Ten district titles. Nine region championships. Thirteen All-State performances.
Based on those individual accomplishments for Handley senior Elizabeth Imoh in both indoor and outdoor track & field during her career, it’s a pretty safe bet that she’ll be contacted by someone on the Judges’ Hunter Maddex Hall of Fame committee in about 20 years.
The star hurdler, jumper and sprinter would love to put the ultimate cherry on top of her profile, though.
Imoh has accumulated five individual silver medals in her career, but she’s still in search of gold. This might be the year she breaks through, though.
Imoh has finished as the state runner-up in the 300-meter hurdles the last two years. Deep Creek’s Dasya Tolbert, a senior last year, won the event by 2.55 seconds over Imoh, who had an area-best time of 45.97. Two sophomores finished within a second of Imoh.
Imoh also earned All-State honors last year in the 100 hurdles (seventh, area’s No. 1 time of 15.35) and the high jump (fourth for the second straight year, area’s top mark of 5 feet, 2 inches). Imoh — who totaled five district and region titles in individual events last outdoor season — is coming off an indoor season in which she took second in the 55 hurdles and second in the high jump in Class 4.
Imoh was also part of the 4x100 team that placed seventh at the Class 4 outdoor meet last year. Soccer players Madison Hobson, a junior who tied for the area’s third-best 400 time (1:05.37), and sophomore Emeryce Worrell were also on that relay, and that trio also helped the Judges place fifth in the indoor state 4x200 this year.
Worrell also has a couple of individual state silver medals to her name, having taken second in the 55 and 300 at indoor states this year. Worrell is looking to build off a freshman season in which she ranked second in the area in the 100 (12.52) and 200 (26.00). Worrell placed 11th in the 100 and 12th in the 200 at the state meet and was the runner-up in both events in Region 4C and the district.
Handley placed third in the district and second in the region last year. Fauquier is the two-time defending outdoor district champion and won this year’s indoor district title.
Millbrook sophomore Jada Arrington was the only other area girl to earn All-State honors in three individual events last year. Arrington was the area’s fastest athlete in the 100 (12.41, fifth at the state meet), 200 (25.64, sixth) and 400 (58.70, sixth) and totaled five region and district titles in those events.
The Pioneers will also be led by senior Madison Murphy, who posted the area’s fastest time in the 3,200 last year (11:37.53) and No. 2 time in the 1,600 (5:25.04). Murphy placed 18th in Class 4 in the 3,200 last year.
James Wood lost All-State discus thrower Aubrey Grove and the area’s top 800 and 1,600 runner Lauren Beatty. (Now at NCAA Division II Converse, Beatty had top-10 finishes in the mile, 3,000 and 5,000 at the Conference Carolinas indoor meet, taking sixth in the 3,000.)
The Colonels — who took second at last year’s district outdoor meet and second at this year’s district indoor meet — boast a deep and versatile group of athletes.
Among them is sophomore Olivia Boyce, who just missed getting All-State honors by taking ninth in the long jump at the Class 4 indoor meet and was third in the area in the triple jump last year (32-11.5). Senior Jocelyn Hempel ranked second in the area in the triple jump last year (33-10.75) and won the district indoor triple jump this year. Junior Ella Kiesewalter was No. 2 in the area in the 400 (1:02.56) and third in the district last year. In the 800, senior Quetzali Angel-Perez was second in the area (2:27.50) and in the district last year.
Sherando lost the The Winchester Star’s Girls’ Track & Field Athlete of the Year in Ella Carlson, a two-time Class 4 state discus champion and All-State shot putter who is now at NCAA Division I William & Mary. The Warriors also lost All-State triple jumper Victoria Corbit.
The Warriors (fourth in the district) will feature a strong distance crew led by seniors Emma Ahrens and Eva Winston.
Ahrens earned All-State honors at the Class 4 indoor meet this year by taking fifth in the 3,200 (11:15.54). She ranked second in the area in the 3,200 last year (11:41.90). She placed 19th in that event in Class 4.
Winston also earned All-State indoor honors by placing eighth in the 1,000. As a junior, Winston ranked third in the area in the 800 (2:28.92) and was third in the district in that event. Winston had an impressive 1,600 run in Wednesday’s home quad meet with Handley, Clarke County and Central, recording a time of 5:27.46 that would have ranked third in the area last year.
Sherando has also added freshman basketball star Aliza Murray. In the Warriors’ opening meet on March 15 at Sherando, Murray recorded times of 13.03 seconds in the 100 and 26.99 in the 200.
Clarke County brings back several accomplished athletes who helped the Eagles place eighth in Class 2 last year. Sophomore Teya Starley took second in Class 2 in the 1,600 (5:35.91) and wasn’t far behind Sherando’s Winston in Wednesday’s quad meet, recording a time of 5:28.64. Senior Leah Kreeb ranked second in the area in the high jump (5-0) and placed fourth at the state meet. Senior Kaylah Danjczek was No. 3 in the area in the 100 hurdles (17.54) and placed seventh in Class 2 in the 100 hurdles.
Clarke County will hope for a healthier season from junior Bailey Beard. She was the Class 2 runner-up in the 100 and 200 as a freshman but finished seventh in the 100 and eighth in the 200 at last year’s state meet after battling a quad injury much of the season. Beard was the area’s No. 3 100 runner (12.73) last year.
Clarke County should once again fare well in relays. Three people from the Eagles’ 4x800 (fourth) and 4x100 (seventh) state meet teams return. Two people from the state meet 4x400 team, which took fifth, also return. Kidrick noted that having a healthy Selene Good this season will be key, so she could add to Clarke County’s relay strength. She ran on the 4x100 and 4x400 teams during the regular season last year but not in the postseason.
The following is a glance at each area team:
Handley
Coach: Mike McKiernan, 11th season.
Last year: Third in Class 4 Northwestern District; second in Region 4C; 15th in Class 4 state.
Key losses: Mikayla Balio; Mikayla Freimuth.
Key returnees: Emeryce Worrell, So., sprints; Elizabeth Imoh, Sr. hurdles/jumps; Zynah Johnson, Sr., pole vault/jumps; Alivia Ricci, Sr., pole vault; Madison Hobson, Jr., sprints; Takira Washington, Sr., throws; Mason Rinker, Jr., throws.
Key newcomers: None mentioned.
McKiernan’s outlook: “We will be very competitive in the very big meets, as our best athletes will score well in those meets. There are a number of freshmen who are showing potential.”
Next meet: April 1 at W.T. Woodson Invitational, Fairfax
James Wood
Coach: Abeeb Badmus, second season.
Last year: Second in Class 4 Northwestern District; eighth in Region 4C; 20th in Class 4 state.
Key losses: Lauren Beatty, Elena Farinholt, Izzy Newman, Alana Bradford, Aubrey Grove, Abbie Hendershot.
Key returnees: Quetzali Angel-Perez, Sr., distance; Lillian Lovelace, Sr., distance; Ruby Ostrander, So., distance, Omaie Aarami, So., middle distance; Olivia Boyce, So., jumps/sprints; Macey Payne, Sr., sprints; Ella Kiesewalter, Jr., sprints; Jocelyn Hempel, Sr., jumps.
Key newcomers: Kate Konyar, Fr., distance; Lauren Thompson, Fr., distance; Mallory Juvinall, Fr., distance; Mercedes Bowser, Fr., jumps/sprints; Abigail Paxton, So., jumps; Tinley Mattison, Fr., jumps; Alexandra VanMeter, Fr., sprints; Isabelle French, Fr., jumps/sprints; Abigail Paxton, So., jumps/sprints.
Badmus’ outlook: “The expectations are to be consistent throughout the season by improving their times and having qualifying times for the postseason. Quetzali Angel-Perez, Olivia Boyce, Ella Kiesewalter, Macey Payne, Mackenzie Sine and Ainsley Lescalleet will pave the way for the girls’ team.”
First meet: March 31 at Ram Country Invitational at Strasburg
Sherando
Coach: Brad Symons, first season.
Last year: Fourth in Class 4 Northwestern District; fifth in Region 4C; tied for 11th in Class 4 state.
Key losses: Ella Carlson, Victoria Corbit, Anna Duke.
Key returnees: Emma Ahrens, Sr., distance; Cassidy Crittenden, So., distance; Gracie Defibaugh, So., middle distance; Brodilyn Ireland, Sr., sprints; Addy Wallin, Jr., distance; Eva Winston, Sr., distance; Maddy Adcock, Sr., throws.
Key newcomers: Sarah Starling, Jr., throws; Mercedes Silver, Fr., sprints/jumps; Aliza Murray, Fr., sprints/jumps; Bella Walters, Fr., jumps.
Symons’ outlook: “Our girls have some experience in distance and we have some key newcomers that are expected to compete within the district. We are hoping to build depth by the end of the season. Emma Ahrens is coming off a good indoor season. Sarah Starling is in her first year but has great potential in the throws. Aliza Murray is a freshman but has great potential in the sprints.”
Next meet: March 31 at Ram Country Invitational at Strasburg
Millbrook
Coach: Joe Hall, third season.
Last year: Fifth in Class 4 Northwestern District; sixth in Region 4C; tied for 18th in Class 4 state.
Key loss: Cailey Johnson, Angela Dojcak, Kaylin Upson.
Key returnees: Jada Arrington, So., sprints; Jillian Taylor, So., throws; Madison Murphy, Sr., distance; Savannah Florek, So., sprints; Emma Gressley, Jr., middle distance.
Key newcomers: Nancy Annan, Jr., throws; Caydence Bayne, Fr., sprints.
Hall’s outlook: “The girls’ team brings back several of our key contributors from the indoor season with the addition of some new faces. We have the potential to be competitive in our district and some of our athletes will be key players at the regional and state level.”
First meet: March 31 at Ram Country Invitational at Strasburg
Clarke County
Coach: Andre Kidrick, 16th season.
Last year: Fourth in Bull Run District; fourth in Region 2B; eighth in Class 2 state.
Key losses: Ellie Brumback, Hailey Outland, Jordan Shiley, Ellen Smith, Ryleigh Webster.
Key returnees: Bailey Beard, Jr., sprints; Abigail Cochran, So., distance; Kaylah Danjczek, Sr., sprints/jumps/hurdles; Riley Duncan, Jr., throws; Selene Good, Jr., sprints; Leah Kreeb, Sr., jumps; Reagan Myer, So., jumps/sprints; Teya Starley, So., distance.
Key newcomers: Emmalene Morris, Fr., jumps; Miranda King, Fr., distance; Elena Stroot, Fr., distance.
Kidrick’s outlook: “Replacing the leadership and athletic abilities of athletes like Ellie Brumback, Ellen Smith and Ryleigh Webster will not be easy but the team has plenty of athletes ready to step up. Getting Selene Good back healthy will be key. Bailey Beard leads by example and work ethic. And Reagan Myer can compete in multiple events and will be integral to the team success as they look to attempt to challenge Strasburg’s girls, who finished second in the state last year and return basically everyone.”
Next meet: March 31 at Ram Country Invitational at Strasburg
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