WINCHESTER — Talk about a historic exclamation point for a dominant day.
In the penultimate girls’ event, James Wood High School junior Kate Konyar won by 44.42 seconds and lapped everyone in the 11-girl 3,200-meter field but teammate Alina Kieffer in breaking a 12-year-old school record.
Konyar’s scorching performance highlighted a day in which James Wood won five events and had at least one person finish sixth or better in every event but the high jump en route to scoring 150 points, twice as many as runner-up Millbrook in the 13-team field.
After taking second at last year’s ABI, James Wood won its home invitational for the fourth time in five seasons on Saturday.
“We did super good,” Konyar said. “This really just shows that our training is working.”
The local teams all shined brightly on a Saturday that featured mostly sunshine after some sprinkles of rain in the morning.
Following Millbrook (75) were Clarke County (third with 61 points), Sherando (fourth with 60.33) and Handley (tied for fifth with 58). Area athletes won 12 of the 16 events, with meet Most Valuable Performer and Clarke County senior Teya Starley capturing the 800 and 1,600 and anchoring the 4×400 team to victory. The other local athlete who won multiple individual events was Handley senior Emeryce Worrell, who made her season debut and captured the 100 and 200.
The first event of the day at 9:15 a.m. saw Konyar help the 4×800 team of Lauren Thompson, Kieffer and Ruby Ostrander win by 39.36 seconds over Sherando’s team of Gracie Defibaugh, Ariela Rivera, Cassidy Crittenden and Ella Carpenter (9:58.96 to 10:38.92).
Konyar didn’t take the track again until about six hours later, but it was worth the wait. She spent the race running by herself and came through the halfway point in 5:26. She wasn’t able to keep up the same pace in the second half of the race, but she made her way around the runners who couldn’t match her speed and crossed the finish line in 11:03.79 in her first outdoor 3,200 of the year. Kieffer was second in 11:48.21.
Konyar beat her top time of 11:18.58 last year and broke Amber Hawkins’ school record of 11:05.07 set in 2013. Konyar nearly matched her indoor school record time of 11:02.67 that she set in taking second at the Class 4 indoor meet this year.
Konyar is proud to have the record, especially since she wasn’t running in ideal circumstances.
“I was running alone, and it’s kind of windy and it was a little hot when I was going,” Konyar said. “So running 11:03, I feel really good about it.”
James Wood first-year coach Danielle Koelker said Konyar’s ability to run as well as she did without anyone to push her was impressive.
“I think it just shows the strength that she has,” Koelker said. “If we put her in the right event with the right group, I have no doubt that she’ll break 11 minutes.”
A big reason why Konyar is having so much success this spring is that she competed in indoor track for the first time this year. The three-time All-State cross country runner focused on gym workouts and maintaining strength as a freshman and sophomore, but she felt like she could take on a larger load this year. She’s glad she did, as she’s had numerous outstanding performances.
In her first race on Jan. 4 at the East Coast Elite Meet at the Virginia Military Institute, Konyar set an overall personal record and the indoor school of 11:17.59.
“It was a huge confidence booster,” Konyar said. “My first race, I thought I’d try and go 11:30 since I had never done this before. I was really happy. I was like, ‘This is perfect fitness for outdoor.'”
Two weeks later, Konyar recorded a time of 11:03.62 to take fourth at the Virginia Showcase at the Virginia Beach Sports Center.
After her All-State finish at the indoor meet, Konyar appears to be setting herself up well for a special outdoor postseason. Saturday was just her second meet after having run the 800 and the mile at the Handley Invitational. She’s already bested her times from last year in all three events (her mile time converted to 1,600 meters is 5:12.10, more than four seconds better than last year).
Konyar said Koelker is making a big difference with her coaching of the Colonels. There was certainly plenty for Koelker to like on Saturday.
“We have pretty good strength in all event groups this season,” Koelker said. “We’ve got some great throwers. Obviously, we have great girls in the distance. The relays did an amazing job. Overall, I think the girls just performed really well today.”
Koelker added junior Isabelle French is “impressive in anything.” French was involved in two James Wood event wins.
She won the 100 hurdles in a season-best 16.40, four-tenths of a second in front of Sherando sophomore Kalysta Falls. James Wood junior Alexandra Van Meter was third in 17.87. French also had a strong finish as the anchor leg in the 4×100 relay. She teamed with Alexis Brown, Olivia Boyce and Sierra-Nicole Wimer for a season-best time of 51.05 to win by 0.67.
To end the meet, French helped the 4×400 team of Ana Ramos, Mallory Juvinall and Omaie Aarami place second in 4:23.95 to Clarke County (4:20.22). She also placed sixth in the long jump (15-3.5).
French was pleased with how she fared individually, because she didn’t overthink things.
“I was just putting my all out there without freaking out inside my head,” French said. “It just felt so freeing and so exciting. I’m really looking forward to the next meet. The next goal for the 4×1 team is make state time. For hurdles, I want to three-step all the way down, and I want to break 16 really bad.”
French was particularly excited about the energy around her team.
“It was so amazing watching everyone today,” French said. “I have never seen everyone in as positive a mood as they were today. It just was radiating excited energy. I get very emotional over seeing how hard people drive and how hard they push during stuff. It inspires me so much, especially with Kate.”
James Wood sophomore Erin Link won the shot put with a mark of 34-6.75 to beat Sherando’s Ariana Stafford by 1 foot, 9.5 inches. Fellow Colonels sophomore Dayana Jackson was third in the event with a 30-10.
James Wood was also led by Katelyn Palmer (second in 1,600, 5:41.16, fifth in 300 hurdles, 53.89); Boyce (second in long jump, 15-9.75, sixth in triple jump, 30-9); Ostrander (third in 800, 2:27.19); Claire Snell (third in 1,600, 5:41.26); Emma Messick (third in discus, 95-11); Wimer (fourth in 200, 27.78, sixth in 100, 13.47); Juvinall (fifth in 400, 1:04.6); and Ally Oliver (sixth in 800, 2:35.13).
For Millbrook, sophomore Janai Washington captured the 400 in 1:02.12, with teammate Ella Mannarino taking second in 1:03.59. Washington was also third in the 200 (26.42) and high jump (4-8).
The Pioneers were also led by Jada Arrington (second in both the 100, 12.61, and 200, 25.67); Caroline McCurry (third in 3,200, 12:36.21); the 4×800 team of Marisol Lara, Caydence Bayne, McCurry and Adilyn Steinmetz (third, 10:41.21); Rowan McCullough (fourth in 100, 13.34); and the 4×100 team (fourth, 52.15).
Starley won the 800 by 2.87 seconds in 2:23.22 and the 1,600 by 17.72 seconds in 5:23.44. She teamed with Reagan Myer, Grace Gerenski and Mia Timberlake to win the 4×400 by 3.73 seconds in 4:20.22.
The Eagles were also led by Haley Foltz (second in discus, 101-9); Myer (fifth in long jump, 15-6); Molly Husted (fifth in 1,600, 5:46.51); and the 4×100 team (fifth, 52.83).
Sherando’s McKenna Hardy and Mercedes Silver each had the top mark of 4-10 in the high jump, with Hardy taking first on a tiebreaker. Hardy also took third in the long jump (15-9). Farren Crist took second in the triple jump (31-10.75) and Hannah Beck was fifth in the discus (92-2).
Worrell recorded times of 12.24 and 25.08 to win the 100 and 200, respectively. The Judges were also led by EJ Mullins (second in 200, 2:26.09); the 4×100 team (Fortune McNabb, Monet Thomas, Jordan Coats, Keila De La O Granado), second in 51.72; Bella Hines (fourth in 300, hurdles, 52.66); and De La O Granado (fifth in 200, 27.86).
For more coverage of Saturday’s meet, see Tuesday’s edition of The Winchester Star.
— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at rniedzwiecki@winchesterstar.com
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