Where We Are: Lafayette Plays for Class 3 State Football Title (as seen on Recruit757.com)

Lord Botetourt (9-0) vs. Lafayette (8-0), Saturday 2 PM, Wanner Stadium, Williamsburg, VA

Online TV: NFHS Network (subscription required)

Lafayette returns to Wanner Stadium this week, but this time it’s for the opportunity to capture the state championship that has eluded its grasp since 2001.

Under coach Andy Linn’s tutelage, the Rams came close once, in 2014, but fell 25-19 to a powerful Magna Vista squad that would also defeat tomorrow’s opponent, Lord Botetourt, 47-21 the following year.

The Cavaliers, from Daleville, just north of Roanoke, are also undefeated at 9-0, and arrive in Williamsburg on the heels of a 24-22 nail-biter win over Liberty Christian. This will be their third attempt at the championship, having also lost to Hopewell 35-7 in 2019.

Likewise, the Rams received a formidable challenge in the semis but recovered their own fumble in the game’s final two minutes to hold off Independence 17-13.

Both teams rely on the run, but the Cavs have a monster player in 226-pound back Hunter Rice with 995 yards and 20 TD in just nine games. Quarterback Sammy Peery has thrown for just over 1,000 yards, and 14 scores against only two interceptions.

The Rams respond with Miguel Reel (88-489-8) as the featured back. Reel carried 21 times for 107 yards in the Indy game. Luke Hanson should keep the Cavs defense honest, coming into Saturday with 925 yards and nine TD’s through the air.

Both teams have been bitten by the injury bug. For Lord Botetourt, WR/DB Kyle Arnholt is out, while Lafayette LB Sam Boyer, the Region 3A defensive player of the year, also will not play. University of Virginia commit Mike Green (6-4, 215) will be asked to pick up the slack on the Ram defense.

LORD BOTETOURT
Coach: Jamie Harless

Offense
89 TE Ethan Peggins; 6-5 235 Sr.
50 LT Gunner Givens; 6-6 272 Jr.
54 LG Trey Reiter; 5-11 265 Sr.
64 C Frank Sawyers; 5-11 240 Sr.
52 OG Troy Everett; 6-3 280 Sr.
72 OT Hunter McLain; 6-5 290 Jr.
43 WR Joey Isaacs; 5-9 145 Jr.
9 TE Xavier Stephens; 6-2 264 Sr.
1 QB Sammy Peery; 6-0 150 Sr.
44 FB Zach Horton; 6-4 240 Sr.
10 RB Hunter Rice 6-0 226 Sr.

Defense
52 DL Troy Everett 6-3 280 Sr.
78 NT Evan Heck 5-11 270 Sr.
9 DL Xavier Stephens 6-2 264 Sr.
44 OLB Zach Horton 6-4 240 Sr.
5 ILB Bryson Oliver 6-1 220 Sr.
10 ILB Hunter Rice 6-0 226 Sr.
24 OLB Nic Pitzer 6-1 207 Sr.
CB 2 Trevor Catron 5-10 170 Sr.
CB 43 Joey Isaacs 5-9 145 Jr.
11 S Jakari Nicely 6-0 180 Fr.
1 S Sammy Peery 6-0 150 Sr.

Specialists
6 PK Bryson Harvey 6-1 165 Jr.
3 P Mikey Rago 5-11 150 Sr.
—-
SEASON SCORES
W George Washington 70-6
W William Fleming 49-6
W William Byrd 55-13
W Staunton River 49-6
W Franklin County 57-7
W Northside (forfeit)

Region 3D playoffs
W Christiansburg 55-0
W Abingdon 26-8

Class 3 semifinal
W Liberty Christian 24-22
—-
Lord Botetourt SEASON STATISTICS

Rushing
Att Yds TD
Hunter Rice 98 995 20
Dylan Wade 94 626 6
K.J. Bratton 53 426 5

Passing
C-A-I Yds TD
Sammy Peery 49-64-2 1003 14

Receiving
Rec-Yds TD
Zach Horton 26-297 5
Kyle Arnholt;; 21-281-9

LAFAYETTE
Coach: Andy Linn

Offense

76 LT Bradley White 6-5 240 Sr.
53 LG Mike Julien 5-9 260 Jr.
79 C Tommy Gardner 6-4 320 Sr.
56 RG Andy Anderson 6-1 270 Jr.
75 RT Bryce Copeland 6-0 200 Jr.
4 TE Mike Green 6-4 215 Sr.
84 WR Donald Gatling 6-4 190 Jr.
2 WB Adrian Warren 5-10 180 Jr.
1 WB Bryce Cupp; 6-2 210 Sr.
8 QB Luke Hanson; 6-2 190 Jr.
5 RB Miguel Reel 6-0 190 Sr.

Defense

5 DL Miguel Reel 6-0 190 Sr.
53 DL Mike Julien 5-9 260 Jr.
79 DL Tommy Gardner 6-4 320 Sr.
9 DL Loyal Gresham 6-2 240 Jr.
7 LB Myric Harris 5-10 185 Sr.
50 LB Aidan Byron 5-11 200 Sr.
4 LB Mike Green 6-4 215 Sr.
22 LB DeMarcus Lawrence 5-11 200 So.
84 DB Donald Gatling; 6-4 190 Jr.
1 DB Bryce Cupp; 6-2 210 Sr.
27 DB Jaylin Pretlow 5-10 160 So.

Specialists

18 PK; Cannon Newell 6-0 165 Sr.
—-

Lafayette: SEASON STATISTICS

Rushing
Att Yds TD
Miguel Reel 88 489 8

Passing
C-A-I Yds TD
Luke Hanson 48-99-5 925 9

Receiving
Rec-Yds TD
Donald Gatling 20-285 6
Mike Green 14 -255 2

How They Got There - Lafayette Defeats Independence in Class 3 State Semifinal (as seen on UltimateRecruit.com)

 In a game that qualifies as an instant classic, Lafayette was taken to the hilt by Independence, but a Luke Hanson fumble recovery in the game’s final two minutes sealed a Class 3 championship game berth for the Rams, who nipped the upstart Tigers 17-13 at Williamsburg’s Wanner Stadium on Saturday.

With the win, Lafayette (8-0) will host Lord Botetourt, a 24-22 winner over Liberty Christian in the other semifinal next Saturday.

Indy struck first, as Florida State commit Brian Courtney tossed a 15-yard touchdown pass to Josh Hand. The extra point gave the Tigers an early 7-0 edge.

Lafayette responded with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that took up a huge chunk of the second quarter, culminated by Adrian Warren’s 10-yard scoring run with 2:50 left in the opening half, which ended with the score knotted at seven.

The Rams relied heavily on their running game, carrying the ball 42 times for 220 times. Miguel Reel (21 rushes, 107 yards) put Lafayette in the lead with 8:40 remaining in the third quarter with a seven-yard touchdown run to put the hosts on top 14-7.

The Tigers struck back immediately, needing just over two minutes to respond, as Elijah Tidwell scored from three yards out. However, the Rams’ Brandon Jefferson got a hand on the extra-point kick to keep the Rams ahead 14-13.

Early in the fourth quarter, Cannon Newell added three more points with a 36-yard field goal, putting the Rams ahead 17-13.

The Tigers had one final chance to score the game-winning touchdown, but the Ram defense held Courtney (8-16, 79 yards, TD, 21 carries, 101 yards) and the offense in check, forcing a punt with just under four minutes left in the game.

Lafayette would face one more nerve-wracking moment when Ram quarterback Luke Hanson fumbled the center snap near midfield with 1:42 remaining. Hanson recovered the fumble, allowing the Rams to run out the clock.

Despite the finish, Independence (5-2) capped its second season of varsity football in an unlikely spot, after starting their inaugural season 0-8, before winning two games to qualify for a playoff spot. Ram coach Andy Linn was impressed with the quick progression of the Tigers.

“As I told their coach (R.J. Windows), they’ve done a great job getting the kids out and running a system. They took their lumps last year but stuck with it and it has paid off. They’ll continue to get better.”

Deep Creek WR J. Jones Commits to W&M (as seen on ultimaterecruit.com)

Deep Creek WR Jalen Jones (c/o 2021, 6-1 170) has found his collegiate home, as the speedy Hornet committed to the College of William and Mary on Thursday.

Jones, who has carried a 4.0 plus grade point average throughout his high school career (and 4.24 overall), will certainly gain from the academic challenge offered in Williamsburg without being overwhelmed by the rigor of study at one of the nation’s most prestigious academic schools.

Jones was primarily recruited for the Tribe by cornerbacks coach Ras-I Dowling, a former NFL cornerback with the Patriots and Raiders, and also a fellow graduate of Deep Creek.

And while Tribe head coach Mike London has gained some speed on the outside (at either defensive back or receiver), there is one other W&M coach who may be equally as happy with Jones’ commitment – W&M director of track and field Alex Heacock.

Jones has enjoyed a solid career with the Hornets, evidenced in his last game, a 23-12 win over Western Branch in which he caught five passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. The Creek team is 5-1 and heading to Virginia Beach next weekend for a Region 5A playoff tilt against Cox.

However, Jones has also starred on the oval which surrounds the field. In the spring of 2019, as a sophomore, he won four individual events (high jump, long jump, triple jump, 100-meter hurdles) to lead the Hornets to a Class 4A region track title. The following week, at the Class 4 state meet, he almost won the triple jump, but fell just short when a Louisa County jumper hit 47 feet on his final attempt, just one-half inch ahead of Jones’ 46-11 ½.

Although he missed his junior season outdoor track campaign to COVID, head football coach Andre Twine, who also serves as the school’s head indoor and outdoor track coach, has made one bold prediction for his star two-sport athlete.

Speaking of the triple jump, Twine told Recruit757, “he’s going for 50 (feet) outdoor,” a mark that would easily rank him in the top-three in Virginia, and among the 50 best nationally.

The Tribe football team (currently 1-2 in its spring season) is scheduled to host Richmond at Zable Stadium on April 10.

 

Culpeper's Harrison and Jones Commit to Apprentice Football (as seen on RecruitNoVA.com)

The Apprentice School football team has added two key cogs to its strengthened roster as Riley Harrison (c/o 2021, RB/LB, 5-10, 215) and Stewart Jones (c/o 2021, OL/DL, 6-0 230), both of Culpeper County HS, have formally committed to attending and playing football for the Newport News, VA school. 

Harrison, a first-team All-Northwestern District and second-team All 4B-Region player made the announcement on his Twitter account last Friday, while Jones committed three days later. Reached by RecruitNoVA.com last weekend, Harrison explained the thought process behind his decision.

“I learned about (Apprentice) through my coaches over the summer. I had seen a little bit on Twitter, but didn’t think much of it until we had a team meeting on a Zoom call with the coaches. Our team sat in our weight room and listened to Coach (Apprentice head coach John) Davis talk about the opportunities presented and the process of getting in. I immediately was interested and wanted to look more into it.”

Apprentice is a unique program that is linked with the Huntington Ingalls shipyard on the James River in the south end of Newport News. According to its Wikipedia page, the company, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), is America’s largest military shipbuilding company and a provider of professional services to partners in government and industry. 

The school trains individuals in one of 17 trades linked to shipbuilding. Harrison will study pipefitting at Apprentice, which provides free education, as well as paying its working students upwards of $20 per hour for a career that generally begins with a salary of 50-60 thousand per year upon school completion in 4-5 years.

Athletics is an integral part of the “Builder” experience, and the school provides six sports for its 725 students. The football team has seen increased success in recent years with the hiring of Davis as head coach, and former NFL lineman Elton Brown as line coach and recruiting coordinator. Locally, Mason Tatum, former Stone Bridge standout at quarterback, has been leading the Apprentice offense.

Harrison said he hopes to play linebacker or running back for the Builders, but would be willing to play on both sides of the ball. Jones’ position with the Builders will be determined shortly.

L.C. Bird Boys Run Away With Class 5 Track Title

The feeling going into the Class 5 boys state meet on the first Tuesday afternoon of March was that it could turn into an invasion of the Birdmen – more specifically, the L.C. version.

Jayson Ward - (photo by Mary Ann Magnant)

On paper, the Skyhawks, led by All-State long sprint aces Jayson Ward and Matthew Spicer looked to dominate the 300, 500, and 4x200, possibly picking up as many as 40 points in the three events. Adding Luke Affolder and Jacob Plummer into the distance mix brought the possibility of another 18 points (1600), while Henry Asare was the top seed in the 55-meter hurdles. If the Hawks could pick up some wood in the field, they hoped to decide the outcome before the 3200. 

Even though the Hawks placed third in the 4x800 (8:29.48), it was William Fleming that took an early team lead, followed by Freedom-South Riding. However, the 1-2 punch of Ward (1:03.43) and Spicer (1:06.35) in the 500 gave Byrd 18 crucial points to boost their lead to 64–25 over Freedom, and put them in the driver’s seat to coast to the team championship on Tuesday at the Virginia Beach Sports Center.

Makai Lewis would move up from fifth with a 28.94 final lap to win the 1000 (2:39.50), and Affolder emulated his 1600 win with a victory in the 3200. 

Most notably, Ward and Spicer returned for the 300, just 30 minutes later (only because of a forced 12-minute break), and again finished 1-2. The effort left both runners sprawled on the straightaway inside of the track. Asked if that was their shortest ever rest between the two races, both runners breathlessly nodded in the affirmative.

When asked if they would be running the 4x400, Ward mirrored Lewis’ earlier response – “I hope not!”

Yet, Lewis came back with Ward to help Bird end the meet with an exclamation point, which ended with Ward out leaning Salem’s Camren Mitchell to take the day’s final event by .04 seconds in 3:27.04.

In all, Bird tallied 119 points, almost tripling the total of runner-up Freedom (42). Princess Anne pulled up to third with 40, and Fleming (39) and Atlee (38.5) kept the second through fifth-place competition interesting.

Ninth Annual 10-Mile Run fpr the Heart Results

From the Peninsula Track Club (February 6, 2021)

Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council 5480 - benefiting the American Heart Association

The 2021 edition of the 10-Mile Run for the Heart was held under perfect running conditions; sunny and cold with a slight breeze and a temperature of 40 degrees at the race start. Two hundred and twenty-four runners entered the 10-Mile Run for the Heart with 191 completing the 10-mile course on the scenic Yorktown Battlefield.  Runners were spread out in nine waves and were instructed to adhere to Covid-19 guidelines during the event, including mask-wearing at all times while not running.  Social distancing and masking guidelines were followed for this completely outdoor event. 

The course started and finished near Surrender Field on the Yorktown Battlefield.  The 10-mile course is USATF certified #VA12072RT.

Four new age group course records for the 10-Mile Run for the Heart were set.

Winner and 1st Male Overall, Roger Hopper, 30 of Chesapeake, VA bettered the age group record for men 30-34 with a time of 56:41, improving on the mark of 1:01:31 that set by Ryan Doupe in 2018. For the women, Bethany Spector of Virginia Beach paced the field, winning in 1:12:29.

TOP OVERALL MEN

    1     1 ROGER HOPPER               30 CHESAPEAKE VA         56:41  5:41     

    2     2 JONATHAN TORRES            31 NEWPORT NEWS VA     1:02:29  6:15     

    3     3 TOBY WORM                  47 SMITHFIELD VA       1:03:18  6:20     

TOP OVERALL WOMEN

    1    18 BETHANY SPECTOR            31 VIRGINIA BEACH VA   1:12:29  7:15     

    2    21 GWEN RILEY                 27 PORTSMOUTH VA       1:12:54  7:18     

    3    24 JESSIE JAPZON              34 CHESAPEAKE VA

For men 60-64, Robert Whitaker, 62 of Yorktown VA set a new age group record with a time of 1:08:19 beating out the time of 1:10:07 set by Dale Abrahamson in 2013.

On the other hand, for men 70-74, Dale Abrahamson, 71 of Yorktown set a new age group record with a time of 1:19:40 beating the time of 1:20:44 set by Langston Shelton III in 2018.

Finally for men 75-79, Ronald Kellum, 76 of Hampton, VA set an age group record with a time of 1:43:13, beating the record of 1:45:27 which Ronald himself set in 2020.

Finish line and results services were provided by the Peninsula Track Club.  A copy of the results, links to pictures from the race and listings for future road races can be found on the PTC website: www.peninsulatrackclub.com. 

(Black History Month) From the Archives - Who is Boo Williams?

Do You Know Who Boo (Williams) Is?

MileStates 2017

(In honor of black history month, I  present one from the archives - an article I wrote for Milestat.com back in 2017 on Boo Williams, a Hampton, VA native who is also one of the nation's foremost youth basketball coaches and mentors. A genuine living legend.)

On Friday afternoon, I decided to give a short, impromptu quiz to several of the coaches and co-workers at the Boo Williams Sportsplex. It wasn't a tough test; in fact, it was only one question. To my surprise and amusement, many of the test takers failed.

"Do you know who Boo Williams is?"

Of course, the initial response was, "Sure, the guy that owns this building." However, there weren't many second and third sentences in the answer. Here's one -- "the multi-millionaire who donated the building."

One person was surprised when I mentioned that Boo Williams would probably be walking around at the meet later. Another was shocked when I said he had to leave his "9-to-5" job as an insurance agent with State Farm before coming over.

Around 5 PM, Marcellus "Boo" Williams made his entrance into the track facility. At almost six-foot-eight, he was hard to miss. Williams regularly makes an appearance at the state track meet, and many other non-championship track events. In fact, he is a regular fixture in the building that bears his name, and hosts events almost every day of the year.

However, his legend is more recognizable on the other side of the Sportsplex building, where many athletes warmed up among the numerous banners on either side of the State Farm gymnasium.

Boo Williams is a native of Hampton and attended Phoebus High. Because of his basketball prowess, a scholarship to continue playing at St. Joseph's University followed, and then a professional basketball career in Europe. Upon returning to Hampton in 1982, Williams started his work with State Farm, but was also bitten by the coaching bug.

On a $400 investment, he formed the Boo Williams Summer League. And the rest, as they say, is history. Starting with forty-six players, the league transformed into the Boo Williams Nike Invitational, and with over 200 teams and 2,500 players is known as one of the premier AAU leagues in the United States. To list his former youth players is to read a "Who's Who" of basketball players from Hampton Roads. Players such as Allen Iverson, Alonzo Mourning and Joe Smith have called Williams their coach, helping bring many AAU national titles back to Tidewater.

Along with his collaboration with Howard White of Nike, it was some of the former players whom Williams called for financial support, when his vision for a major sports facility to house the basketball tournaments came into reality. White, the Nike vice-president in charge of the Jordan brand, was a huge supporter of the project, and is the reason for the "Howard White" with a Nike swoosh in the northeast corner of the track area.

Another fact that may be unknown to many is that the "Booplex" was originally planned to be mostly a basketball-only facility. However, after realizing that a whole section of the converted warehouse was wide open, the planners went to then-Bethel High coach Eddie Williams and asked for his advice on designing a track. City leaders, realizing that a high-level track was sorely needed in the Hampton Roads region, and that a suitable facility could attract high-level meets, and boost money into the Hampton economy, made sure that a track with state-of-the-art features was built.

In all, it cost $13.5 million to complete the Boo Williams Sportsplex, which utilizes 135,000 square feet, seats 4,000 between the two sides, and holds eight basketball courts, which can conduct games simultaneously, as well as twelve volleyball courts and eight indoor hockey fields.

On Friday, Williams was told of the comment about being the multi-millionaire who donated the building. He simply laughed and responded with one word -- "No."

To view some of our Coach Williams' former players, one only needs to look for their names on the banners hanging in the State Farm gymnasium across from the track. To view the Coach, on Friday, he was the tall gentleman near the medal table with the gray and black Nike Jordan jacket.

Of course, for identification purposes, one could say that the biggest name on the building was probably also the tallest man inside of it.

VA Showcase: Top Three State Sprinters Meet -- Kind Of, As Pyatt, Whyte, and Holland Clash

Three of Virginia’s top female high school sprinters got a rare opportunity to compete in the same race on Sunday, as Aaliyah Pyatt, Madison Whyte, and Micayah Holland squared off in the 200 meters. While the full competition never came to fruition, it did allow a few lucky track fans a possible final chance to see the three together. (Below: Aaliyah Pyatt wins at CNU  HS Invite - photo by Mary Ann Magnant)

Each runner has seen notable success in their respective classes, with Whyte and Holland reaching state champion level last year as freshmen. Pyatt also won a championship in the 100 meters in 2019, while emerging from under the shadow of Godwin’s Britton Wilson in the 200 and 400.

However, during the season, Pyatt competes for Class 6 Massaponax, Holland, with Class 5 Princess Anne, and Whyte as the standout among Class 4 sprinters.

With the Virginia High School League opting to not sanction invitationals with more than three teams, the trio represented different teams at the Showcase, with Pyatt sporting an MVP League singlet, Holland with GT Academy, and in Whyte’s case, unattached.

The three almost had the opportunity to share a common goal – knocking off nationally ranked Kayla Davis (Run U Express), the junior from Hough High and Cornelius, NC. who was seeded first at 23.08, and possessed the #2 time nationwide this season at 23.92, just behind RUE teammate Shawnti Jackson (23.89). In a twist of fate, Davis was injured the week before the meet, leaving the three Virginians to race against the clock and each other’s times.

At face value, Pyatt represented Virginia’s best hope for a gold in the 200. The Massaponax HS senior had set the tone for a great upcoming weekend, as the senior long sprinter anchored the Virginia-based MVP League quartet to a 3:47.68 win in the girls 1600-meter relay on Saturday evening with her sub-55 second split. With a best 200-meter time of 23.11, she was seeded #2, right behind Davis.

Holland, who specializes in the shorter sprints, held the longest odds of medaling, but also began the Showcase with an auspicious start on Saturday. Although, three girls broke the coveted seven second barrier in the 55-meter dash prelims, none were Virginians, but Holland (GT Academy/Princess Anne HS), a sophomore, and last year’s Virginia indoor Class 5 champion, grabbed the #4 seed for Sunday’s finals with a near personal-best time of 7.04.

She was outmatched in the final, finishing seventh in 7.11, behind winner Autumn Wilson of Texas, who posted a US #1 time of 6.81.

However, Holland would get about two hours rest between the 55-meter final and the 200. Would it be enough to pose a medal challenge?

Whyte also competed on Saturday evening, in the 300 meters, where she faced Pyatt in the same heat. However, that battle was anticlimactic, as Pyatt had already run the 4x400, and both runners crossed the line in roughly 39 seconds, Whyte (39.15) placed fourth, and Pyatt (39.43) was sixth.

However, Whyte’s freshman time of 37.81 in the 300 was #1 in Virginia last year. By comparison, her best 200 time (24.38) would need to improve quite a bit for the Heritage-Newport News HS freshman to do damage on the Virginia Beach Sports Center oval.

Pyatt, weary from the 400 and 300 on Saturday, was a late scratch in the 200. Holland went first in Heat 2 and gutted out a 24.89, which ended up being good for 12th overall. 

That left Whyte. The Heritage sophomore dug deep for a 24.21, but was nipped at the line by .01 by Wilson. Jackson, who was second in the 55 (6.84) ran in the next heat, but just missed beating either time with her 24.29 effort, good for fourth.

The winner, in a rarity, came from Heat 1 of 6, as freshman Avery Lewis of Wake Forest, NC, scored a one second plus heat win with an overall winning time of 23.91.

 

VA Showcase: How Virginians Fared on Sunday

The PWC Panthers stole the thunder from the rest of Virginia’s athletes on Sunday at the VA Showcase, turning in the lone win of the day for the Commonwealth. Their collective time of 1:27.52 thrust them to a VA #1 and US #2 standing, .29 seconds behind Run U Xpress, whom they defeated at the Virginia Beach Sports Center.

York High’s Jennifer Wagner won the girls' pole vault with a leap of 11-6. Kettle Run sophomore Ashley Nickerson was third at 10 feet even.

Richmond Gold (sixth – 1:33.70) and Western Branch TC (seventh – 1:33.75) also broke into the top-eight.

Jayson Ward (L.C. Bird) blasted to a third-place finish in the 500 with a US #3 time of 1:02.92. Matthew Spicer was fifth in 1:05.30.

Xavier Jemison (McLean HS) just made it to the starting line after encountering a multi-mile back-up on eastbound Rte. 64 on the way to the Sports Center. However, in spite of having little opportunity to warmup, the junior also placed third, in the 1000, with a time of 2:33.28. On the girls’ side, Aniya Mosley (Ocean Lakes) was sixth in 3:01.24. In the In the non-invitational section, Dominion sophomore Cecelia Pugsley was fifth in 3:00.86.

Colgan’s Bryce Lentz was sixth in the seeded 2-mile run (9:23.76), while Zachary Morse (Oakton) was fourth in the non-invitational 3200-meter run with a time of 9:25.58. Hope Frost of Stonebridge School was fifth among girls, clocking 10:57.34.

Western Branch placed fifth in the invite girls 4x200, with a 1:43.92 effort.

Mechanicsville CC (8:29.68) and Tidewater Striders (8:32.93) were 5-6 in the boys’ 4x800 relay.

Nazir Imtohep (Western Branch) and Jayden Smith (St. Christopher’s) placed 6-7 in the 55-meter hurdle finals at 7.53 and 7.59.

Imtohep’s Bruin teammate Nylah Wiggins placed seventh in the girls’ 500 (1:17.87).

GT Academy’s Micayah Holland (Princess Anne) faltered at the start, but finished seventh in the girls invite 55-meter dash, timing out in 7.11. 

Holland, a 5-10 sophomore, also plays basketball for the nationally ranked Lady Cavaliers, and felt that the lack of track training in the days leading up to the Showcase may have infringed her performance; however, she was thrilled to make the finals.

“To make it to the finals with girls so talented was eye opening to me. I mean they train year-round, and I was on the (basketball) court all week before the meet getting ready for our season that we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to have (Note: Virginia Beach is one of the few school systems playing winter sports). My goal for the VA Showcase was to qualify for finals and I did, said Holland.

There was one regret from the weekend.

“A PR would have been the cherry on top (she ran a 7.04 in prelims compared to a 7.03 PR). But, it just wasn’t my time. It was Autumn Wilson’s day. 

Wilson won the event in a blistering 6.81. 

Finally, in the race that saw a new U20 record, the girls’ 4x800 relay, the Crozet Crew placed eighth in 9:56.47.

Late Saturday night, Fauquier High’s Stephanie Robson upset a stacked pack of triple jumpers to claim the event with a hop, skip, and jump of 40 feet, .5 inches.

Robson, who began the season with a best performance of 37-7 has steadily progressed up the ranks this winter. On December 29, she captured the technique Holiday Invitational, also at the Virginia Beach Sports Center with a 38-8 effort. The following week, the senior, representing the MVP League team, added just over nine inches, while winning the Grant Holloway Invitational in 39-5.25.

It capped a great weekend for Robson, who also earned a personal-best and third place finish in the long jump with a leap of 18-5.5.

Westfield’s Emma Seetoo, who won the Class 6 state long jump title as a freshman, was third in 38-8.25.

Also, on Saturday, the Track757 club won the girls 4x55-meter shuttle hurdle relay, with a time of 34.51.

VA Showcase: Virginians Compete on First Day; NOVA Athletic Wins Boys Distance Medley

 

The high school portion of this weekend’s VA Showcase accelerated into high gear on Saturday, with hundreds of Virginia athletes testing their skills against runners from all over the Mid-Eastern region, and in the case of invitational races, the country. Over 40 states were represented this weekend at the nation’s largest indoor track meet, held at the recently opened Virginia Beach Sports Center.

Virginia athletes enjoyed two relay wins on Saturday, and several top-eight performances scattered among the invitational events.

Most notably, the NOVA Athletic Club, featuring Loudoun Valley High runners, matched their female 4x1600 meter winning counterparts, and won the boys' distance medley in 10:30.95. The NOVA team featured the foursome of  Matt Smith (1200 - 3:10.17), Blake Moore (400 -  52.69), Aiden Soto (800 - 1:58.93), and Graham Mussmon (1600 - 4:29.16).

Kiaeem Thomas of Oscar Smith High and the Track757 club placed second in the high jump with a leap of 6-8, while Jada Foreman of Atlee High and the Richmond Heat club placed fourth for the girls at 5-4.

 McLean HS junior Xavier Jemison placed fifth in the faster heat of the boys 1600-meter invite  and seventh overall with a time of 4:21.09, pushing the Highlander to a #1 Virginia time.

Mussmon and Carly Wilkes (Glenvar) topped the Virginian boys and girls in the morning session of the 1600-meter run. Mussmon nipped the time of Ben Madrigal (Grafton) by .60 seconds to top state runners with a 4:28.61 time, while Wilkes placed eighth overall with a 5:11.62.

Four Virginians placed 4-5-6-7 in the boys invitational 300-meter, which was highlighted by a #2 US all-time performance of 32.77 by IMG’s Jayden Slade.

Matthew Spicer (#4 – 34.09) and Jayson Ward (#6 – 34.36), of L.C. Bird and Central Virginia Track Club, found the top-seven, as did Jaylen Berringer (#5 – 34.22) and Trei Thorogood (#7 – 34.36) of Freedom High in Woodbridge and the PWC Panthers track team.

Four Commonwealth throwers also placed in the shotput, with Jordae Edwards (#4 – 52-1.75) and Atrell Williams (#6 – 51-8) of Grassfield High joining Loudoun Valley’s Thomas Gaertner (#5 – 51-9) and Grafton sophomore Shinobu Hawk (#8 – 47-5.25). All were entered as unattached athletes. 

Caroline Bowe of Midlothian High placed eighth among a national all-star field in the girls 1600 meters, but broke the five-minute barrier for the first time of her indoor career at 4:59.48. Bowe, best known as a 1000-meter standout with her Class 5 championship in the event last year, had never broken 5:10 in the 1600-meter or mile event before yesterday.

The girls 55-meter hurdle trials were brutal for state athletes as 10 runners broke the 8.20 barrier. Jahnelle Saunders (Bethel) led the Virginia contingent with an 8.19 clocking, but her tenth place finish was not good enough to advance.

The boys fared better, with two hurdlers Jayden Smith (Central Virginia Track and Field) and Nazir Imhotep (Western Branch TC) advancing to Sunday’s finals. Smith was fifth in 7.48, while Imhotep snuck into the eighth and final slot with a time of 7.55.

 

 

 

Axsom's Army Nets 30 medals at AAU Nationals

The Axsom Dojo finished out their 2020 competition campaign on a positive note, netting 30 medals at the 2020 AAU National Championships and Team Trials. 

Due to the COVID-19 virus, the championships, which were supposed to take place in July, and then again in October of 2020 at the ESPN Wild World of Sports in Orlando, FL was reconfigured, as the AAU organized a Virtual Online National Championships where competitors and coaches could video submit entries for the following categories: Kata (Empty Hand Forms), Kobudo (Weapons Forms), Team Kata, Family Kata, and Team Kobudo. 

This format was a first for the Newport News based dojo, but Axsom's Army was steadfast and undeterred, as it competed in this first-ever virtual national championships. Below are the results spread from among four teams for Team Kata.

TEAM Kata:

18-34-year-olds: Will Whitaker, Austin Galeski, and Shaun Coles (SILVER Medal/Cup); Ryan Sigsbee, Anna Deller, and Jabari Smith (GOLD Medal/Cup) 

15-16-year-olds: Brett Fallen, Alex Tomaino, and Braeden Monroe; Miranda Chellis Martinez, Daniela Chellis Martinez, and Maimouna Ouattara

13-14-year-olds: Hunter Feicht, Matthew Thomas, and Joe Fuscia (GOLD Medal/Cup)

9-10-year-olds: Conner Strickland, Amari Mathews, and Jalyn Wilks (Bronze Medal/Cup).

Kata Results:

18-34-year-old Male - Austin Galeski (Bronze Medal)

15-16-year-old Male - Alex Tomaino (Silver Medal); Brett Fallen (Bronze Medal)

5-6-year-old Male - Daniel Carney (Bronze Medal)

Kobudo Results:

18-34-year-old Male LONG Kobudo Advance (Bo and Eaku) - Austin Galeski (Silver Medal); Will Whitaker (Bronze Medal)

18-34-year-old Male SHORT Kobudo Advance (Sai, Tonfa, Kama, Nunchaku) - Austin Galeski (Bronze Medal)

18-34-year-old Female LONG Kobudo Advance - Jessica Sigsbee (Bronze Medal)

18-34-year-old Female SHORT Kobudo Advance - Jessica Sigsbee (Silver Medal)

15-16-year-old Male Novice - Brett Fallen (Silver Medal); Alex Tomaino (Bronze Medal)

13-14-year-old Male Intermediate - Joe Fuscia (Bronze Medal)

11-12-year-old Male Beginner - Ryan Wartell (GOLD Medal)

9-10-year-old Male Beginner - Moustapha Ouattara (Bronze Medal)

9-10-year-old Female Beginner - Coley Carney (Bronze Medal) 

7-8-year-old Female Beginner - Shianne Medlin (GOLD Medal)

5-6-year-old Male Beginner - Daniel Carney (GOLD Medal)

In total, the dojo had 23 total competitors and brought home a total of 30 medals for team and individual events.

T. Tyler Reflects on Breakthrough Year at Army

(As seen on Recruit757.com)

Several players from the Peninsula region made an indelible mark on the college football landscape in the fall of 2020, most notably Butkus Award winning linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (Bethel HS/Notre Dame) and wide receiver Dazz Newsome (Hampton High/Univ. North Carolina). Both players are expected to be picked early in the upcoming NFL draft, with Owusu-Koramoah, a first-team All-American, slated as a potential lottery selection.

But perhaps no player’s ascent to collegiate gridiron royalty this fall was more surprising than Tyhier Tyler’s. 

Tyler (Class of 2022, 5-8 185), a 2017 graduate of Woodside High in Newport News, has successfully, and against stiff odds, made the transition from Wolverine triple-option quarterback under coach Danny Dodson, to high school graduate (with honors), West Point Prep school student, West Point cadet, football player, and finally starting Army QB in a remarkable four-year period that has blasted him on to the national spotlight as the result of several televised events.

In the first, Tyler, who was elevated to share the starting position in Week 6 with freshman Cade Ballard, helped to lead the Black Knights to a 28-16 win over the University of Texas – San Antonio. In that game, Tyler ran for 95 yards, which included a 37-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, one that proved to be the pivotal score as it stretched the Army lead to 21-10. 

The following week, Tyler and Ballard combined to earn co-Commander-in-Chief MVP honors in a 49-3 win over Mercer. In that game, he led the team with 77 rushing yards while throwing his first NCAA pass (an incompletion).

Although the Knights record stood at 6-1, neither signal caller would play in the next game, a 38-12 loss to Tulane. Such is life when playing for a military academy team with a roster of 155 players, including six quarterbacks, all of whom saw playing time in 2020.

But Tyler earned the reins of the offense again just before Week 9, and led Army to a comeback 28-27 win over Georgia Southern. With 121 yards on the ground, he became the fifth Army rusher to top the century mark, a team record. 

He would remain behind center for the final four games, including the prestigious annual Army-Navy game, a 15-0 Army win.

It was the Army-Navy game, seen by tens of millions of viewers worldwide, that Tyler earned his first showcase moment, and made the most of it, carrying the ball 19 times for 96 yards and the game’s only touchdown. 

In the days following the win over Navy, he faced one more surprise encounter, from the Secretary of the Army, Gen. Ryan D. McCarthy, who presented Tyler with a commemorative coin from his office for “Outstanding Service to the Nation,” while letting his team’s quarterback know that he “liked my style of play.”

Finally, in the Liberty Bowl, Tyler and the Black Knights battled West Virginia for four quarters, only to fall short 24-21, ending the season with a 9-3 record.

In the Liberty Bowl, Tyler scored all three of Army’s touchdowns while rushing for 76 yards. The three rushing TD’s tied a Liberty Bowl record. For the season, he led the Black Knights with 578 yards on 139 carries with five TD’s), boosting the redshirt freshman to a first-team All-Independent honors at quarterback.

For the Newport News native, taking over the offense for his Army team was more about honoring the commitments to duty and honor that he has developed at the Point.

“Any time I get the chance to lead my teammates in a game it’s an honor and a blessing,” said Tyler, who is currently enjoying a mini-winter break before heading back to New York. “I love my teammates, so having the ability to lead them in the postseason meant a lot.”

He also expressed an obligation to the other team leaders. Speaking of the Liberty Bowl experience, he added, “The chip on our shoulder was our seniors. We wanted to send our seniors out with a bang, and we also wanted to show the college football world we belong. West Virginia was a very good team and very well coached. They were the better team when we played.”

Still, the accolades continue to pour in for Army, coached by Jeff Monken (43-21, and four bowl games in the last five years). The Knights won the Commander-in-Chief trophy over rivals Navy and Air Force. And with many young players returning to key roles, the future looks bright over the Hudson.

For the next few weeks, however, there is a reflection on the events of December. “Ultimately, I am upset we didn’t come out on top, but looking around the locker room and evaluating myself, we gave it all we had and we fought hard.”

And the goals for 2021 remain intact. In a parting thought, Tyler looked ahead. “Our path to defending the Commander in Chief trophy starts now, and we will be back to getting over that hump of beating a Power 5 school.”

Charles Nuttycombe, Newport News Coaching Legend, Passes at 90

Charles Nuttycombe, a United States Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Hall of Famer, and arguably one of the greatest multi-sport coaches in Virginia history passed away on December 4 in his hometown of Newport News, VA. He was 90 years old.

It was in Newport News that Nuttycombe made his mark as a coach, but his athletic story began in Richmond, where he was a star athlete at Thomas Jefferson High. At Jefferson, Nuttycombe was the Outstanding Athlete of his 1950 senior class, excelling in football and track, and winning a state championship in the broad jump.

His original plan was to focus on football, and Nuttycombe accepted a gridiron offer to play for the Virginia Military Institute. Eventually, he would transfer to Randolph-Macon College where he lettered in football, track, and basketball. He was the 1955 football team captain and three-time track team captain. Throughout his Yellow Jacket college career, he earned 13 state champion titles in various events.

After graduating from the Ashland school, Nuttycombe relocated to Newport News and began his teaching and coaching career. His first stop was the legendary Newport News High, where the young coach studied under Julie Conn. In 14 years with the Typhoon, his track teams won a combined 14 state championships. In 1961, he embarked on his football coaching career, which at NNHS was highlighted by his undefeated team in 1962 (9-0-1). 

In 1970, Nuttycombe moved several miles north to midtown to begin his career at the fledgling Menchville High. Over the next 20 years, he would cement his name as an all-time coaching legend, building the football and track teams from the ground up with the Monarchs.

While his football teams posted a record of 150-108-18, and buoyed five athletes to the NFL, it was track and field that sealed his Hall of Fame career. Nuttycombe’s teams recorded a dual meet record of 125-3-2, and he personally coached state champions in every individual event except one. Between Newport News and Menchville High Schools, he took part in 23 indoor or outdoor state team championships.

According to his obituary, Nuttycombe’s list of accolades was long and included an honor as the 1990 Virginia HS Coaches Distinguished Service Award. On the national level, he was awarded the inaugural United States National High School Track Coach of the Year Award in 1975. In 2005, he became one of only four high school coaches to be inducted into the United States Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In 2014 his son Ed (University of Wisconsin head coach) followed his father into the Hall of Fame and they remain the only father-son combination. He is also a member of the Virginia High School League Hall of Fame (1992), Menchville High School Hall of Fame (2005), Newport News Public School Track and Field Hall of Fame (1991). In 2014 he became a member of the Lower Virginia Peninsula Hall of Fame, as well as being inducted into the Randolph Macon College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. 

Nuttycombe’s presence in Newport News athletics did not disappear with his retirement. In the early-2000’s, he could be found at Todd Stadium working out with his middle schooler grandson Graham Wilson, who would go on to be the Monarch’s top distance runner (and tennis player) for all four of his high school years. Daughter Jennifer Nuttycombe has been the athletic director at Warwick High for over a decade.

Nuttycombe is survived by Elizabeth, his wife of 69 years, six children and 15 grandchildren.

There will be a Charles Nuttycombe Memorial Scholarship Fund established at Menchville High School. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Online condolences may be made at: www.weymouthfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Weymouth Funeral Home in Newport News, VA.

 

Peninsula Road Racing - Sika Henry Breaks Three Hours for Marathon; Yorktown Battlefield 10-Mile

 Exactly three years removed from missing the three-hour marathon barrier by a mere six seconds, Newport News resident Sika Henry seemed content to focus her attention on another lofty goal – to become the first African-American female to reach the professional ranks of the triathlon.

This was on March 12, 2020. By the end of that day, life as she, and everyone else, would know it, had changed entirely.

But where others saw uncertainty, Henry saw an opportunity.

“I’ve had this goal (breaking three hours) since 2017 when I came super close and ran 3:00:06 (fourth among women at the One City Marathon). I wanted to try it again, but it never fit well with my triathlon training and schedule. My coach (Jonny Caron) mostly had me focus on the swim and bike, my (triathlon) weaknesses, in order to make me a competitive triathlete,” said Henry, whose triathlon events for 2020 began to cancel, leaving her empty-handed for competitions.

“Once COVID hit, and my triathlons were rescheduled to next year, as well as having limited access to pools, my coach and I felt like this was the perfect opportunity to try and break three hours.”

She started by running enough miles to try an even longer event, a 50-kilometer (31.1-mile) race. Her first potential race, at the Noland Trail, was canceled. In the true spirit of the loneliest runner, Henry ran the event – virtually.

“On October 11, Steven Keller paced me through a 50K. Three loops by my house. We used my driveway as an aid station.”

Henry covered the distance through Newport News and Hampton in 3:45. “I knew I was fit enough to break three hours after that. Luckily, Tidewater Striders offered a marathon!”

Henry ran an 18:23 5K to prepare for the speed work. As she notes in her blog, “Coach Jonny's instructions were to run 5:55/5:55/then all out the last mile. On a good day, I thought I could run 18:15. I just had nothing left in the tank on that last mile. Between the high run volume, and still somewhat recovering from that 50K, sub-18 was out of the question. Still, I was happy with the effort and elated that I finally got to do an actual in-person race.”

On November 21, Henry lined up with a strict mile-by-mile plan for breaking three hours, and one which essentially instructed not to run the first half of the race in about an hour and thirty minutes. Although the race started out quick, with a number of sub-six minute miles, Henry hit the midway point in 1:29:57.

Keeping with her coach’s instructions, Henry pulled a negative split, running the second half of the race faster than the first. In the end, her final time of 2:57:13 was good for third among women, seventh overall, and #16 all-time for African-American female marathoners.

Henry's own story of the race can be found on her blog site at why-i-run.blogspot.com.

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Roger Hopper (53:37) and Jenny Moran (1:06:26) won the men's and women's races at last weekend's Yorktown Battlefield 10-Miler.

The race was the first for the PTC since March. Locally, Williamsburg's Sorenna Jean was the lone Peninsula runner to score in the top-three, as the Jamestown graduate placed third among women in 1:11:38.

TOP OVERALL MEN

1 1 ROGER HOPPER 29 CHESAPEAKE VA 53:37 

2 2 ANDRE GALLANT 22 SUFFOLK VA 56:56 

3 3 DANIEL SHEAN 37 VIRGINIA BEACH VA 1:01:38 

TOP OVERALL WOMEN

1 12 JENNY MORAN 42 VIRGINIA BEACH VA 1:06:26 

2 25 EKATERINA AARON 22 NORFOLK VA 1:10:18 

3 27 SORENNA JEAN 18 WILLIAMSBURG VA 1:11:38 

TOP MASTERS MEN

1 5 TOBY WORM 47 SMITHFIELD VA 1:02:37 6:16

TOP MASTERS WOMEN

1 32 JULIE HICKS 45 VIRGINIA BEACH VA 1:14:07 

As reported by Bruce Davis of the Peninsula Track Club ---

The 2020 edition of the Yorktown Battlefield 10-Mile Run was held under somewhat challenging running conditions; sunny, but windy and cold with temperatures in the low 50s at race start, but dropping during the event.  238 runners entered the 10-Mile Run for the Heart with 199 completing the 10 Mile course on the scenic Yorktown Battlefield.

Two new age group course records for the Yorktown Battlefield 10-Mile Run were set today.

For men 75-79, Louis Dwyer, 77 of Southern Shores, NC set a new age group record with a time of 1:33:03 beating out the time of 1:38:51 set by Ronald Kellum in 2019.

For women 65-69, Joey Hallock, 67 of Virginia Beach, VA set a new age group record with a time of 1:18:53 besting the previous time of 1:24:26 set by Joan Coven in 2006.

Finish line and results services were provided by the Peninsula Track Club.  A copy of the results, links to pictures from the race, and listings for future road races can be found on the PTC website: www.peninsulatrackclub.com. 

Axsom's Army Wins 22 Medals in West Virginia Tourney

 On November 14, the Axsom dojo, headed by Sensei John "Bull Moose" Axsom, competed in the 1st Traditional Karate Tournament, which was held in St. Albany, WV. The tournament was hosted by the USA Martial Arts Foundation, and US National Karate Foundation Board member, Sensei Roger Jarrett. 

The categories were Kobudo (weapon forms), Kata (empty hand forms), and kumite (sparring). As has become customary over the past several years, Axsom's Army placed well. Even with one of their smallest contingents in reent memory (nine martial artists), the Newport News crew brought home a total of 22 medals. A breakdown of awards by age division and level. 

ADVANCED DIVISION:

18-34 Men - Austin Galeski - Bronze Kumite

14-15 Men - Ryan Sigsbee - Bronze Kata & Silver Kumite

12-13 Men - Jaylen Nicholson - Silver Kata, Silver Kumite & Bronze Kobudo 

10-11 Men - Amiyr Gordon - Bronze Kobudo, Silver Kata, Gold Kumite

NOVICE DIVISION:

16-17 Men - Alex Tomaino - Silver Kobudo, Bronze Kata & Kumite

14-15 Men - Brett Fallen - GOLD in Kobudo,  Kata, & Kumite

8-9 Men - Lucas Ramey - Silver Kobudo 

6-7 Men - Chris Gordon - Silver Kata, GOLD Kobudo &  Kumite

6-7 Women - Shianne Medlin - Bronze Kobudo & Kumite, Gold in Kata