Wood’s Hawkins Wins Casey Award; Warrior Girls Take 2nd

Posted: April 22, 2013
By ROBERT NIEDZWIECKI
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — Upon completing her victory in the 800 meters Saturday at the Handley Bowl, James Wood senior Amber Hawkins reached down to her ever-present high green socks and remarked that they just wouldn’t stay up on this particular day.

As for her spirits? There was no danger of those dropping from their sky-high levels. Not on this day.

Hawkins earned the James “Doc” Casey Award for the 72nd Handley Track & Field Invitational by winning the 800 (2 minutes, 24.14 seconds) and the 1,600 (5:18.71) and also running a leg on James Wood’s third-place 4x400 relay team.

“This is amazing,” said Hawkins moments after being handed the Casey plaque. “I didn’t really think I had a shot. I really thought Lisa [Meneau, of Handley] would have gotten it. I can’t believe it. It’s really wonderful to get this.”

Hawkins and sophomore Katie Houser (a career-best 5 feet, 6 inches in the high jump) led the Colonels to a third-place finish with 69 points, trailing only Harrisonburg (87.5) and Sherando (77), which might have walked away with the team title if not for the fact that numerous girls had to leave early to go to the school’s prom.

Led by Meneau — who won the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles but did not run on the Judges’ victorious 4x400 team because of a hip injury — Handley placed fourth with 67 points in the 19-team meet. Clarke County was fifth with 67 points, and short-handed Millbrook (see boys’ story) tied for 16th with 11 points.

Hawkins achieved a season-best time in the 800 and a recorded a strong 1,600 despite facing two significant obstacles — a strong, cold wind, and no serious push from her competitors. Hawkins won the 800 by six seconds and the 1,600 by 14 seconds.

Like many elite runners though, Hawkins knows herself well enough to get the times she needs.

“I feel really good about my times today,” Hawkins said. “It’s been really hard with these local meets on Wednesdays to push myself, but today I just kind of ran against the watch and just went for it.

“I wasn’t really pushed, but I had my teammates out there telling me if there was somebody behind me, so that really helped.”

It also helps having those green socks.

Hawkins said James Wood’s Student Council Association wore them for Cancer Awareness Week last year, and James Wood track wore them for the Apple Blossom Invitational. But after running a season-best time that day and the following week, Hawkins has continued to wear them because she doesn’t want to mess with success, as well as another reason.

“People seem to like them,” she said.

All things considered, Sherando coach Tom Grim liked the Warriors’ performance.

He was the only person left to accept the team plaque for second because of the prom, but the Warriors continued to show their all-around ability Saturday.

Sophomore Laurel Morton led the way with a win in the triple jump (33-6 ½), and the Warriors also saw Nisha Moore take second in the 400, Angelique Matthews and Candice Banks take second and third, respectively, in the 100 hurdles, Michelle Baker and Morton tie for fourth in the high jump, Alaina Combs take second in the discus, and the 4x800 team take second.

“We didn’t have a 4x400, Candice didn’t run the 300, and Angelique’s been a little hurt so we pulled her out of the jumps,” Grim said. “But overall, I’m really pleased.

“We’re solid. We’re able to score just about anywhere right now, so we stand a real good chance in the district.”

As for James Wood, Hawkins is hardly the only one capable of bringing home a state title.

After not clearing 5-2 yet this spring, Houser cleared 5-6 on her first attempt Saturday to set a personal best.

“It’s always awesome to get a PR, and it shows if you work hard, it will pay off,” Houser said.

Though Houser‘s top sport is clearly volleyball, she’s been working a lot on her technique the past couple of weeks and realizes she can do something special in track too.

“That’s better than what won outdoor states last year and indoor states this year,” Houser said. “Hopefully I’ll continue to do well.”

James Wood also had Sarah Johnson place third in the shot put, and Noelle Schoeman place second in the 300 hurdles and fourth in the 100 hurdles.

Meneau — the defending Group AA champion in the 300 hurdles — had no trouble winning either of her events, taking the 100 hurdles by 0.66 with a 16.47 and the 300 hurdles with a 47.06 to win by 2.8 seconds.

But the senior had plenty of trouble during and after the 300 hurdles, which forced her to call it a day.

Meneau began to experience some pain in her hip just before reaching her first hurdle, which led to some stutter-stepping as she approached hurdles, and Meneau was lying on her back on the artificial turf when she was done before being looked at by the training staff.

“In seventh grade, I dislocated my hip, and I had the same feeling like I was about to dislocate it again,” Meneau said. “Not good.

“Maybe I’m overtraining. I don’t feel like I am, but hopefully I just need to rest it and do some physical therapy.”

Given how well she’s doing, Meneau hopes she doesn’t miss too much time. Her best 300 hurdles time is an impressive 44.2. A year ago, she didn’t break 45 seconds until the Region II meet.

“Weightlifting has made me a lot stronger this year,” Meneau said. “It’s helped me a lot in my finish and with my speed.”

Meneau was supposed to run the 4x400, but the Judges didn’t let Meneau’s absence deter them. Kiara Myers, Abby Swartz, Hannah Long and anchor leg Alysandra Worrell (61 seconds) won in a time of 4:26.09.

“I was really proud of Hannah for volunteering to jump in and run,” McKiernan said.

Clarke County swept the throwing events, with Michelle Yates taking the shot put (34-2) and Ammie Levi the discus (108-6).

Mia Vandertoorn had Millbrook’s top performance, taking second in the long jump (16-3 ½).

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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