Newport News Invitational 2001

NEWPORT NEWS, VA -- Many have debated on who the the second best runner in the state is behind John Handley's Bobby Lockhart. Well as a politician likes to get off well in his initial arguements to win a debate, Matt Keally might have helped himself get well out in front in the polls by clocking a 15:19 5K at the Newport News Invitational. His time broke the old meet record of 15:26 and was just shy of the course record held by one of the nation's best middle distance runners, Senecca Lassiter. He'll get another change to break Lassiter's record in November as the Eastern Region Meet is held on the same course.

The secret is out, the Thomas Jefferson (Alexandria) squads are good! The squads have kept relatively low key and not many people have been giving them much credit. However, both the boys and girls squad were in complete control of team battles at the Newport News Invitational.

The boys squad almost placed their entire top 7 in the top 15 as they fit 6 in the 14. Sophomore Christo Landry led the squad as he finished runnerup to Keally in a time of 16:04. Making out for a possible title contender out of the Northern Region was a top 5 consisting of Landry, Keith Bechol (5th, 16:32), Joe Bylund (7th, 16:41), Tarik Jones (9th, 16:50), and Dan Walsh (10th, 16:51). Their team total of 29 points put them well ahead of Western Branch with 63.

Not only did the Thomas Jefferson girls win by a wide margin of 29 points with their team score of 62, but they also had the individual race winner in Sara Levine who ran a stellar race to win in 19:30 and beat Menchville's Megan Isaacs who came in at 19:38.

Adding more to the wacky week with many of the top ranked girls teams getting knocked off or beaten was the Manchester girls finishing 2nd behind Jefferson and Frank W. Cox.