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.