Girls' track & field outlook

A lot of talent has departed from the area's girls' track & field scene, but there are plenty of girls who should generate plenty of appreciative noise from their teammates and spectators throughout the season.

That group is headlined by the area's only returning state champion in Sherando's Ella Carlson. Headed to NCAA Division I College of William & Mary next year, Carlson won the Class 4 discus last year and had a top season mark of 138 feet, 5 inches, and she also took second in the Class 4 shot put with a 38-11. Carlson is also the top returning Class 4 athlete in the shot put.

Handley junior Elizabeth Imoh was the state runner-up last year in both the 100-hurdles (15.44) and 300 hurdles (46.51). Imoh has an excellent chance of finishing on top of the podium for the 100 hurdles with everyone else in last year's top five having graduated. In the 300 hurdles, the top four finishers in the state meet were underclassmen last year, headed by Great Bridge's Kadence Wilson (45.68).

Imoh also placed fourth in Class 4 last spring in the high jump (5-2) and equaled per PR in taking fourth at this year's Class 4 state indoor meet. Imoh also placed fifth in the 55 hurdles and eighth in the 300 at the state indoor meet.

Imoh also ranked third in the area in the 200 meters last year (26.90). The area's fastest 200 runner was Clarke County's Bailey Beard.

Now a sophomore, Beard will look to improve on her second-place finishes in Class 2 in both the 100 (top time of 12.84, second in the area) and 200 (26.41). Beard is the top returning Class 2 athlete in the 200 and 100.

Clarke County is the defending Bull Run District champions and placed fourth in Class 2 last year, but the Eagles will have to make do without two state champions. Discus champion Sara Murray graduated and sophomore Teagan Lowery, a lacrosse star who won the triple jump last year, is now at Woodgrove.

With a distance crew that won the state cross country championship in the fall, the Eagles should be strong on that front. Clarke County will also feature senior Ellie Brumback, who will compete for the track team for the first time since she was a freshman due to the the 2020 COVID season and an injury last year. Brumback placed fourth in Region 2B in the triple jump in 2019 (31-4).

The Handley girls (second in the outdoor district meet behind Fauquier last year) lose one of the state's best pole vaulters in Mary McKay (the 2021 indoor state champion had seven out of a possible seven All-State finishes in the pole vault), as well as several other key performers. The Judges do feature an indoor state qualifier in junior Znyah Johnson (high jump) as well as Mikayla Balio, a soccer player who has played a key role on Handley's relays over the years. She helped the Judges win the 4x200 indoor district title this year.

James Wood loses one of Class 4's top athletes in Brooke Sandy (All-State in both hurdles events and the high jump, now at Shenandoah University), but features two returning All-State performers in seniors Aubrey Grove (fifth in the discus, had a season-best mark of 113-5 last year) and Lauren Beatty (seventh in the 1,600, had a season-best time of 5:18.87 last year). Beatty, who will compete for Division II Converse College, also ranked third in the area in the 800 (2:29.70) and is coming off an indoor season in which she placed eighth in the 1,600 (5:12.16) and 10th in the 1,000. Freshman Olivia Boyce had a strong indoor season, placing 11th in Class 4 in the long jump (15-2). Abeeb Badmus is now the head coach of the girls' and boys' teams after taking over boys' duties last year.

Sherando lost an NCAA Division I distance runner in Molly Robinson (South Dakota) but has a strong distance crew led by juniors Eva Winston (No. 2 in the area in the 3,200 last spring, 11:58.59) and Emma Ahrens (No. 3 in the 3,200, 11:59.77). Ahrens placed 12th in this year's state indoor meet in the 3,200 in 11:47.17. Victoria Corbit opened the year with wins in the long jump (16-0) and triple jump (31-6.5) at Saturday's City-County meet.

Millbrook features junior Madison Murphy, an All-State performer in the 3,200 last year (seventh in 11:33.30) who also posted the area's fastest times in the 800 (2:25.06) and 1,600 (5:17.67). Senior Kaylin Upson ranked third in the area in the 100 hurdles last year (17.48) and placed 12th in Class 4 and qualified for the state meet in the indoor 55 hurdles this year. Jada Arrington is a promising freshman, having won the 100 (12.98) and 200 (27.03) at the City-County meet.

James Wood, Sherando and Clarke County will be in action on Saturday at Strasburg’s Invitational, with the meet serving as the Eagles' opener. Handley and Millbrook won't compete again until the April 2 Handley Invitational.

The following is a glance at each area team:

Handley

Coach: Mike McKiernan, 10th season.

Last year: Second in Class 4 Northwestern District; 3rd in Region 4C; 6th in Class 4.

Key losses: Mary McKay, Zadriana Johnson, Sofia Posadas, Brittnay Turner., Tierney Finley, Amyra Newman.

Key returnees: Mikayla Balio, Sr., sprints; Mikayla Freimuth, Sr., middle distance; Znyah Johnson, Jr., jumps; Madison Hobson, So., sprints; Sullivan Morefield, Jr., jumps; Takira Washington, Sr., throws; Elizabeth Imoh, Jr., jumps/hurdles.

Key newcomers: Peyton Duvall, Sr., distance; Emeryce Worrell, Fr., sprints.

McKiernan’s outlook: "The girls' team is relatively small with some very quality performers. While the team will not score well in dual meets, it will be competitive in the larger meets. In the district meet, the goal will be to advance as many athletes as possible to the region meet. The girls are working very hard and gradually improving."

James Wood

Coach: Abeeb Badmus, first season.

Last year: Third in Class 4 Northwestern District; 6th in Region 4C; 14th in Class 4.

Key losses: Audrey Sandy, Brooke Sandy, Ja'Niyah Stovall.

Key returnees: Alana Bradford, Sr., sprints/jumps; Ella Kiesewalter, So., sprints/middle distance; Kameron Strosnider, Sr., middle distance; Lauren Beatty, Sr., distance; Aubrey Grove, Sr., throws; Macey Payne, Jr., sprints.

Key newcomers: Olivia Boyce, Fr., sprints/jumps; Jocelyn Hempel, Jr., sprints/jumps; Ruby Ostrander, Fr., distance; Kallie Gyurisin, Fr., hurdles/jumps.

Badmus’ outlook: "The expectation for the girls is the same as the boys, to compete at a high level in their events, and to continue to have season-best performances throughout the season. The expectation for the girls in the district is to have as many as we can advance to the postseason and to have the same opportunity as the boys to win the district. We have some key returners that could help achieve that goal."

Sherando

Coach: Josh Ilnicki, first season.

Last year: Sixth in Class 4 Northwestern District; 10th in Region 4C; 16th in Class 4.

Key losses: Molly Robinson, Indhya Hayes.

Key returnees: Emma Ahrens, Jr., distance; Eva Winston, Jr., distance; Victoria Corbit, Sr., sprints/jumps; Brianna Polston, So., sprints; Ella Carlson, Sr., throws; Madelyn Adcock, Jr., throws; Avery Lunde, Sr., throws.

Key newcomers: Cassidy Crittenden, Fr., distance; Emma Hicks, So., middle distance; Jacie Keister, Fr., middle distance.

Ilnicki's outlook: "Our girls' team is looking really good this year. Many of them worked extremely well this indoor season under the tutelage of [distance] Coach [Megan] Roberts, and they are seeing the fruits of their labor. With a couple strong athletes in each event, our season should prove to be rather successful, especially as we get closer towards the postseason. Ella Carlson has been putting in a lot of work to prepare for this season, and she should throw amazingly far. Speaking of long distances, Emma Ahrens is coming off a successful states run with the 3,200 in indoor track. She is primed for another great season. Another distance runner to keep an eye on is Eva Winston. She has been running with a new fire inside her at practice. Winston seems focused to take on any distance from 200 to 1,600. With the shorter events, Brianna Polston has been turning over some fast workouts. And even though she is just a sophomore, she'll be ready to compete with the upperclassmen and give them a run for their money. One of those upperclassmen will be teammate Victoria Corbit, who might surprise a few people not only on the track, but in the sand pits as well."

Millbrook

Coach: Joe Hall, second season.

Last year: Seventh in Class 4 Northwestern District; 12th in Region 4C.

Key losses: None mentioned.

Key returnees: Chloe Owings, Sr., throws; Kaylin Upson, Sr., sprints/hurdles; Kaylene Todd, Jr., sprints; Madison Murphy, Jr., distance; Cailey Johnson, Sr., distance; Becca Edlich, Sr., distance; Faith Patton, Sr., sprints; Elianna Flower, Sr., sprints.

Key newcomers: Jada Arrington, Fr., sprints; Caroline McCurry, Fr., distance; Zoe Green, So., distance.

Hall’s outlook: "The girls team will be competitive within our district. As a program we are looking to build on the success we had during indoor season."

Clarke County

Coach: Andre Kidrick, 15th season.

Last year: Bull Run District champions; 3rd in Region 2B; 4th in Class 2 state.

Key losses: Angel Crider, Mary David, Teagan Lowrey (transferred to Woodgrove), Sarah Murray, Hannah Ventura.

Key returnees: Bailey Beard, So., sprints/jumps/relays; Ellie Brumback, Sr., sprints/relays; Riley Duncan, So., distance/shot; Leah Kreeb, Jr., high jump/middle distance; Hailey Outland, Sr., jumps; Julianna Pledgie, Jr., distance; Jordan Shiley, Sr., throws/sprints; Ellen Smith, Sr., distance.

Key newcomers: Abby Cochran, Fr., distance; Kayka Danjczek, Jr., sprints/jumps/hurdles; Selene Good, So., sprints/jumps/relays; Reagan Myer, Fr., sprints/jumps; Teya Starley, Fr., distance; Ryleigh Webster, Sr., distance; Mia Wolfe, Fr., distance.

Kidrick’s outlook: "It’s always tough to rebuild when half of the previous year’s letter winners graduated, but with some talented new faces and a great supply of freshmen, the Eagles will be in the Bull Run District hunt once again. Led by a very strong distance squad that was undefeated state cross country champions in the fall, returning athletes Beard, distance runner Ellen Smith, and returning athlete Ellie Brumback who missed all of 2021 with a basketball injury, the season should be another strong one."

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

Follow on Twitter @WinStarSports1