Handley sweeps Class 4 Northwestern District track titles

The Handley boys won the inaugural Class 4 Northwestern District track & field meet in 2018. On Monday, they had some familiar people to celebrate another title with.

The Judges won both the boys’ and girls’ district championships on Monday at Culpeper High School, with senior Taylor Beard’s six wins in six events leading the Handley girls to their victory.

Handley scored 132 points to win the seven-team girls’ competition. Fauquier was second with 101.33 points. Millbrook was third with 99 points, and the Pioneers were followed by James Wood (74.33), Sherando (50), Kettle Run (48.33) and Liberty (20).

In the seven-team boys’ meet, Handley scored 140.5 points to beat runner-up James Wood (104) by 36. The Colonels were followed by Fauquier (96), Sherando (93.5), Kettle Run (40), Millbrook (38) and Liberty (12).

“It was really a team effort,” said Handley coach Mike McKiernan in a phone interview. “We felt with the boys, they had a little better chance than the girls. Both teams did great and pulled through.

“The kids performed well. Generally, we met or exceeded our seed time or distance. Not in every single event, but generally.”

Beard won the 100-meter hurdles (15.60 seconds), 200 (26.22), 300 hurdles (46.91), high jump (5-8), long jump (16-7) and triple jump (37-4). Other champions for Handley were the 4x100 team (51.17) and Mary McKay (pole vault, 10-6).

“Obviously, Taylor winning six events and scoring 60 points is a huge thing,” McKiernan said. “She was a little tired, but she still got to 5-8 in the high jump. Not a bad day.”

The Handley boys were led by Malachi Imoh, who won the 100 (11.01 seconds), 200 (22.47) and ran a leg on the winning 4x100 team (43.12), and Jayden Vardaro who won the 300 hurdles (40.53) and long jump (21-2) and also ran on the 4x100 team. Quinton Newman (discus, 153-1), Tyson Long (high jump, 6-4) and Jack Armel (pole vault, 12-6) also won individually.

Those who won multiple individual events for the Frederick County schools were Millbrook’s Kaycee Cox-Philyaw (800 in 2:22.87, 1,600 in 5:13.10) on the girls’ side and Sherando’s Darius Lane (triple jump, 44-1, 110 hurdles 15.62) on the boys’ side.

Cox-Philyaw’s performance was just part of a notable day for Millbrook’s distance crew. In taking second in the 3,200 in 11:28.96 to Sophie Edlich (11:28.32), Emily Muldowney became the sixth person from the Pioneers to qualify for the state meet in that event. The others are Cox-Philyaw (top time of 11:13.06), Sophie Edlich (11:14.35), Madison Smith (11:27.89), Becca Edlich (11:34.92) and Lina Guerrero (11:37.94).

The top eight individuals and top four relays in each event, as well as those with qualifying marks and times, advanced to the Region 4C meet at Handley on May 24 and 25.

Other top performers from Monday:

Boys

Handley: 100: 3. Jayden Vardaro 11.21; 1,600: 2. Bennett Cupps 4:33.17; Long jump: 2. Isaiah Lowry 21-1; Pole vault: 2. William McKay 12-0.

James Wood: 100: 2. William Crowder 11.12; 200: 2. Crowder 23.06; 400: 1. Lavaughan Freeman 51.17; 4x100: 2. 43.85; 4x400: 1. 3:32.01; 4x800: 2. 8:45.29; Discus: 2. Chance Grove 152-11; High jump: 2. Drake Tews 6-4; 3. Freeman 6-4; Shot put: 3. Grove 44-7; Triple jump: T-3. Logan Owens, Drake Tews 41-6.5.

Sherando: 110 hurdles: 2. Eldon Agard 15.75; 300 hurdles: 3. Agard 41.75; 400: 2. Ty Waits 51.44; 800: 2. Waits 2:00.32; 4x800: 3. Sherando 8:50.32; Discus: 3. Isaiah Allen 150-11; Shot put: 1. Allen 58-4.75.

Millbrook: 800: 3. John Pullen, 2:01.41; 1,600: 3. Brad Hambrick 4:32.23; 1,600: 2. Dylan Wallace 10:00.56; 3, Jonathan Wiseman 10:12.68.

Girls

Handley: 100: 6. Mary McKay 13.59; 200: 3. Sofia Posadas 27.00; 400: 2. Brittnay Turner 1:01.65; Pole vault: 3. Abby Bales 7-0; Shot put: 3. Chloe Putnam 33-10.

Millbrook: 1,600: 2. Sophie Edlich 5:15.59; 3,200: 3. Becca Edlich 11:35.81; 4x400: 3. 4:26.35; 4x800: 3. 10:49.30; Long jump: 2. Sarah Purdy 15-9; Triple jump: 2. Ava Derrick 34-3.5.

James Wood: 100 hurdles: 3. Brooke Sandy 16.77; 300 hurdles: 3. Sandy 50.92; 400: 3. Ja’Niyah Stovall 1:01.96; 4x100: 3. 52.94; 4x400: 2. 4:19.12; High jump: 2. Kaitlyn Poppo 5-0; 3. Sandy 4-10; Long jump: 3. Sandy 15-8.5; Triple jump: 3. Sandy 32-1.

Sherando: 100: 1. Haley Mack, 12.95; 400: 1. Kaitlyn Roberts 1:01.31; 800: 3. Molly Robinson 2:32.76; 4x800: 2. Sherando 10:31.72; Discus: 2. Ella Carlson 115-1.