Track Shorts - VOL III: McElroy, Holloway Win Multiple Events at 5A/6A State Track

With the completion of last weekend’s 5A/6A state track championships at Todd Stadium, many athletes saw their season end. A few standouts will be competing in the New Balance Nationals, which will be held on June 17-18 at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro. Others will begin preparing for next football season, at either the high school or college level.

Henrico's Craig McElroy en route
to 5A state winning 6-6 high jump
(Photo by Mary Ann Magnant)

The 3A/4A state meet, held at Harrisonburg High School, was abruptly stopped with three events remaining, due to lightning. The original plan was to not complete the final events or crown team champions. However, after a social media backlash from frustrated athletes and parents, the meet resumed, and was completed on Wednesday. Phoebus won the 3A boys title, while Lafayette placed fifth in the 4A boys’ competition. A good portion of both team’s points came from stars of the gridiron, and their accomplishments, as well as other winners from the 3A/4A and 1A/2A meets, will be highlighted in next week’s edition of Track Shorts.

MEANWHILE, AT THE 5A/6A STATE MEET…

Craig McElroy Wins 5A High Jump and 110-Meter High Hurdles for Henrico

The 6-foot-5 McElroy put his height and slender frame to good use, winning two gold medals for Henrico at the 5A state meet.

The senior, who plays receiver and cornerback for the Warriors, captured both the high jump and 110-meter hurdles. McElroy also anchored the fourth place 4×100 relay team (42.64). As a squad, Henrico finished in fourth place with 35.5 points.

McElroy fell short of his goal to break 14 seconds in the high hurdles, but did clock a 14.35 for his winning effort, just .02 seconds from a personal best. In post-race comments, he made note of the humid and blustery conditions, which hovered over Todd Stadium on Saturday morning.

His winning high jump of 6-6 matched his best height, which he cleared at this spring’s Colonial Relays, held at William and Mary.

McElroy will have a final opportunity to earn new personal bests this season at the New Balance Nationals, where he will compete in the Emerging Elite high jump and Championship 110-meter hurdles. Presently, McElroy is verbally committed to compete at Norfolk State.

The Grant Holloway Show Continues

Competing in his final state meet, Grant Holloway added to his record of individual championships while leading Grassfield to a second-place finish in the 6A Boys classification.

Holloway, a University of Florida signee, won the high jump (6-6), long jump (25-5.75), and 110-meter hurdles (13.78), giving him a final tally of 11 individual state titles.

Grizzly Seth Harrell Places 2nd in Shot-Put

While Holloway was dominating the jumps and high hurdles, teammate Seth Harrell (OL/DL) put his own exclamation point on a sparkling junior year season. Harrell placed second in the 6A shot-put with a throw of 59-11.5. Benedict Draghi of Washington-Lee, the state leader in both the shot and discus, won the event.

Western Branch’s Micaiah Harris Wins 6A 100 and 200 Meters

As T.C. Williams’ Olympic trials sprint qualifier Noah Lyles sat on the sideline with a tweaked hamstring, the 6A boys’ sprints were wide open for contention.

And Micaiah Harris busted through the window of opportunity, winning both the 100 (10.66) and 200 (21.05) meters, helping Western Branch to a state title, the 18th and 19th for Coach Claude Toukene, as the Branch girls also won.

Harris, a junior who plays cornerback and free safety for the Bruins, will be the odds-on favorite to repeat the double gold performance next year.

Norris and Hagins Lead Bethel to 5A Boys Title

Isaiah Norris had a rough weekend. On Friday, the footballer (RB/DE) was sidelined from the first day of the 5A boys meet with food poisoning. However, on Saturday, he composed himself enough to win the 300-meter hurdles (38.59) at Todd Stadium, helping Bethel to the first-place team trophy, matching the one it won indoors.

Teammate Josh Hagins (OLB/RB) placed second in the 200 (21.77).

The 300-meter hurdle race also featured a second place finish from Hampton High receiver Burnell Pulley (39.04), seventh from Menchville running back/cornerback Malik Dixon (40.56), and eighth by Albemarle running back Arun Turay.

Nansemond River’s Waller Wins 5A 100 Meters

One week removed from his regional title in the 5A South 100-meter dash, Nansemond River running back Javon Waller broke the tape first again at the 5A state meet, covering the distance in 10.75, just .03 seconds ahead of Naukym Morton of North Stafford.

Lucas-Roscoe Wins 5A Triple Jump

Edison’s Greg Lucas-Roscoe, who played running back for the Eagles this past fall, captured the 5A triple jump with a distance of 46-6.5. Lucas-Roscoe also placed third in the long jump (23-1), helping the Eagles to an eighth place team finish.

Lee-Davis’ O’Connor Wins 5A Shot

Scott O’Connor of Lee-Davis helped his team to a third place finish (41 pts.) with a winning throw of 54-10.25 in the shot-put. O’Connor, a junior, who is listed in the football program as 6-2 and 200 pounds, played tight end and defensive end for the Confederates, who finished the 2015 season with a 10-3 record, losing in the playoffs to eventual state champion Highland Springs.