor (Nansemond River) 33.88 - VA #6 All-Time Boys 3200 - Tyler Stutzman (Western Albemarle) 9:05.58 - VA #8 All-Time Boys Triple Jump - David Wilson (George Washington) 49'4.50" - VA #13 All-Time Girls 4x400 - Bethel 3:48.91 - VA #2 All-Time New State Leaders Boys 4x800 - Albemarle 7:49.88 - VA #3 All-Time Boys 4x200 - Western Branch 1:29.27 - VA #5 All-Time & US #2 Boys 4x400 - Albemarle 3:20.18 - VA #5 All-Time & US #2 Girls 4x200 - Bethel 1:40.53 - VA #5 All-Time & US #3 Girls 1000 - Paige Johnston (Midlothian) 2:54.84 - VA #8 All-Time & US #4 Girls 4x800 - Blacksburg 9:27.33 - VA #20 All-Time & US #6 Girls 500 - Genamarie McCant (James Robinson) 1:14.83 - VA #16 All-Time & US #2 Boys 500 - Zachary Vrhovac (Albemarle) 1:04.82 - US #3 Boys 55H - Jeffrey Artis (Western Branch) 7.44 - US #4 Boys 1000 - Anthony Kostelac (Albemarle) 2:31.39 - US #3 Boys Shot - Phillip Mesadieu (Patrick Henry) 53-10
Check out how some of NC's athletes performed at the Virginia Tech Invitational. Photo (Milestat.com): Hendrix brothers rock US #1 & US #2 times in the 500! Anthony clocked 1:03.48 and Andrew 1:03.71. Both move way up on the All-time US list.
Boys 300 - Nansemond River senior James Taylor has had the performance so far on the second day events as he powered his way around the banked turns in the 300 meter dash with a US #15 all-time clocking of 33.88 to even the score with Great Bridge's Taylor Sykes from a loss two weeks ago in the same event. Taylor returned quickly back to action to win the 55 meter dash (6.44) and long jump (23-4.25) as well. Boys 500 - The Hendrix twins from New Bern (NC) teamed up to roll US all-time bests with Anthony Hendrix as the winner at US #1 time of 1:03.48. Girls 4x200 - Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) girls romp seeded section with a new US #1 and meet record time of 1:38.27. Bethel took second with 1:40.53 to establish themselves convicingly as the state leaders in the relay event. Boys 4x200 - Western Branch boys clocked the first sub 1:30 performance of the season in Virginia as 1:29 winners on the banked track in Blacksburg. Girls 1000 - Eleanor Roosevelt's Amirah Johnson led wire to wire in the 1000 meter run with Midlothian's Paige Johnston running on her heels through. Johnson won in a US #3 time of 2:54.39 with Johnston as well at 2:54.84 at a US #4 performance. Boys 1000 - After anchoring the Albemarle boys to a US #1 time in the 4x800 last night, Anthony Kostelac of Albemarle pulled away on the final lap for a US top 5 performance of 2:31 to win the 1000 meter run. Girls 300 - Aurielleyall Scott of Eleanor Roosevelt clocked a US #2 time of 38.95 to become only the second high school girl to break 39 seconds this year in the country. Girls Invite Mile - Blacksburg girls nearly had a pair of twins become sub 5 milers as the Stevens twins, Joanna and Kathleen, both ran 5:01 for a full mile to dominate an invitational field with a 1-2 finish. Boys Invite Mile - Not a bad indoor season debut for Ben Dejarnette as the Atlee senior made a decisive move to pull away from Tyler Stutzman doubling back from a hard US #1 performance in the 3200 the night before for a 4:15.64 victory. Girls 4x400 - A dropped baton by favorites Eleanor Roosevelt early in the race opened the door for the Bethel girls to take charge and they slammed the door shut on ER by clocking in at US #1 and VA #2 all-time performance of 3:48.
Albemarle and New Bern boys clash in the 4x800 never materialized with a 1:55 first leg from Zachary Vrhovac and weak leg from New Bern as the Patriots rolled to a US #1 and VA #3 all-time indoor performance of 7:49.88. David Wilson of George Washington, the defending Nike Indoor Nationals champion went a US #1 mark of 49'4.50". With the Stevens twins running two impressive sub 2:20 splits on third and fourth legs, the Blacksburg girls posted a US #4 and state leading time of 9:27.33 in the 4x800 meter relay. The girls triple jump was arguably the event of the evening on Friday with 3 US top 5's and a winner over 40 feet. Virginians Chaneka Perry of Menchville (3rd, 39'10") and Jasia Richardson of J.R. Tucker (4th, 39'2.50") both went over 39 feet. Tyler Stutzman and Bobby Peavey put on a show for the final race of the day as two battled it out to the end to produce the nation's fastest two times at 3200 meters with Stutzman as the winner at 9:05.58 and Peavey as runner-up at 9:08.48. Patrick Henry of Roanoke's Phillip Mesadieu improved upon his state leading mark in the shot put with a 53'10" personal best at Tech. Mountain View's Kaitlyn Davis ran away from the field in the seeded section of the girls 3200 with a PR time of 11:13. Jon Hill, one of the nation's best high jumpers from Walkersville High in Maryland, won the event as expected at a height of 6'8", but the bigger story in the high jump was the Rich Roethel, new transfer at Herndon, who cleared 6'7" in running shoes to take runner-up and emerge as new state title contender. Virginia Tech Invitational - Day 1 Results Race Videos: Boys 3200 - Boys 4x800 - Girls 4x800 - Girls 3200
Boys 55 - Cosby's Shifflett, Bethel's House, and George Washington pair Wilson and Benion Jr. will need to roll against swift out-of-state competition. Boys 300 - Taylor Sykes leads loaded field with challengers Taylor, Cuffee, Nix, and North Carolina speedster Fuqauwn Greene. Boys 500 - Hendrix twins of New Bern will be favorites to go 1-2, but Albemarle's Anthony Kostelac might have something to say. Boys 1000 - US #5 Degfae (2:32.93) will be pushing for a sub 2:30 time and should be pressed with Albemarle's Kostelac, Varina's Lacks, Grafton's Gunnerson, and Blacksburg's Hencke. David McCuiston should mix it up with the Virginians with a 2:33 season best from the North Carolina athlete. Boys 1600 - Several contenders in this race including Dan Nafziger of Harrisonburg, Chris Foley of Chantilly, Jared Berman, George Carter of Blacksburg, Thomas Baker of Louisa, and Ted Richardson of James River. Expect a winner dropping a personal best closer to 4:20. Boys Invite Mile - A loaded race if all entrants to the line with Millrose bound Tyler Stutzman and Bobby Peavey, Foot Locker Finals 3rd place finisher Thomas Porter, and returning 3200 indoor state champion Ben Dejarnette. Boys 3200 - A fast section which could see a winner under 9:10 and potential US #1 with current national leader Bobby Peavey of Kellam, who should be seriously challenged by the Western Albemarle duo Kyle Satterwhite and Tyler Stutzman. Thomas Porter could have made it an even more stacked race, but will be missing the meet due to sickness. Boys 55H - All eyes will be on Wayne Davis from Southeast Raleigh (NC), especially after the performance last year by Davis in Blacksburg. Two of Virginia's best hurdlers in Jeffrey Artis and Reynaldo Radlin will have to concede a race for second. Boys 4x200 - Western Branch will be gunning to be the first team to run a time of at least 1:30 with their VA #2 relay. Boys 4x400 - New Bern (NC) are the national leaders at 3:19 and will be looking to drop further under 3:20 this weekend. Albemarle (3:24 season best) leads a group of relays attempting to give chace along with Knightdale of North Carolina (3:25 season best) Boys 4x800 - This will be one of the rare occassions that New Bern loads up their 4x800 this season as their focus is on the 4x400 and 4x200, but it should be a thriller with the team from North Carolina and Virginia's finest in the Albemarle boys, a team which returns all from a 7:42 outdoor relay. Boys High Jump - Event features Jon Hill from Walkersville, who has soared well over 7 feet int he past with a 7'2" best. Charlottesville's Justin Jackson and Nansemond River's John James have both cleared over 6'8", while Jordan Hill of Albemarle also ranks as one of Virginia's best.
Preview of the girls running events for the 2009 Virginia Tech Invitational. Some races to look out for include: Girls 4x200 - Best in VA with Bethel, Grassfield, and Robinson battling in a state meet preview against national powerhouse Eleanor Roosevelt Girls 1000 - Midlo's Johnston looking to roll another fast 1000 on banked track. Girls 500 - Two of nation's fastest at 500 look to lower US #1 time with Woodford and McCant Girls 55H - Deep race featuring 8 of 11 fastest in VA. Girls 300 - Minkins has fastest season best in an every waiting for someone to step up Girls Mile - Stevens twins of Blacksburg lead field in pursuit of sub 5 barrier. Girls 4x400 - Peninsula District rivals Menchville and Bethel could press each other closer to 3:50
MileStat.com caught up with Atlee senior Ben Dejarnette (pictured left by Ted Plunkett) prior to making his official visit to Oregon last weekend. Dejarnette is looking to make amends for a disappointing finish at Foot Locker South in which he hoped to earn a berth to the national race in San Diego with a strong season in track as well as good finish at the USATF National Cross Country Championships, which will be held relatively close to Virginians in Derwood, Maryland on February 7th. The returning Group AAA state 3200 indoor champion will be making his indoor debut this weekend at Virginia Tech in the invitational mile. The senior discusses the disappointment of the end of cross country as well as moving forward to track and the USATF Cross Country Nationals.
The Stevens twins of Blacksburg have been on a tear at the start of the indoor track season and leading performers on the track for Coach James DeMarco's loaded distance crew. Last weekend at Liberty, Joanna Stevens broke the school record in the 1600 meter run in a personal best time of 5:02 with sister Kathleen Stevens not far behind in third place at 5:05.30. The twins switched their finish order in 1000 meter run on the following day with Kathleen finishing ahead of her sister for the first time in some time with a US #4 and state best time of 2:58.38, while Joanna also broke 3 minutes for the first time ever as well in runner-up at 2:59.04. Each will be featured in the invitational mile race this Saturday at the Virginia Tech Invitational with hopes of pushing towards the sub 5 barrier. One half of the twins in Kathleen is featured in an athlete spotlight interview article to discus their recent stellar performances and the unique sibling relationship of having an equally fast twin teammate.
Note that all sections of the 4x800 meter relays will be run on Friday at the Virginia Tech Invitational this weekend and not a seeded section on Saturday as originally scheduled.
Performance list to the 2009 Virginia Tech Invitational to be held next weekend in Blacksburg, VA.