2017 VHSL 5A/6A State ChampionshipsFeb 23, 2017 by Gordon Mack
10 Storylines Heading Into The VHSL 5A/6A State Championships
10 Storylines Heading Into The VHSL 5A/6A State Championships
10 Story Lines Heading Into The VHSL 5A/6A State Championships
By: MileSplit's Nolan Jezz
The 2017 VHSL 5A/6A State Championships will be LIVE on FloTrack this weekend. And MileSplit has got you covered to bring you all the action!
Eight team trophies and 60 state titles are all at stake this weekend at Boo Williams' Sportsplex in Hampton. It is finally that time again where the best athletes in the state will run, jump, vault, and throw for state titles and team trophies in the annual 5A and 6A State meets.
Entering the weekend Western Branch enters as the 6A team favorites with six boys team in contention for second while Grassfield and Lake Braddock are in contention for second on the girls' side. In the 5A competition, Nansemond River leads Maury for the girls' title with Lee-Davis, Bethel, and Deep Run all fighting for the boys' title.
Inside of those battles for both the team trophies and individual glory are countless personal stories of triumph, hard work, determination, and even luck. States in track & field is the ultimate level playing field where each and every athlete has to step up if they want to succeed. Unlike nearly any other sport, every athlete here has a chance at walking away a state champion because they earned their spot here.
Though every storyline deserves its spot in the light, here are the 10 story lines that you need to know because they are going to highlight this weekend.
There a lot of huge stars in Virginia but none have dominated quite like Lauryn Ghee (Grassfield) has. This state meet she will be attempting to win her third triple crown in a row. A triple crown being when an athlete wins the 55-300-500 indoors or 100-200-400 outdoors.
Lauryn will no doubt give it her best shot and have a strong chance at pulling it off but that won't come without a lot of adversity from tough competitors. She will have to face off with the US leader in the 55mH (Shadajah Ballard - Western Branch) in the 55m dash and then face off with her closest rival, Destiny Ward (Oscar Smith) in the 300.
Both of these athletes will provide their fair share of competition for Ghee but the University of Florida commit just always finds a way to step things up when she needs to. Last year for example, she set facility records in the 300 and 500 and a state meet record in the 55 all en route to state titles.
If Ghee can pull this feat off, she will solidify herself as one of the greatest ever. One thing though is for sure, it will come down to the line in both the 55 and 300 this weekend.
Though it is an uphill battle this weekend, the girls from Maury are determined to make it battle until the final event against Nansemond River. Both of these teams have collected their fair share of team trophies the past three seasons but the question is will the order flip in which they receive them.
In Maury's 100+ year history as a high school this could be one of the best shots they have at taking home that elusive team trophy. To achieve that honor they would have to have a flawless meet on all fronts. To achieve that they will look for nearly all their points from the deadly duo of Maya Seay and Brooke Stith who could each score over 30 points individually. It will however take closer to 100 points to take down the Warriors of Nansemond River.
Team War, as they are colloquially known, will definitely be packing the house in the sprint events and hurdles this weekend. They will use their talented depth to pick up any loose points in anything 500 meters and down as well as the jumps.
They enter the meet with two stars of their own, Syaira Richardson and Kori Carter, who will also be looking to take home some major points this weekend.
Nansemond River definitely has the edge with their depth and versatility but Maury cannot be counted out this weekend.
The Bruins of Western Branch have simply dominated the state for the better part of a decade with only superstar teams getting in their way. Once again that is the case but things are different this season, they have a serious shot at achieving the ultimate unattainable history.
Entering the competition Western Branch has a shot to sweep the relays. That means winning the 4x200, 4x400, and 4x800 for both boys and girls. That feat has never been accomplished and only one team (Western Branch Girls in 2015) has ever won all three for one gender in a single state meet.
This year though could be their year as they enter the competition as the top seeds in five of the six relays and third in the girls 4x800. All of this means they are certainly in store for an uphill battle that begins first thing Friday.
The Branch girls will have tough competition in both the 4x200 and 4x400 but their main competition will come in the 4x800 where a potential showdown with Lake Braddock and Patriot lies. That means they will have to hand off at least 10 seconds in front of both of these teams if they want to grab this title because Kate Murphy and Rachel McArthur are both 2:05 runners and love walking teams down.
On the boys' side of things history is just against them. It doesn't mean they can't do it but in their long and dominant history they have yet to win a 4x800m title indoors. They have also only won the 4x400 once indoors (2009) but will definitely be trying to change that this weekend.
Western Branch is simply on another level and will look to score records this meet but they are after more than just titles, they want history.
Last year at 5A/6A States two national class records fell. One of those was by Bethel's Edward Richardson III with his frosh national class record of 1:05.72 in the 500. This year however, he has run 1:04.42 and is actually seeded behind Colonial Forge's sophomore Zach Kindel who has run 1:04.15 this season.
Those times have them ranked third and fifth in the entire nation. Unfortunately though, they are not competing against each other this year. Colonial Forge and Kindel will compete in 6A while Bethel and Richardson are in 5A.
Despite not getting to see them race face-to-face it is going to be actually fairly exciting to see them both try and run away with their state titles in hopes of moving up the all-time list where they currently rank just outside of the top 20.
Richardson will be on the track first followed by Kindel just 10 minutes later. Each race is not slated to be a runaway so they will have no choice but to run as fast as they can to win.
The closest team battle of them all will surely be the 5A Boys. This team competition has three teams all vying for that trophy and all three teams are looking for points in many different places. The three teams attempting to take home this title are Deep Run, Bethel, and Lee-Davis.
Bethel, the home team from Hampton, may have the best shot at achieving this goal. They have strong relays, decent depth, and can solidly rely on their points. They also showed a lot of character last outdoor track season by putting together a perfect second day's effort to sneak out the win. That type of win cannot be overlooked even a year later.
The best weapon they have though is Edward Richardson III going for his third team title. He is entered in the 300, 500, and will all but certainly anchor the 4x400m relay. If he is anchoring it, expect him to leave it all on the track because Lee-Davis is the second seed in that event.
Speaking of Lee-Davis, they may actually have the strongest team in 5A but their points come in a much different fashion. They will be relying heavily on the 55H, 300, triple jump, shot put and 4x200 for points this weekend and unfortunately those events can go completely one way or another. To bring that point home, in some events they are literally tied for the lead in that event.
If things go in Lee-Davis' favor then they will no doubt be team champions but if they have a slip up things get dicey in a hurry. That of course is why states is so fun.
The final team and the dark horse for the title is Deep Run. They enter the meet basically as a two man show plus a relay but could come away with the prized hardware. Bashir Mosavel-Lo and Mathias Cannon could be enough firepower to actually pull this off.
Bashir has long lived in the shadow of Waleed Suliman but it is interesting how this season he could actually take home the highest honor of being a team champion by finishing second to Suliman in the open events. Bashir is entered on the 4x800 where they are favored and then the 1600 and 3200. If he can finish second in the 1600 and somehow win the 3200, Deep Run will win the team title.
This is of course why you run the meet. There are so many things that need to happen but whoever steps up the most will be rewarded the most.
This year has truly been the year of the pole vault. These two meets alone will showcase some of the best vaulters in the entire nation in some very tough and competitive fields. Don't be surprised if state meet records fall left and right.
With this many big names competing in the four competitions, the thought arose about who would steal the show. Last year it was definitely Tim McElvoy coming back from a horrible regional finish to winning the state title but this year it is going to take more than just winning to have that honor.
Representing the girls in 6A will be Emily Harrison of Battlefield. She is seeded at 12-3 and will likely easily take the honor as best female vaulter of the year for the entire state. She currently sits at #10 all-time in the state and will face her toughest competition from the boys for this honor.
In the boys' 5A competition Chris St. Helen (Highland Springs) and William Chapman (Atlee) both are seeded well over 15 feet. Up in 6A they will be joined by Shotwell (Forest Park), McEvoy (Osbounr Park), and Fairbanks (South County) who are all seeded at 15 feet even.
Though the 5A competition may see a higher clearance, it might be tougher to win the 6A title due to tie-breakers. Regardless though, all these boys will have to near 16 feet if they want to take away vaulter of the meet honors from Harrison.
Overall, though pole vault is hidden away on the far side of the facility, you would be missing out if you didn't head over there for a little bit to see some of the greatest vaulters in our state's history turn upside down and attempt to win a state title.
Thomas Dale junior Titiana Marsh is the type of athlete that loves to step up on the biggest stage. Only once in her three years has Marsh lost a state title in either the long or triple jumps. This year though looks to be as dominant as ever against the best competition she has ever faced.
She is easily the top seed based on her all-time bests in both events but Western Branch's Jada Terrell will be making her work for both titles this go around. Jada had jumped over 19 and 40 this season.
The next question to answer is how far can she jump this weekend? Last weekend we saw Marsh leap 20-1 in the long jump which is number two all-time in the state but this weekend she definitely wants that record. She has also already jumped nearly 41 feet in the triple.
The overall state records Marsh will be chasing are 20-1.25 in the long jump and 42-4.75 in the triple. She is currently a combined inch off of both records.
There is just something special about a good rivalry. It gets everyone in the building excited and gets people from across the nation to tune-in just to see who wins. That has been the case for four years now between Lake Braddock's Kate Murphy and Patriot's Rachel McArthur. Both ladies are superstars and state champions many times over.
Their highlight reels are more impressive than almost any runner in VA's history and each and every time they face off it is a serious battle against one another.
Almost everyone in the state had conceded the win in all distance events to one of these two girls until South Lakes' Olivia Beckner came along. After a few short seasons and a new serious approach to training, Beckner has become a serious foe to both Kate and Rachel. She has also risen her name to national prominence just like Murphy and McArthur.
Beckner is slated to run the 4x8, 1600, and 3200 this weekend with Kate entered in the 4x8, 1600 and 3200 and Rachel entered in the 1000 and 4x8.
Though we won't get to see all three race in an individual race this season, we do get to see all three race and that should be enough to highlight any state meet.
With the team titles being too elusive for many it means there is much more freedom for individual glory. Waleed Suliamn (Douglas Freeman), Britton Wilson (Mills Godwin), and Brandon McGorty (Chantilly) will all be attempting doubles to bring home that glory and multiple state titles this weekend.
When team placement is not a salient issue in track it allows athletes more freedom to specialize in one or two events that they could seriously win. This is what that was in reference too. Since all three of these athletes are on teams that currently do not have deep enough lineups to take home the team titles, they will focus on bringing home some big wins individually.
Waleed Suliman will run on the 4x800 and in both the 1000 and 1600 this weekend. He will face tough competition in all three but should walk away with wins in the 1K and 1600.
Britton Wilson will definitely have her hands full in the 300 and 500 with Kori Carter and Syaira Richardson. That being said, If she runs like she has all season though she should be crowned double champion and up for nomination as athlete of the year.
Finally in the 6A boys' competition Brandon McGorty will be attempting the difficult 1000 and 1600m double. He is undeniably great in the 1K but will have strong competition from Colgan's Antonio Lopez in the 1600.
It should be noted though that if McGorty does win both of these events and they pick up extra points here and there that they could gain enough points for the runner-up trophy.
Finally the final preview is the one you cannot expect. Each year... no, each season, someone steps up to another level that no one saw coming. Sometimes it is such a shock that the coach didn't even see it coming.
This again will be the case this year as athletes do what they do best, compete.
It is a long two days of competition and there will be 60 state titles up for grabs over 15 events. There will be many opportunities for athletes to step up and make history happen and that is why you cannot take your eyes off of the competition at all this weekend down at Boo Williams.
Some other names to watch: Sydney Banks (Osbourn Park - high jump), Benedict Draghi (Washington-Lee - shot put), Hasani Knight (Landstown - triple jump), Xyan Xrichardson (Battlefield - high jump), Taylor Gorum (Grassfield - shot put), Shadajah Ballard (Western Branch - 55mH and 55), Micaiah Harris (Western Branch - 55/55H/300), Heather Holt (George C. Marshall - 1600/1000), Doria Martingayle (Princess Anne - 1600/3200), and Saurav Velleleth (Thomas Jefferson S&T - 3200).
More Coverage Here
The 2017 VHSL 5A/6A State Championships will be LIVE on FloTrack this weekend. And MileSplit has got you covered to bring you all the action!
Eight team trophies and 60 state titles are all at stake this weekend at Boo Williams' Sportsplex in Hampton. It is finally that time again where the best athletes in the state will run, jump, vault, and throw for state titles and team trophies in the annual 5A and 6A State meets.
Entering the weekend Western Branch enters as the 6A team favorites with six boys team in contention for second while Grassfield and Lake Braddock are in contention for second on the girls' side. In the 5A competition, Nansemond River leads Maury for the girls' title with Lee-Davis, Bethel, and Deep Run all fighting for the boys' title.
Inside of those battles for both the team trophies and individual glory are countless personal stories of triumph, hard work, determination, and even luck. States in track & field is the ultimate level playing field where each and every athlete has to step up if they want to succeed. Unlike nearly any other sport, every athlete here has a chance at walking away a state champion because they earned their spot here.
Though every storyline deserves its spot in the light, here are the 10 story lines that you need to know because they are going to highlight this weekend.
Lauryn Ghee Going For Her Triple Triple Crown
There a lot of huge stars in Virginia but none have dominated quite like Lauryn Ghee (Grassfield) has. This state meet she will be attempting to win her third triple crown in a row. A triple crown being when an athlete wins the 55-300-500 indoors or 100-200-400 outdoors.
Lauryn will no doubt give it her best shot and have a strong chance at pulling it off but that won't come without a lot of adversity from tough competitors. She will have to face off with the US leader in the 55mH (Shadajah Ballard - Western Branch) in the 55m dash and then face off with her closest rival, Destiny Ward (Oscar Smith) in the 300.
Both of these athletes will provide their fair share of competition for Ghee but the University of Florida commit just always finds a way to step things up when she needs to. Last year for example, she set facility records in the 300 and 500 and a state meet record in the 55 all en route to state titles.
If Ghee can pull this feat off, she will solidify herself as one of the greatest ever. One thing though is for sure, it will come down to the line in both the 55 and 300 this weekend.
Can Maury Dethrone Nansemond River?
Though it is an uphill battle this weekend, the girls from Maury are determined to make it battle until the final event against Nansemond River. Both of these teams have collected their fair share of team trophies the past three seasons but the question is will the order flip in which they receive them.
In Maury's 100+ year history as a high school this could be one of the best shots they have at taking home that elusive team trophy. To achieve that honor they would have to have a flawless meet on all fronts. To achieve that they will look for nearly all their points from the deadly duo of Maya Seay and Brooke Stith who could each score over 30 points individually. It will however take closer to 100 points to take down the Warriors of Nansemond River.
Team War, as they are colloquially known, will definitely be packing the house in the sprint events and hurdles this weekend. They will use their talented depth to pick up any loose points in anything 500 meters and down as well as the jumps.
They enter the meet with two stars of their own, Syaira Richardson and Kori Carter, who will also be looking to take home some major points this weekend.
Nansemond River definitely has the edge with their depth and versatility but Maury cannot be counted out this weekend.
Western Branch Relays Are Looking For History
The Bruins of Western Branch have simply dominated the state for the better part of a decade with only superstar teams getting in their way. Once again that is the case but things are different this season, they have a serious shot at achieving the ultimate unattainable history.
Entering the competition Western Branch has a shot to sweep the relays. That means winning the 4x200, 4x400, and 4x800 for both boys and girls. That feat has never been accomplished and only one team (Western Branch Girls in 2015) has ever won all three for one gender in a single state meet.
This year though could be their year as they enter the competition as the top seeds in five of the six relays and third in the girls 4x800. All of this means they are certainly in store for an uphill battle that begins first thing Friday.
The Branch girls will have tough competition in both the 4x200 and 4x400 but their main competition will come in the 4x800 where a potential showdown with Lake Braddock and Patriot lies. That means they will have to hand off at least 10 seconds in front of both of these teams if they want to grab this title because Kate Murphy and Rachel McArthur are both 2:05 runners and love walking teams down.
On the boys' side of things history is just against them. It doesn't mean they can't do it but in their long and dominant history they have yet to win a 4x800m title indoors. They have also only won the 4x400 once indoors (2009) but will definitely be trying to change that this weekend.
Western Branch is simply on another level and will look to score records this meet but they are after more than just titles, they want history.
Cross Classification Battle of The 500 Sophomores
Last year at 5A/6A States two national class records fell. One of those was by Bethel's Edward Richardson III with his frosh national class record of 1:05.72 in the 500. This year however, he has run 1:04.42 and is actually seeded behind Colonial Forge's sophomore Zach Kindel who has run 1:04.15 this season.
Those times have them ranked third and fifth in the entire nation. Unfortunately though, they are not competing against each other this year. Colonial Forge and Kindel will compete in 6A while Bethel and Richardson are in 5A.
Despite not getting to see them race face-to-face it is going to be actually fairly exciting to see them both try and run away with their state titles in hopes of moving up the all-time list where they currently rank just outside of the top 20.
Richardson will be on the track first followed by Kindel just 10 minutes later. Each race is not slated to be a runaway so they will have no choice but to run as fast as they can to win.
Can Bethel Defend Their Home Track?
The closest team battle of them all will surely be the 5A Boys. This team competition has three teams all vying for that trophy and all three teams are looking for points in many different places. The three teams attempting to take home this title are Deep Run, Bethel, and Lee-Davis.
Bethel, the home team from Hampton, may have the best shot at achieving this goal. They have strong relays, decent depth, and can solidly rely on their points. They also showed a lot of character last outdoor track season by putting together a perfect second day's effort to sneak out the win. That type of win cannot be overlooked even a year later.
The best weapon they have though is Edward Richardson III going for his third team title. He is entered in the 300, 500, and will all but certainly anchor the 4x400m relay. If he is anchoring it, expect him to leave it all on the track because Lee-Davis is the second seed in that event.
Speaking of Lee-Davis, they may actually have the strongest team in 5A but their points come in a much different fashion. They will be relying heavily on the 55H, 300, triple jump, shot put and 4x200 for points this weekend and unfortunately those events can go completely one way or another. To bring that point home, in some events they are literally tied for the lead in that event.
If things go in Lee-Davis' favor then they will no doubt be team champions but if they have a slip up things get dicey in a hurry. That of course is why states is so fun.
The final team and the dark horse for the title is Deep Run. They enter the meet basically as a two man show plus a relay but could come away with the prized hardware. Bashir Mosavel-Lo and Mathias Cannon could be enough firepower to actually pull this off.
Bashir has long lived in the shadow of Waleed Suliman but it is interesting how this season he could actually take home the highest honor of being a team champion by finishing second to Suliman in the open events. Bashir is entered on the 4x800 where they are favored and then the 1600 and 3200. If he can finish second in the 1600 and somehow win the 3200, Deep Run will win the team title.
This is of course why you run the meet. There are so many things that need to happen but whoever steps up the most will be rewarded the most.
Who Will Steal The Show In The Pole Vault?
This year has truly been the year of the pole vault. These two meets alone will showcase some of the best vaulters in the entire nation in some very tough and competitive fields. Don't be surprised if state meet records fall left and right.
With this many big names competing in the four competitions, the thought arose about who would steal the show. Last year it was definitely Tim McElvoy coming back from a horrible regional finish to winning the state title but this year it is going to take more than just winning to have that honor.
Representing the girls in 6A will be Emily Harrison of Battlefield. She is seeded at 12-3 and will likely easily take the honor as best female vaulter of the year for the entire state. She currently sits at #10 all-time in the state and will face her toughest competition from the boys for this honor.
In the boys' 5A competition Chris St. Helen (Highland Springs) and William Chapman (Atlee) both are seeded well over 15 feet. Up in 6A they will be joined by Shotwell (Forest Park), McEvoy (Osbounr Park), and Fairbanks (South County) who are all seeded at 15 feet even.
Though the 5A competition may see a higher clearance, it might be tougher to win the 6A title due to tie-breakers. Regardless though, all these boys will have to near 16 feet if they want to take away vaulter of the meet honors from Harrison.
Overall, though pole vault is hidden away on the far side of the facility, you would be missing out if you didn't head over there for a little bit to see some of the greatest vaulters in our state's history turn upside down and attempt to win a state title.
Does Dale's Titiana Marsh Need To Be Worried?
Thomas Dale junior Titiana Marsh is the type of athlete that loves to step up on the biggest stage. Only once in her three years has Marsh lost a state title in either the long or triple jumps. This year though looks to be as dominant as ever against the best competition she has ever faced.
She is easily the top seed based on her all-time bests in both events but Western Branch's Jada Terrell will be making her work for both titles this go around. Jada had jumped over 19 and 40 this season.
The next question to answer is how far can she jump this weekend? Last weekend we saw Marsh leap 20-1 in the long jump which is number two all-time in the state but this weekend she definitely wants that record. She has also already jumped nearly 41 feet in the triple.
The overall state records Marsh will be chasing are 20-1.25 in the long jump and 42-4.75 in the triple. She is currently a combined inch off of both records.
What Used To Be McArthur vs Murphy is Now McArthur & Murphy vs Beckner
There is just something special about a good rivalry. It gets everyone in the building excited and gets people from across the nation to tune-in just to see who wins. That has been the case for four years now between Lake Braddock's Kate Murphy and Patriot's Rachel McArthur. Both ladies are superstars and state champions many times over.
Their highlight reels are more impressive than almost any runner in VA's history and each and every time they face off it is a serious battle against one another.
Almost everyone in the state had conceded the win in all distance events to one of these two girls until South Lakes' Olivia Beckner came along. After a few short seasons and a new serious approach to training, Beckner has become a serious foe to both Kate and Rachel. She has also risen her name to national prominence just like Murphy and McArthur.
Beckner is slated to run the 4x8, 1600, and 3200 this weekend with Kate entered in the 4x8, 1600 and 3200 and Rachel entered in the 1000 and 4x8.
Though we won't get to see all three race in an individual race this season, we do get to see all three race and that should be enough to highlight any state meet.
Suliman, Wilson, and McGorty All Looking For Individual Glory
With the team titles being too elusive for many it means there is much more freedom for individual glory. Waleed Suliamn (Douglas Freeman), Britton Wilson (Mills Godwin), and Brandon McGorty (Chantilly) will all be attempting doubles to bring home that glory and multiple state titles this weekend.
When team placement is not a salient issue in track it allows athletes more freedom to specialize in one or two events that they could seriously win. This is what that was in reference too. Since all three of these athletes are on teams that currently do not have deep enough lineups to take home the team titles, they will focus on bringing home some big wins individually.
Waleed Suliman will run on the 4x800 and in both the 1000 and 1600 this weekend. He will face tough competition in all three but should walk away with wins in the 1K and 1600.
Britton Wilson will definitely have her hands full in the 300 and 500 with Kori Carter and Syaira Richardson. That being said, If she runs like she has all season though she should be crowned double champion and up for nomination as athlete of the year.
Finally in the 6A boys' competition Brandon McGorty will be attempting the difficult 1000 and 1600m double. He is undeniably great in the 1K but will have strong competition from Colgan's Antonio Lopez in the 1600.
It should be noted though that if McGorty does win both of these events and they pick up extra points here and there that they could gain enough points for the runner-up trophy.
Who Will Be The Unexpected State Champion?
Finally the final preview is the one you cannot expect. Each year... no, each season, someone steps up to another level that no one saw coming. Sometimes it is such a shock that the coach didn't even see it coming.
This again will be the case this year as athletes do what they do best, compete.
It is a long two days of competition and there will be 60 state titles up for grabs over 15 events. There will be many opportunities for athletes to step up and make history happen and that is why you cannot take your eyes off of the competition at all this weekend down at Boo Williams.
Some other names to watch: Sydney Banks (Osbourn Park - high jump), Benedict Draghi (Washington-Lee - shot put), Hasani Knight (Landstown - triple jump), Xyan Xrichardson (Battlefield - high jump), Taylor Gorum (Grassfield - shot put), Shadajah Ballard (Western Branch - 55mH and 55), Micaiah Harris (Western Branch - 55/55H/300), Heather Holt (George C. Marshall - 1600/1000), Doria Martingayle (Princess Anne - 1600/3200), and Saurav Velleleth (Thomas Jefferson S&T - 3200).
More Coverage Here