Louis and Brebnor Jr. Spell Trouble for Potomac at 5A Boys State

Donovan Louis is giving up football at Potomac High
to concentrate on track. The Panthers next offensive
weapon might be ... track teammate Rawle Brebnor Jr.

For the past two years, juniors Donovan Louis and Rawle Brebnor Jr. have been football teammates and track workout partners. For the first two years, Louis was easily the standout, as a star running back with the Panthers, and premier jumper and sprinter for Jeffrey Foy’s team.

Life on the gridiron was less than satisfying for the pair, as Potomac stumbled to a 3-7 mark during their freshman year, changed coaches, and finished 2016 with a 4-6 mark. There were no playoff games in two seasons. Louis saw plenty of time as a 6-3, 200-pound featured running back, while the slighter Brebnor (5-9, 150) played wide receiver and cornerback.

Track was more successful for the Panthers. Potomac held a spot in the middle of the team standings last year, finishing 19^th indoors and 14^th outdoors. However, during the last indoor state meet, the Panthers flirted with the team lead throughout much of the weekend, only to see Bethel win the team crown on the last leg of the last event - the boys 4x400 relay.

Last year, Louis showed the most promise, hedging his 100 and 200 times to the brink of breaking 11 and 23, while Brebnor lumbered behind at 11.68 and 23.67 – good, but not worthy of points at the state level.

This year has seen the emergence of Louis to state champion level. Yet, the deciding factor in Potomac’s state winning effort may have been Brebnor’s scoring contribution, as he too has become a top-flight sprinter, and one who had the fastest 200-meter time in Virginia for several weeks this season.

The Panthers won the 5A championship with 65 points, and captured the title when the 4x400 meter relay team of Kevin Mayers, Xennis Mensah, Johnathan Panda and Kofi Boateng placed fourth in 3:21.12, giving Potomac the five points needed to seal the championship.

However, up through Saturday morning, it was Louis carrying the torch, winning the long jump (24-8) and 100 (10.66) to give the Dumfries school 20 crucial points.

The 100 may have been the turning point. Along with Louis’ win, Brebnor placed fourth in 10.86, while Bryan Ahouman earned three points for his sixth place finish (11.10).

Soon after, the trio combined with Anthony Cole to place second in the 4x100, running the same time as Prince George (41.90), but losing by a piece of lint on the chest of a Royals uniform jersey.

Matthew Mitchell added a fourth place finish in the 110-meter hurdles (14.59), while Mayers placed fifth in the 400 (49.53). Jesus Gibbs also added a wrinkle to the Panthers’ arsenal with his fourth place effort in the shot put (51-9.5).

In spite of neither winning the race, it was the 200 that showed the difference between last year and this one. Louis, tired from four previous races, faltered slightly in the last 30 meters, and Keith Brown of Prince George charged to a 21.67 victory. Louis was fifth (21.94), but it was Brebnor who held his ground, hitting the tape in third (21.85). The pair gave Potomac ten points, and pushed the Panthers to within a half-point of Lee-Davis, setting the climactic tone for the 4x400.

After the meet, Louis said, “It’s a blessing to be in this position and rep my school.” Louis suffered with dehydration issues, especially in the long jump where there is nary a tree near the pit. To get over the hump, Louis, who has dropped 12 pounds from his football weight of 200, relied on verbal encouragement, mainly from his father.

Brebnor was excited about the win, and thankful for all of the outside support.

He may have another reason to be excited. Louis has decided to solely concentrate on track and will not be playing football for his senior year for the Panthers. With his loss, the starting tailback spot has opened up for Keith King’s team with one player having an inside track for the job, mainly because of his newfound game breaking speed.

He’d have to move from his receiver position, and may stay there to save his 150-pound frame from the punishment that a running back has to endure. Regardless, the newest weapon in the Panther offense this fall could be – Rawle Brebnor Jr.

CARTER MOVES INTO RAREFIED AIR WITH TEAM WAR; Three 5A state titles by sophomore draw comparisons to Brandee’ Johnson

As Kori Carter completes her sophomore year at Nansemond River, it’s hard not to mention her name without also invoking the name of the greatest female prep hurdlers in Team WAR, and Virginia history.

The comparisons of Carter to Brandee’ Johnson, who is now plying her trade with the nationally ranked Florida Gators are hard to ignore.

So are the results.

Last weekend, Carter broke yet another barrier in her quest to match the feats of Johnson, winning both 5A girls state hurdle titles. On Friday and early Saturday, the petite speedster blazed to a 13.80 win, easing past Maury’s Maya Seay for the win. Late on Saturday, it was Carter again, overcoming yet another Commodore standout, Brooke Stith, to win the 300-meter hurdles in 42.34, just a second faster than Stith.

Somewhere in between, Carter also found time to anchor the Warriors’ 4x100 relay to a 47.26 win, defeating ... would you believe Maury? Not so ironically, Nansemond River’s winning score of 107 in the team standings was followed by Maury’s 65, as the Norfolk school claimed second.

Getting back to comparisons, one can see that Carter is faring well against the feats of Johnson through two years. The state titles were not Carter’s first; in fact, she won the 500 meters during indoor season with an impressive time of 1:15.51. She also recently clocked a 55.99 in the 400 meters, run at the 5A South Regionals.

Johnson is making her mark with the Lady Gators as a hurdler and leg on the national top-ten 4x400. Setting aside Johnson’s HS jumping marks (18-9.75 LJ, 39-3 TJ), one can take a look at the comparison in the other three events and see why Nansemond River coach Justin Byron is looking forward to the next two years with Carter.

100 hurdles – During her sophomore year, Johnson peaked at 13.85, setting the stage for her to lower the time to 13.08 by the time she graduated. Carter ran a best of 13.80 at States.

300 hurdles – Carter has a greater edge here through two years. Johnson’s best as a sophomore was 43.39, a time that eventually dropped to 40.69 by her senior year, Carter is over a second and a half better ahead right now, with a best of 41.93 from her Dogwood Classic win in early May.

400 – Very close.  Johnson ran a 55.36 as a sophomore, at the Taco Bell Classic. Carter’s 55.99 is just off the mark. Both runners competed in this race once as 10^th graders.

Preparation, highlighted by visualization is a key element of Carter’s game plan.

“(This weekend), I just executed my races as the day went on. But I always visualize my races the night before. It’s a big part of how I run. I want to be prepared for anything that can happen.”

One example of this strategy working for Carter, happened in the 100-meter hurdles.

“I didn’t hit any hurdles today. I usually hit one or two in every race.”

She also credits Coach Byron for setting the tone in practice.

“His training prepares us to drop times at the end of the season.”

Oscar Smith Boys Show Eyes of the Tiger in 6A Boys Title Quest

At first glimpse, it seemed too odd to be true. Not the fact that Chantilly’s Brandon McGorty was leading the 800 with just a straightaway to go. McGorty had already won the 1600 meters in 4:13, and has run 1:48 for the two-lapper twice, including once last year, when he upset now professional distance runner and sub-4 miler Drew Hunter at the Dogwood Track Classic in Charlottesville.

McGorty’s lead made sense. What seemed to defy logic was the 5’11” runner in the royal blue jersey with yellow letters suddenly making a move toward the 6’6” runner’s shoulder. Fans of McGorty figured he could shake off the challenge with one last surge.

But it never happened. And with one Herculean effort, Oscar Smith junior Pete Smith gave McGorty an 800 scare that he probably has not experienced in quite a while.

“I knew he’d be coming,” said McGorty, just a minute after narrowly defeating Smith by .08 seconds (1:55.01-1:55.09) for the 6A 800 title. “I was trying to keep it tactical.” Asked if he expected as much of a surge as Smith provided, McGorty could only answer, “No.”

Adding more surprise to Smith’s effort came from the fact that he had taken the mentally draining SAT’s earlier that morning.

“It was a slower pace out front, and I wanted to save enough for the end,” said Smith, whose time was half a second off his PR, but follows a pattern shared with McGorty of being competent at a variety of racing distances. Smith’s best times include 23.4 for the 200, 50 seconds for the 400, 4:17 in the 1600, 9:42 for the 3200, and 15:15 for the 5K in cross-country. Speaking of McGorty, he added, “He’s a great runner. In general, Virginia has some really great 800 runners.”

Smith will be running at the New Balance Nationals in two weeks and aiming for a 1:52 in the 800.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the 6A meet came from the Chesapeake team, who gave its better known crosstown rival, Western Branch, a vicious run for the 6A boys’ championship.

After Micaiah Harris’ win in the 400, the Bruins had tallied 58 points, ahead of T.C. Williams (40), and Lake Braddock (32), with Oscar Smith (31) in fourth.

However, the Tigers were not ready to roll over. In the next event, the 300-meter hurdles, Alfred Shirley III took the gold in 37.42, with teammates Kurt Powdar (39.38 – 4^th) and brother Aaron Shirley (6^th – 39.41) giving Smith 18 points to six for the Branch, and closing the margin to 64-49. When Alfred Shirley’s eight points for placing second in the long jump (24-1) were added to the team totals, the lead cut to seven at 64-57.

Pete Smith’s eight points in the 800 pushed Oscar Smith to a tenuous one point lead (65-64) over the defending champions with just the 200 and 4x400 remaining.

Harris won the 200 (21.11), while  Jahkwan Blakely picked up a key pair of points for finishing seventh (22.22), stretching the Branch lead to 76-65. However, Smith’s win in the day’s final event, the 4x400 relay, pushed the final margin back to a single point, with Coach Toukene’s team escaping with a 76-75 team championship.

And just as before, it was the quartet of Tigers who made it happen on the 4-by-4, with Powdar leading off, Alfred and Aaron Shirley running the second and third legs, and Smith anchoring Oscar Smith to a winning time of 3:17.04.

Next year looks promising for the Tigers with Smith returning for his senior year, while Powdar and Aaron Shirley will be juniors next year.