Track Shorts - Volume I - Grant Holloway and Bobby Price

As seen on Ultimate Recruit -- please give the site a look --

Here's the story link - http://www.ultimaterecruit.com/ultimate-recruit/track-shorts-volume-grant-holloway-bobby-price/

Grant Holloway set the American high school record
for the 55 and 60-meter hurdles during the indoor season.
He will be heading to the University of Florida in
the fall to run track and play football for the Gators.

It would be remiss to begin the “Track Shorts” feature on Ultimate Recruit without spotlighting the state’s current premier football and track athlete – Grassfield’s Grant Holloway.

In last week’s introduction, a brief highlight of Holloway’s track career was presented. Truly, as the winner of a record eight individual combined indoor and outdoor state track titles, Holloway is the prime example of an athlete who has used his abilities to run fast and jump high to bring him unparalleled success in two sports.

The talents have served him well. This coming fall, the Grizzlies’ star wide receiver will be competing in football and track at the University of Florida.

Yet, it is Holloway’s track talents that will keep him busy throughout the spring and summer. He finished the 2016 indoor season with two championships at the New Balance Nationals. First, his 4,230 points in the pentathlon was enough to win the five-event competition by a staggering 531 points, while setting a U.S. high school #3 all-time performance for the event. And that was only his second-best performance of the weekend, as Holloway also won the 60-meter hurdles in 7.78, setting a new national high school record in the 60 (and 55-meter) hurdles.

Added to this is a personal-best high jump of 7-foot-1, as well as long jump of 25-11.25, which was ranked #2 for high school indoors nationally. The 2016 Olympic Trials may be in Holloway’s immediate future.

But there are still a few more meets for Grassfield. This weekend, they will take part in the 6A South region meet, held at Todd Stadium in Newport News, this Friday and Saturday.

Holloway earned the day off last weekend, as the Grizzlies competed in the 6A Conference 2 meet. According to the soon-to-be Gator, his competition schedule is being handled with care.

“I’m just taking (the season) one day at a time,” said Holloway. “We have regionals, then state. But my main goal is making the Junior (National) team. Then I’ll worry about everything after.”

The 5A/6A state meet will be held the following weekend, also at Todd Stadium. It will possibly be the last time for Hampton Roads track (and football) fans to see Holloway compete for a while, as the Gators have no football games scheduled in Virginia for the foreseeable future, while the track teams did compete at one indoor meet (Virginia Tech Elite) last February, and an outdoor competition (Virginia Challenge) in late April.

Bishop Sullivan’s Price Earns Field Athlete of Meet at VISAA Boys Champs

Bishop Sullivan's Bobby Price long jumps at last  weekend's
VISAA track championships. Price won the long and high
 jumps, and was named the meet's outstanding
 field athlete. (Photo by Mary Ann Magnant)

In some statewide circles, Bishop Sullivan’s Bobby Price is considered as the “Grant Holloway” of the private schools. Price played quarterback, wide receiver and running back for the Crusaders – who passed for over 500 yards, while rushing for 460 yards and earning the Offensive Player of the Year award for Sullivan.

And like Holloway, Price has made his presence known on the track and field. In three successive meets, the senior left an indelible mark of the victory stand, earning a combined 11 gold medals in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools (TCIS), Virginia State Catholic meet and Virginia Independent School championships (VISAA), held within an 11-day span.

Starting with the TCIS meet, Price scored four wins, in the 200 and all three jumps (high, long and triple), while finishing second in the 100, to Nansemond-Suffolk sprinter and running back Noah Giles. Price’s 48 individual points catapulted the Crusaders to a conference title as they upended local private school powerhouse Norfolk Academy while tallying 120 points.

At the State Catholic meet, Price truly found his stride, winning an unprecedented five events, with four personal bests. He dominated both sprints, capturing the 100 in 11.09 and 200 in a State Catholic record time of 22.16. Price also won all of three jumps with a 23-4.5 in the long jump, 46-3 in the triple jump and 6-2 to win the high jump. The first four performances were bests, as he had cleared 6-8 at the VISAA indoor championships. For his efforts, Price was named the male athlete of the meet.

Asked about the spark behind his record-setting performance, Price said, “I felt like I wanted to win the championship for our team and knew that I had to do my best.” Buoyed by Price’s 50 points, Sullivan captured the runner-up team trophy, just seven points (111-104) behind winner St. John Paul the Great of Dumfries.

“We almost got them,” added Price.

The senior, who has committed to play for Norfolk State football next year, also earned the Field Performer of the meet award at last Sunday’s VISAA meet. Competing in the Division I category against the stiffest prep competitors in Virginia, Price won the long jump (23-2) and high jump (6-2), while placing second in the triple jump.

Price has a bright future in store. While he has qualified for the New Balance High School Nationals in both the long and triple jumps, he is not committed to participating in the meet because “it is so close to graduation.” He did compete at Nationals during indoor season, placing seventh with a leap of 6-7.

Along with his engineering studies, he is looking forward to football season with the Spartans, a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).

“Right now, they have me listed as a safety, but they might try me out at wide receiver,” said Price, who is listed at 6’3” and 180 pounds. Price is expecting to focus on the long, triple and high jump with the track team, led by long time NSU coach Kenneth Giles.

NSA’s Giles Wins VISAA Div. II 100 Meters

At the same VISAA meet, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s Noah Giles, mentioned earlier as the TCIS boys’ 100-meter winner, won the Division II 100-meter dash with a time of 11.15. Giles also placed second in the long jump (20-3) and triple jump (40-0).

Track Shorts is looking for football/track athletes to highlight in the Tidewater, Richmond and Northern Virginia regions. Please send information for “Track Shorts” to jfmcgrath65@gmail.com or @jfmcgrath on Twitter.