Class 4 Boys' Track

LYNCHBURG — For anyone who watched the Class 4 boys’ 3,200-meter run on Saturday, one thing was clear — the race was going to be run on Garrett Stickley’s terms.

With a four-second lead heading in the final lap, the Handley junior appeared on his way to a wire-to-wire victory. When he crossed the finish line, Stickley had run the fastest 3,200 by anyone in the previous nine-year history of Class 4 (2014-22). Unfortunately for Stickley, he was not the fastest 3,200 runner in 2023.

Blacksburg star senior Conner Rutherford ran a sizzling final lap and flew past Stickley with about 150 meters to go in a manner befitting someone running an open 200 instead of a 3,200. Rutherford’s final lap of 59.63 seconds was nearly eight seconds faster than any his previous laps, and his final time of 9 minutes, 7.13 seconds was exactly two seconds faster than Stickley’s 9:09.13.

Stickley clocked his fastest lap of the 3,200 with a 1:05.73 for the final 400, but it wasn’t enough to hold off a superlative effort from Rutherford, the Class 4 state cross country champion in the fall and the 1,600 indoor champion in the winter. Both runners broke the Class 4 record of 9:09.19 set in 2018.

Stickley — who was the runner-up to junior teammate Will Pardue in the 3,200 at the Class 4 indoor state meet — had no regrets about being aggressive. The top seed in the event, Stickley finished just off his PR of 9:08.23.

“I followed my strategy almost perfectly,” Stickley said. “I knew on the fifth and sixth laps, I had to break Conner and Will and everyone else. And I did. I just didn’t know I had to break Conner more. I had a four-second lead on him, and I needed a six- or -seven-second lead to win.”

Stickley had one of several near-misses for Winchester-Frederick County boys this week. Local athletes combined for 11 top-five seeds heading into the meet, but none were able to win state gold. That group included Millbrook senior Nick Hayden, who was unable to repeat as 800 champion and placed third.

Handley — which had five All-State performances (top eight) — placed 11th with 23 points to lead local teams. Sherando had two All-State performances and tied for 20th out of 42 scoring teams with 10 points, and Millbrook had four All-State performances and tied for 24th with nine points. James Wood did not score. Deep Creek won with 52 points and Courtland was second with 51.

Stickley said he didn’t hear Rutherford coming when he passed him. Pardue — who wound up taking fourth in 9:29.40 — said it was understandable that Stickley didn’t hear Rutherford’s quick feet because of the roaring crowd.

“I’m not upset [about taking second],” Stickley said. “I broke the meet record. There’s no shame in taking second to one of the best runners in the state.”

Rutherford only came in with a seed time of 9:31.70, but he ran a two-mile time in the winter that converts to 9:01.54 over 3,200 meters.

Pardue — who won the indoor 3,200 with a 9:17.75, about 4.5 seconds ahead of Stickley and almost six seconds ahead of Rutherford — said at the region meet that he had been bothered by an illness in early May, and added that affected his training down the stretch run of the season.

“I felt pretty rough in the warm-up. My legs felt great, but I think the heat just hit me,” Pardue said. “I’m still happy to get fourth. Time wasn’t what I wanted. I wish I would have been up there with Garrett, but it still wasn’t a bad race.”

James Wood junior Ethan Pratt-Perez — who took fourth in the indoor 3,200 — was fifth through five laps but fell off the pace and finished 14th in 9:56.30.

Handley was the only school to have three All-State runners in the 3,200. Senior Pierce Francis placed eighth in 9:43.63.

“I’m proud we did that,” Pardue said. “It felt really good to represent.”

“That was cool,” said Handley coach Mike McKiernan of having three medalists in that event. “I think it speaks to their work ethic. I’m happy for all of them.”

Both Stickley and Pardue competed in the 1,600 later in the day. Though they were exhausted, Stickley led after 400 meters and Pardue led after 800 meters before each fell off. Pardue did manage to grab his second All-State medal of the day though by taking eighth in 4:33.32. Stickley placed 10th in 4:35.45, with he and Rutherford bumping each other in the push to beat the other. Rutherford finished ninth.

“We were just like, ‘We’re going to run, and what happens, happens,’” Pardue said. “I’m pretty happy overall to get All-State.”

Handley sophomore Hassan Akanbi also earned a silver medal, taking second in the high jump on Friday with a mark of 6-3, a height that Sherando sophomore Noah Harris also cleared.

Akanbi needed only two attempts to clear that height while Harris needed three, so Harris placed third. Fauquier junior Wyatt Shaw won with a mark of 6 feet, 8.5 inches.

Akanbi has jumped as high as 6-6 but has been hampered by a knee injury much of the season and did not jump at the Region 4C meet. McKiernan said Akanbi hasn’t been able to practice much lately, and he could tell Akanbi was tired after needing three attempts to clear 5-11 and 6-1.

“My knee was bothering me a little bit once I got to 6-1,” Akanbi said. “But it was good competition. I’m still glad to come and compete and still get second place in state. Next year, I’m going for the state championship.”

In the 800, Hayden was the second seed with a time of 1:52.82 to Warhill senior Leo Davis, who had a seed time of 1:52.61. Davis came into the meet seeded fifth in the 400 (49.62), but he chose not to compete in that event.

Davis made a late surge just before end of the first lap to take the lead with a time of 1:01.37. Davis and Hayden separated themselves from the pack heading into the final 300, and it was clear heading into the final 200 that because the pace of the first lap wasn’t too hard that Davis had plenty of gas in the tank to showcase his speed.

Hayden couldn’t catch him, and Davis won in 1:54.04. Pulaski County freshman Cole Boone caught Hayden just before the finish line and took second in 1:55.56. Hayden finished third in 1:55.81.

After completing the 4x400, Hayden said he felt worn down coming into the meet.

“Today just wasn’t my day,” Hayden said. “It was just one of those days. You hate to have it on a state meet day. Obviously, I was looking to win, but I came out here and I got third, which isn’t too bad.

“I’ve been struggling. For the last month, I’ve been really tired. I think my body just needs a break. It’s been a long indoor and outdoor season.”

Last year’s 800 didn’t feature a particularly fast first lap, but it was almost three seconds faster than this year’s.

“Nick’s a phenomenal athlete,” Millbrook coach Joe Hall said. “If he would have taken that race out a little bit hotter, it might have been a little better for him. It’s unfortunate for him, but he has a [running] career after high school, and we’re talking about a kid who’s a two-time state champion. He knows as well as anyone that anything can happen at state. We knew coming in it would be tight for him.”

Hayden, who won the 1,000 state title during indoor, said he’s pleased with his career.

“I’m satisfied, for sure,” Hayden said. “I’ll rest up and get ready for Columbia [to run in college].”

Hayden also anchored the 4x800 team of senior Scott Montgomery, senior Landon Baker and junior Elijah McGee to eighth place in 3:26.17. The Pioneers came in as the third seed at 3:25.08 and took second at the state indoor meet in 3:26.74.

Millbrook senior Javell Holmes — who did not compete in the high jump or triple jump on Friday so he could attend Millbrook’s graduation — set a school record of 21-8.5 in the long jump and placed eighth on Saturday. Also taking eighth was the senior 4x100 team of Tyler Lam, Montgomery, Logan Downs and Baker (43.22).

In addition to Harris, sophomore Micah Carlson medaled by taking fifth in the discus (140-9), the second straight year he’s been All-State in the event.

James Wood senior Andrew Link just missed earning All-State honors in the 300 hurdles for the third straight year. He placed ninth in 40.80 to lead the Colonels.

For more coverage of the meet, see Tuesday’s edition of The Winchester Star.

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