Girls' track & field preview: Handley's Worrell looking for more state glory

After conquering Liberty University’s indoor facility, Handley junior Emeryce Worrell will now try to do the same at the Lynchburg institution’s outdoor complex.

Worrell captured state titles in the 55 meters and the 300 individually and also helped the 4x200 relay team capture a state championship at the Class 4 indoor meet this winter, and Worrell will be a strong contender to take home state gold at the Class 4 outdoor meet in the spring.

Worrell placed second in Class 4 in the 100 and third in the 200 last year, and she’ll be a strong contender to sweep both titles this year. Worrell — who had top times of 11.77 seconds in the 100 (an area record) and 24.94 in the 200 — is Class 4’s top returner in the 100, and only Atlee senior Josie Rempe finished ahead of Worrell among returning Class 4 athletes in the 200. Worrell defeated Rempe in both the 55 and 300 at the Class 4 indoor meet.

Though Handley (fifth in Region 4C last year) lost Winchester Star Girls’ Track & Field Athlete of the Year Elizabeth Imoh (now a freshman at the University of Virginia), the Judges still have plenty of speed for relays. Senior Madison Hobson and freshmen Elisabeth Pitcock and EJ Mullins teamed with Worrell to win the Class 4 4x200 indoor title. Mullins also placed seventh in the 500 in the Class 4 indoor meet.

Millbrook (13th in Region 4C) will again be led by Jada Arrington. The junior is the top returning 400 runner in Class 4 (third at the state meet last year, top time of 57.49) and will be one of the main challengers to Worrell in the 100 and 200. Arrington was fifth in the 200 (top mark for the season, 25.36) and sixth in the 100 (top mark, 12.24) at last year’s Class 4 meet, and she was second in the 300 and fourth in the 55 at the Class 4 indoor meet.

Freshman Janai Washington was sixth in the Class 4 indoor high jump for Millbrook with a mark of 5-0.

James Wood (eighth in Region 4C) will be led by its stellar distance crew.

Sophomore Kate Konyar placed fifth in Class 4 in the 3,200 (her top time of 11:22.45 was No. 2 in the area) and 17th in the 1,600 (No. 3, 5:17.85). Sophomore Alina Kieffer placed fourth in the indoor Class 4 3,200 in 11:30.3. Junior Ruby Ostrander was a Class 4 state qualifier last year (top time of 5:19.85) in the 1,600 and placed ninth in this year’s indoor 1,600.

The Colonels also bring back the area’s top returning long jumper (16 feet, 8 inches) and triple jumper (33-3) in junior Olivia Boyce. Junior Mackenzie Sine placed seventh in the shot put at the indoor state meet (33-0.5).

Sherando (seventh in Region 4C) features the top returning thrower in senior Sarah Starling, who had top marks of 35-3.5 in the shot put and 105-10 in the discus. Starling was 13th in Class 4 in the shot put. At the indoor state meet, sophomore Mercedes Silver placed fifth in Class 4 in the high jump with a mark of 5-0.

Clarke County brings back several accomplished athletes who helped the Eagles place second in Region 2B to Class 2 state champion Strasburg, though senior Bailey Beard (state runner-up in the 200) has elected not to run track this year.

Clarke County will be led by junior Teya Starley (fourth in Class 2 in 800, No. 3 area time of 2:23.86, and fourth in Class 2 in 1,600, No. 2 area time of 5:14.73) and sophomore Emmalene Morris (fifth in Class 2 in the high jump, tied for area’s No. 3 mark at 4-10). Those two and junior Reagan Myer ran on the fourth-place Class 2 4x400 team, and Myer, Morris and senior Selene Good competed on the fifth-place 4x100 team at the state meet.

The following is a glance at each area team:

Handley

Coach: Mike McKiernan, 12th season.

Last year: Fourth in the Class 4 Northwestern District; fifth in Region 4C; ninth in Class 4 state.

Key losses: Elizabeth Imoh, Znyah Johnson, Takira Washington.

Key returnees: Emeryce Worrell, Jr., sprints; Madison Hobson, Sr., sprints; Fortune McNabb, So., sprints; E-zani Venable, Sr., sprints; Mason Rinker, Sr., throws (area’s No. 2 in discus, 97-1, No. 3 in shot put, 31-1.25); Ella Warren, So., distance; Shania Roberts, Jr., hurdles.

Key newcomers: Elisabeth Pitcock, Fr., jumps/hurdles; EJ Mullins, Fr., sprints/middle distance.

McKiernan’s outlook: “We believe we will be competitive in the large meets. However, we do not know the depth of the team until we begin competition. Three indoor state championships prove Emeryce is ready to go quite fast this spring. Madison Hobson, [EJ] Mullins and Elisabeth Pitcock are also running quite well. Our district and region have some excellent teams. Therefore, we are looking to improve as the season progresses and qualify as many athletes for the state meet as possible.”

First meet: Host Millbrook, Liberty and Skyline on Thursday

James Wood

Coach: Craig Woshner, first season (also coached Colonels from 1995-2002).

Last year: Third in the Class 4 Northwestern District; eighth in Region 4C; tied for 25th in Class 4 state.

Key losses: Lillian Lovelace, Quetzali Angel-Perez.

Key returnees: Kate Konyar, So., distance; Alina Kieffer, So., distance; Lauren Thompson, So., distance; Isabelle French, So., hurdles (area’s No. 2 in 300 hurdles, 49.30); Olivia Boyce, Jr., jumps; Mackenzie Sine, Jr., throws.

Key newcomer: Kirin Nashed, So., middle distance.

Woshner’s outlook: “We are relatively young across the board, so I am expecting to see continued progress throughout the season, as we saw during the indoor track season. The district is really a non-factor at this point since there is no advancement to regions by place. We did take the Northwestern District meet seriously during the indoor season, though, as a final invitational before regionals, and our athletes really performed well at that meet in all event areas. We’ll take that same approach during outdoor. Being in Region 4D presents some real challenges with travel and the strength of certain schools and regionally in different event areas, especially in the sprints and jumps. We are always evaluating where our athletes can best succeed and hopefully we can find events in which they can best compete.”

First meet: Tri competition with Manassas Park on Wednesday at Brentsville

Sherando

Coach: Brad Symons, second season.

Last year: Fifth in the Class 4 Northwestern District; seventh in Region 4C; tied for 25th in Class 4 state.

Key losses: Emma Ahrens, Ryleigh Combs, Aliza Murray, Eva Winston.

Key returnees: Gracie Defibaugh, Jr., distance (area’s No. 2 in 800, 2:23.74); Mercedes Silver, So., jumps/hurdles (area’s No. 3 in 300 hurdles, 49.64); Sarah Starling, Sr., throws; Addy Wallin, Sr., distance.

Key newcomers: Ella Carpenter, Fr., middle distance; McKenna Hardy, Jr., sprints/jumps; Anthoneila Strachan, Jr., sprints/jumps; Josie Willett, Jr., sprints/jumps.

Symons’ outlook: “The girls’ team has grown in numbers and has more depth than last year. We will be more competitive as a team this year. We’re looking for improvement and growth over the season. We are looking for senior leadership from Sarah Starling in the throws and Addy Wallin in distance. Mercedes Silver is coming off a good indoor showing and will give us points in sprints and jumps. McKenna Hardy, Anthoneila Strachan and Josie Willett will be contributors in the sprints and jumps this year. Handley will be strong as always. Hopefully we will be competitive in the district and region. Our region is pretty tough and we will have to compete at a high level. With the new region and new postseason format, it will be a learning experience.”

First meet: Tri competition with Fauquier on Wednesday at Warren County

Millbrook

Coach: Jamie McCarty, first season.

Last year: Sixth in the Class 4 Northwestern District; 13th in Region 4C; 16th in Class 4 state.

Key loss: Madison Murphy.

Key returnees: Jada Arrington, Jr., sprints; Kamora Talley, Sr., sprints (area’s No. 3 in 100, 12.95); Savannah Florek, Jr., middle distance (area’s No. 2 in 400, 1:02.10, and long jump, 16-6.25); Emma Gressley, Sr., middle distance; Caydence Bayne, So., middle distance.

Key newcomers: Janai Washington, Fr., sprints/high jump; Addison Stover, Fr., middle distance; Claire Huddleston, Fr., sprints; Rowan McCullough, So., sprints.

McCarty’s outlook: “We return a very good group from last year and have added some very good ninth-graders. We still lack the depth that we need to take the next step. We have 19 girls on the roster which is up from last year and 11 of those are ninth- and 10th-graders, so we hope they can develop quickly. We took nine girls to the indoor state meet and hope that group can lead us into the outdoor season. Jada is coming off of a strong indoor season despite still splitting time with basketball, and the rest of that group gained a lot of experience from that state indoor meet. We were fifth at the indoor regional meet without Jada and Kamora (because of basketball), so we hope to improve on that outdoors, but it will be tough. It is a very talented region and moving up spots will take a lot of hard work.”

First meet: Quad competition with Liberty and Skyline on Thursday at Handley

Clarke County

Coach: Andre Kidrick, 17th season.

Last year: Second in the Bull Run District; second in Region 2B; 9th in Class 2 meet.

Key losses: Bailey Beard, Kaylah Danjczek, Leah Kreeb.

Key returnees: Saniyah Caldwell, So., distance; Abby Cochran, Jr., distance; Selene Good, Sr., sprints/jumps; Emmalene Morris, So., sprints/ jumps; Reagan Myer, Jr., sprints (area’s No. 3 in triple jump, 30-8.5); Teya Starley, Jr., distance.

Key newcomer: Molly Husted, Jr., distance.

Kidrick’s outlook: “Our numbers are not where we would like them to be but we will be very solid in the events we place our athletes. Our distance team will be our team leaders. Selene Good will be an excellent leader for the jumpers and sprinters. Strasburg will once again be the cream of the crop and we hope to compete in the events we enter.”

First meet: April 6 at Strasburg’s Ram Country Invitational

— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at
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