Just one more individual event left to conquer.
This spring will mark the last track & field season for Handley High School senior Emeryce Worrell, who will play soccer in college for NCAA Division I Auburn University next year. The 2024 Winchester Star Girls’ Track & Field Athlete of the Year will be looking to make it a memorable one after having won two straight state titles in the 55 meters and 300 indoors and last year’s 100 state title outdoors.
Worrell won last year’s 100 title by a tenth of a second in 11.86 seconds, her fastest time since running an 11.77 in April of 2023. As always, Worrell won’t have to look far for competition. Millbrook senior Jada Arrington placed third in Class 4 in 11.97 last year.
Despite breaking Handley’s school record with a 24.41 in the 200 finals last year at the state meet, Worrell took second to Atlee’s Josie Rempe (24.27). With Rempe having graduated, there’s only one other runner in Class 4 back who ran under 25 seconds last year at the state meet. Arrington placed fourth in Class 4 with a 24.78.
While Worrell will be the state favorite in the 100 and 200 this year, Arrington is the top returning runner in the 400. She took second in Class 4 last year and has run as fast as 56.39 in the event. Arrington also had a strong indoor season, placing fourth in Class 4 in the 300.
The Pioneers had the area’s highest finishes last year in Region 4D (fourth) and at the state meet. Janai Washington, a sophomore, earned a state medal (top eight) in the high jump in Class 4 last year (fourth) and had a top mark of 5 feet. She tied for sixth in this year’s Class 4 indoor meet. Millbrook is also led by senior Jillian Taylor (10th in the discus and 11th in the shot put in Class 4 last year). She had top marks of 103-10 and 32-9.75 in those events, respectively.
James Wood (fifth in Region 4D last year) has a new head coach in Danielle Koelker, who guided the team to an area-best third at the indoor Region 4D meet this year.
The Colonels are led by junior Kate Konyar, who placed fourth in Class 4 in the 3,200 last year and 12th in the 1,600, recording top times of 11:18.58 and 5:16.89 in those two events, respectively. In her first year competing in indoor track, Konyar showed significant improvement in the 3,200 by running a 11:02.67 to take second in Class 4 this winter. Konyar also helped the 4×800 team place eighth in Class 4 this winter.
James Wood’s indoor 4×800 squad also featured junior Alina Kieffer. She was 12th in the 3,200 at last year’s state meet and posted the area’s No. 2 time in the event behind Konyar (11:36.59). Junior Isabelle French posted the area’s best time in the 100 hurdles last year (16.67) and placed 14th in Class 4. She also had the area’s No. 3 time in the 300 hurdles (51.86).
Sherando (seventh in Region 4D last year) has two people who have earned state medals in the past year.
Junior Mercedes Silver placed sixth in Class 4 in the high jump last year and had a top mark of 5-1 (best in the area). She also placed 15th in Class 4 in the 300 hurdles, with her top time of 46.93 ranking as the area’s best. Silver placed fifth in the Class 4 indoor high jump with a mark of 4-10.
The Warriors will also be led by senior McKenna Hardy, who earned two state medals this winter in the high jump (Hardy also cleared 4-10 and tied for third) and the triple jump. Hardy had the area’s top mark last spring in the triple jump (35-1.5; she placed 17th) and had the No. 2 mark in the long jump (16-2).
Senior Gracie Defibaugh was a state qualifier in the 800 (placing 11th) and 1,600 (21st) last year for the Warriors. She had the area’s best time in the 800 (2:20.65) and the No. 2 time in the 1,600 (5:18.93).
Handley took ninth in Region 4D last year and will be led its new head coach, Lloyd Phillips, who takes over for longtime coach Mike McKiernan.
In addition to Worrell, the Judges will look to improve behind sophomore Elisabeth Pitcock, who tied for the area’s No. 2 mark in the high jump last year (5-0) and placed seventh in Class 4. A healthy EJ Mullins should help Handley this year. The sophomore missed most of the 2024 outdoor track season due to injury. This year, she placed third in the 500 in Class 4 and helped the 4×200 team of Worrell, Pitcock and Monet Thomas place third in Class 4.
Clarke County (second in Region 2B) will be led by its distance crew. Senior Teya Starley — who missed most of last spring with an injury — finished the cross country season strong in the fall and will look to continue her success in track. She was fourth in Class 2 in the 800 and 1,600 as a sophomore, and she still had the area’s third-best times in the 1,600 (5:19.69) and 3,200 (11:40.99) despite not competing in any meets after April 19. Senior Molly Husted placed sixth in Class 2 in the 3,200 last year and had a top time of 12:26.05.
The Eagles also return senior Reagan Myer, who placed in the top 20 in the 200 (13th), triple jump (17th) and long jump (20th) at last year’s Class 2 meet. She posted the area’s best mark in the long jump (16-4.5). All-State high jumper Emmalene Morris elected not to compete in track & field this year.
All four Winchester-Frederick County schools will compete in a meet on Tuesday at James Wood with Skyline and Warren County. Clarke County opens its season on Friday at Page County High School’s Page Valley Invitational.
The following is a glance at each area team:
Millbrook
Coach: Jamie McCarty, second season.
Last year: Fourth in Region 4D; 11th in Class 4.
Key losses: Emma Gressley, Kamora Talley.
Key returnees: Jada Arrington, Sr., sprints; Savannah Florek, Sr., middle distance (No. 3 in area in 400, 1:01.89); Janai Washington, So., jumps/sprints; Jillian Taylor, Sr., throws; Keri Hecker, Jr., jumps (No. 3 in area in triple jump, 33-1).
Key newcomers: Marisol Lara, Fr., distance; Harper Weiss, Fr., distance; Adilyn Steinmetz, Fr., middle distance; Jesslyn Wolf, Fr., jumps; Avery Fauver, Fr., jumps.
McCarty’s outlook: “This is the most complete team we have had in years. We feel like we have the depth to field our best individuals in each of their events and still have relays that can score points. We have a lot of freshmen that could add even more depth, depending on how quickly they develop. We expect to compete for the runner-up spot behind Blacksburg in the region. We just missed that during indoor and feel like we are moving in the right direction.”
Handley
Coach: Lloyd Phillps, first season.
Last year: Ninth in Region 4D; 15th in Class 4.
Key losses: E-zani Venable, Madison Hobson.
Key returnees: Emeryce Worrell, Sr., sprints; EJ Mullins, So., sprints/middle distance; Elisabeth Pitcock, So., jumps; Monet Thomas, Jr., sprints; Amaya Smith, Jr., jumps (No. 2 in area in triple jump, 33-2.5); Kiahna Venable, Jr., hurdles; Ella Warren, Jr., distance; Audrey Rinker, So., distance; Sage Welpott, So., distance; Seneca Welpott, So.; distance; Fortune McNabb, Jr., sprints; Isabella Pifer, So., sprints.
Key newcomers: Keila De La O Granado, So., sprints (transfer from Millbrook); Janiya Ferris, Jr., sprints.
Phillips’ outlook: “Our overall expectation for the season is to improve each week and refine our skills to ensure we are well-prepared for postseason competition. I have been impressed with the overall group. I see a lot of promising young talent in distance, sprints, hurdles and jumps. I’m really excited about the potential of our team.”
James Wood
Coach: Danielle Koelker, first season.
Last year: Fifth in Region 4D; 26th in Class 4.
Key losses: Mackenzie Sine, Megan Vreeland, Sarah Moss, Mercedes Bowser (out for the rest of the season due to injury).
Key returnees: Alexis Brown, So., sprints; Ana Ramos, Jr., sprints; Nadia Elias, Jr., sprints; Mallory Juvinall, Jr., sprints; Omaie Aarami, Sr., sprints; Olivia Boyce, Sr., sprints/jumps; Kate Konyar, Jr., distance; Ruby Ostrander, Sr., distance; Alina Kieffer, Jr., distance; Lauren Thompson, Jr., distance (No. 2 in area in 800, 2:27.69); Ally Oliver, So., distance; Kirin Nashed, Jr., distance; Katelyn Palmer, Jr., distance; Claire Snell, So., distance; Isabelle French, Jr., hurdles; Kallie Gyurisin, Sr., hurdles; Alexandra Van Meter, Jr., hurdles (No. 3 in area in 100 hurdles, 18.00); Emma Barenklau, So., hurdles; Abby Paxton, Sr., jumps; Maci Culp, Jr., jumps; Erin Link, So., throws (No. 2 in area in shot put, 32-10.25); Dayana Jackson, So., throws.
Key newcomers: Sierra-Nicole Wimer, Fr., sprints; Vivian Porter, Fr., middle distance; Emma Messick, Fr., throws; Melanie Padilla-Najarro, Fr., middle distance.
Koelker’s outlook: “I am overall hopeful and confident that the team, as a whole, will progress throughout the season as we did during the indoor season. I’m excited to see what Sierra Wimer does this season. As a freshman sprinter, she set a personal record in nearly every event at every competition during the indoor season.”
Sherando
Coach: Brad Symons, third season.
Last year: Seventh in Region 4D; tied for 20th in Class 4.
Key losses: Sarah Starling, Addy Wallin.
Key returnees: Hannah Beck, So., throws/jumps; Cassidy Crittenden, Sr., distance; Gracie Defibaugh, Sr., middle distance; Kalysta Falls, So., hurdles/sprints (No. 2 in area in 100 hurdles, 17.36, and 300 hurdles, 51.44); McKenna Hardy, Sr., jumps/sprints; Mercedes Silver, Jr., jumps/hurdles.
Key newcomers: Farren Crist, Sr., jumps; Ariana Stafford, Sr., throws; Shelby Willett, Fr., jumps/sprints; Savannah Judy, Jr., throws.
Symons’ outlook: “We will be competitive in most events this year. We will need to build some depth and work to improve other areas of the team this year. We are looking for senior leadership from Gracie Defibaugh, Cassidy Crittenden, McKenna Hardy and Mercedes Silver in their events. McKenna Hardy, Kalysta Falls and Ariana Stafford are coming off a good indoor season. Shelby Willett will be a contributor in the sprints and jumps this year. She has a bright future.”
Clarke County
Coach: Andre Kidrick, 18th season.
Last year: Second in Region 2B; 21st in Class 2.
Key losses: Catherine Harmon, Emmalene Morris, Lucia Martinez-Barrio, Adina Schipo.
Key returnees: Reagan Myer, Sr., sprints/jumps; Teya Starley, Sr., distance; Molly Husted, Sr., distance; Haley Foltz, So., throws (No. 3 in area in discus, 102-11); Abby Cochran, Sr., distance; Mia Timberlake, So., distance, Morgan LaMaster, So., throws, Saniyah Caldwell, Jr., distance.
Key newcomer: Grace Gerenski, So., sprints/jumps.
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. We had a couple of athletes decide not to participate this season and that hurts the overall team. Our distance team will be our team leaders. We have some exciting young athletes that will get better with experience.”
— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at rniedzwiecki@winchesterstar.com
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