From MileStat -- Ten Tales of Virginia State Track!! - #3. WB's Gary Williams Wins 6A Triple Jump on Final Attempt

The news caught Western Branch coach Claude Toukene off guard.

"Gary won the triple jump?" After a 10-second break, he made another inquiry. "Wait a minute; you said Gary won the triple jump?"

If Coach Toukene was mildly surprised, it was only because the first half of the Friday's 6A boys' triple jump was short of fireworks, particularly from the junior jumper and hurdler. Entering the finals, Williams was in second place, behind Hasani Knight of Landstown and just ahead of South County's Perry Donkor, who was the top seed entering the competition.

While Williams was the #2 seed, he was winless in competitions against both Knight and Donkor.

"(Donkor) beat me at indoor Nationals," said Williams, "and Asani beat me at indoor States."

On his final jump, Donker landed a 48-3, good enough to take the lead and beat the existing 6A meet record.

Williams was next. He had a 48-6 personal best in the triple jump, set last year at the Penn Relays. He would need a similar effort in order to finally win over his two rivals. Armed with that knowledge, the Bruin went through his routine.

But first, he said a prayer, just as he always does.

"I said a prayer to my grandmother," said Williams. "She passed away last October." If there is such a thing as divine intervention, perhaps Hazel Gatlin was paying attention and ready to intercede. Through his first five jumps, Williams had been making the same mistake, repeatedly.

"I didn't hit the board all day," said Williams who started his first five jumps from at least four inches behind the landing board. "Before the last jump, Coach (Jeffrey Artis) said that if I hit the board, I could go 49."

Williams made his approach, and on the last step, landed squarely on the board.

Asked how he felt at that point, Williams noted, "I knew it was going to be a good jump."

In fact, it would be his best. With a hop, skip, and jump, Williams leapt into the lead, and state record book with a 49-1.5. When Knight made 48 feet on his last attempt, redemption was his.

"I felt good, and felt like I came out of nowhere. I was thinking that I can't let both of them beat me and my teammate (Akinshe Hill) again."

Williams plans to compete in next weekend's New Balance Nationals and has set the goal of "trying to hit 50."

Williams' day was enhanced by another personal best, as earlier in the day, he claimed a 14.85 in the 110-meter hurdle trials, good enough to make Saturday's finals.

All of this has made for an auspicious start to his Western Branch career. Williams transferred to the school from Churchland in December. Asked about the reason for his transfer, he recalled the first time he saw the Bruin team at a meet.

"I was at an indoor meet (with Churchland) and remember seeing Western Branch and all of the great hurdlers they had," said Williams. At the time, I thought that they had what I was looking for as far as training for the hurdles. So I transferred."

So far, so good.

From MileStat -- Ten Tales of Virginia State Track!! - #2. Robinson Thrower Maria Muzzio Caps Stellar Prep Career

After popular demand from XC and the indoor season, MileStat's Jim McGrath continues the feature of 10 stories from the state meet. He was at the 5A/6A State Meet and had no instructions on what to cover, but needless to say these are all some interesting stories!

One of the greatest throwing careers in Virginia history began winding down over this weekend as Robinson's Maria Muzzio took her final State championship throws.

Muzzio will finish her prep career in two weeks at the New Balance Nationals, throwing the discus in the Emerging Elite category, and shot-put in the championship round.

Muzzio opened on Friday with the girls' 6A discus, facing off against top-seeded Taylor Gorum of Grassfield. Her first two throws of 124-0 and 126-5 had her in contention for the lead. However, Gorum's second throw of 137-10 would prove to be the winning toss, and Muzzio struggled with her next three throws before launching a final disc of 132-5 to cement the silver medal. Teammate Corey Payne placed fifth with a best throw of 111-5 to give the Rams 12 well needed points.

While Muzzio was throwing, her field coach stayed busy filming her throws, offering footwork advice and words of encouragement "build some momentum and drive through!"

This coach should know a great deal about what makes the thrower tick. After all, Rob Muzzio is also her father.

Yet, this father is legitimate as a throwing coach, and pole vault coach, and hurdle coach, and probably any other event he would choose to work with. From the mid-1980's through 1996, the elder Muzzio was one of America's brightest stars in the decathlon, the youngest NCAA champion and an All-American at George Mason University, as well as 1992 Olympian who placed fifth in Barcelona and scored a high of 8,237 points.

Somewhat surprisingly, this is only his first year of coaching the Robinson throwers, but Maria Muzzio readily admits, "It's nice to have him."

Muzzio will continue her athletic career at Colorado State and has chosen quite a unique major - equine science. How does one discover such a major?

"My Mom has owned horses since she was 13. We run the horses in marathons."

Like the 26.2 mile version?

"Our marathons are 50, 75 and 100 miles," said Muzzio. Asked about the comparison between her horses and the thoroughbreds that run in the Kentucky Derby, she added, "Those are more like the sprinters. We ride the distance runners."

There is no hiding her enthusiasm for the next step of her journey.

"I was looking into studying animal science and Colorado State is world renowned for equine science. I'm so excited about it and their coach, Brian Bedard, is amazing."

On Saturday, Muzzio placed second in the shot-put, a mere half inch behind Alexus Foreman of T.C. Williams, who tossed the eight-pound ball 43-7 on her opening throw and held on for the win. Muzzio's 16 points helped Mike Kiernan's Robinson girls' team to a seventh place finish with 31 points.