From MileStat -- Ten Tales of Virginia State Track!! -- #8. Western Branch Girls Almost Win All Relays for Three Straight Years; 5A/6A Baton Exchange Wrap-Up

As if winning six consecutive state titles was not a large enough accomplishment, the Lady Bruins of Western Branch almost accomplished an unthinkable feat at this year’s 6A State Meet.

If not for a disqualification in the 4x100, the Branch girls would have won the 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800 in three consecutive state outdoor finals. Coupled with sweeps of the 4x200 and 4x400 at the 2015 and 2016 indoor state meets, the tally of relay wins for Western Branch, dating from the 2014 indoor 4x800 (won by West Springfield in 9:15.13) to the disqualification in this year’s 4x100, would look like this:

2014 indoor – 4x200, 4x400
2014 outdoor – 4x100, 4x400, 4x800
2015 indoor – 4x200, 4x400, 4x800
2015 outdoor – 4x100, 4x400, 4x800
2016 indoor – 4x200, 4x400, (Patriot won 4x800)
2016 outdoor – 4x800

That makes for a staggering 14 of 15 state relay finals won by the Bruins. To note, the girls’ 4x100 team was disqualified, but had run the fastest time of the event, with Joyner Hinton, Shadajah Ballard, Inayah Boone and Jazmine Tilmon blazing to the finish in 47.14.

However, the Western Branch relay was disqualified for a handoff violation in exchange zone #3. With the DQ, the Westfield quartet of Sarah Little, Inaya Jones, Indira Miles and Natalie Lott prevailed in the relay with a time of 47.72.

The Bruins rebounded quickly, finishing the meet with a win in the 4x400, as the foursome of Jashella Jenkins, Amanda Thomas, Martina Smalls and Adriana Shockley brought the baton home in 3:48.55. Without the DQ, the count would be at 17... and counting!

In addition, not to be forgotten was the Bruins’ 4x800 team of Shockley, Faith Ross, Smalls and Thomas, who broke the Virginia state record on Friday with a new standard of 8:51.61.

5A Girls’ Relays

Nansemond River won the two shorter relays, while Hickory’s four runners put on a clinic in the 4x800.

The Hawks got down to business on Friday, with Madisyn Van Gorder, Kailyn Gyurisko, Kate Miller and Jodi Tolarchyk rolled through the eight-lap race in 9:21.19, a full 8.25 seconds ahead of runner-up Marshall.

On Saturday, the relays were all about Team WAR. The 4x100 group of Leticia Toombs, Julia Burkley, Asia Crocker and Brene’ Donaldson cruised to a 46.34, a full second ahead of second place Brooke Point (47.39). The Warriors ended their winning day with a gold medal in the 4x400, as Kori Carter, Amirah Jones, Tre’breh Scott-McKoy and Syaira Richardson put the final touches on the WAR team triumph with a 3:49.96 win, six seconds faster than silver medalist North Stafford (3:55.20).

6A Boys’ Relays

Unlike the other classifications, there were three separate winners in the 6A boys’ relays.

On Friday, the state’s top-ranked 4x800, Lake Braddock, added to its extensive gold medal collection in the distance events. Andrew Delvecchio, Cavanaugh McGaw, Colin Schaefer and anchor Ben Fogg won the 4x800 in 7:51.35, easily defeating Manchester (7:57.19), who took the silver in a season-best time.

Oscar Smith edged Woodbridge in the meet’s final event, the 4x400, with Kameron Corprew, Alfred Shirley III, Aaron Shirley, and Peter Smith bringing the baton home in 3:19.39, .80 ahead of the Vikings.

5A Boys’ Relays

Bethel added 20 points to its state championship point tally with wins in the 5A boys 4x100 and 4x400.

However, the first ten points were harder to earn than expected.

Isaiah Norris was scratched from the 110-meter high hurdle trials on Friday, suffering from food poisoning, However, Norris came back on Saturday to lead off the Bruins winning 4x100, joining Carlos Young II, Ilkeem Ellis and Josh Hagins for a 41.76 victory in one of the closest races of the day. Prince George County took second in 41.77.

Norris won the 300-intermediate hurdles later on Saturday, and sat out of Bethel’s winning 4x400. But, Ellis, Matthew Freeman, Young, and Edward Richardson held their ground, and won in 3:20.61, to put the finishing touches on the Bruins 14th state title under Coach Eddie Williams. Potomac took the second spot in 3:21.58.

On Friday, Glen Allen outpaced its competition to secure the 4x800 win, with Michael Carrico, Eddie Williams, Austin Story and Zack Watt pacing the Jaguars to a convincing 7:52.03 win, over four seconds faster than silver medalist Mountain View (7:56.30).





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