Nansemond River girls win Class 5 state outdoor track title, Heritage girls win Class 4

Larry Rubama, The Virginian-Pilot
·4 min read

Nansemond River senior Sydney Ellis didn’t have to run the 4x400 relay at the end of the Class 5 state outdoor track meet.

But she wanted to.

“The 4x4, plus the the team title, puts me at 10 state titles,” she said proudly. “So, I had to get the double digits.”

Ellis and the Warriors won the Class 5 state outdoor title on Saturday at Todd Stadium.

She led the way as she won the 100 hurdles (14.37), 300 hurdles (44.01) and ran on the victorious 4x400 — along with Ansolei Taliaferro, Trinity Lucas and Nyah Harrison — to lead the Warriors.

“It feels really good to see all the hard work I’ve been putting in over the years pay off,” said Ellis, who will run at Hampton University next season. “It means the world to me.”

It was also a big day for Indian River sophomore Brianna Selby. She won the 100 meters in 11.71 to set a new meet record. She also won the 200 (23.92) and led the 4x100 relay — along with Endiyah Turner, Ciara Joyner-Plata and Aniyah Troupe — to help the Braves.

“I was tired, but I’m glad I kept pushing through,” she said. “I wish I would have (run a personal-best time), but I’m glad I finished well.”

L.C. Bird won the Class 5 boys title, with Nansemond River third. The Warriors were led by Deondre Hardy’s victories in the triple jump (47-9½) and 110 hurdles (14.01).

In Class 6, South Country won the girls title, but Oscar Smith was runner-up led by Nadia Jacobs, who won the 100 hurdles (14.06) and was third in the 100. She, along with Kemani Bailey, Tyra Price and Jada Starks also won the 4x100 in 46.63. And senior Shayla Brown won the 300 hurdles (44.25)

South Lakes won the boys Class 6 title with Western Branch finishing fourth and Oscar Smith sixth. The Bruins were led by victories from Tyler Morris in the triple jump (48-2¾), Antonio Smith in the 300 hurdles (38.58) and Jahzari Priester in the shot put (56-0).

Class 4 A

Heritage, led by Madison Whyte, won the girls state title at Liberty University in Lynchburg.

Whyte won the 100 (11.98), 200 (23.57) and 400 (56.05) to lead the Hurricanes. Teammate Sabria Wooden finished runner-up in the 400 and helped lead the 4x400 relay team - along with Myzhane Solomon, Nicole Lee-Simmons and Sanaa Wooden - to victory.

Deep Creek High boys finished runner-up and the girls were third.

The boys were led by victories from Antoinne Fair in the 200 (21.76) and Jaelyn Green in the 300 hurdles (38.51). Green and Fair - along with Amarion Harrell and Timari Freeman - also won the 4x400 relay (3:21.37).

The girls were led by Dasya Tolbert. The senior won the 100 hurdles (14.64) and 300 hurdles (43.42), and was second in the 200.

Other local state champions:

  • Oscar Smith senior Terric Jones won the high jump (6-7) in Class 6. He also won the high jump at the state indoor meet.

  • Ocean Lakes junior Brooke Gunter won the pole vault (10-9) in Class 6.

  • Grassfield junior Morgan Graham won the discus (143-2) in Class 6.

  • Kecoughtan junior David Anderson won the shot put (57-0) in Class 5. He also won the shot put at the state indoor meet.

  • Maury sophomore Lily Guinn won the 3,200 (10:32.48) and the 1,600 (5:01.86) in Class 5.

  • Norview senior Emmani Shaw won the triple jump (39-2) and high jump (5-7) in Class 5.

  • King’s Fork’s Deja Ward, Taylor Spruill, Courtney Johnson, Asia Powell won the 4x100 relay in a state-record time of 46.93 in Class 4.

  • Jamestown senior Walker Van Kirk won the pole vault (15-0) in Class 4.

  • Grafton junior Shinobu Hawk won the discus (173-08) in Class 4.

  • Lakeland’s Kamryn Monroe, Kimari Rountree, Jamauri Demiel and Brianna Goodman ran 4:06.49 to win the 4x400 in Class 3. They also finished runner-up in 4x100.

  • Tabb’s Kate Fiest, Katryna Aulenbach, Corinne Lombardo and Lauren Pegher ran 9:44.84 to win the 4x800 in Class 3.

  • Lafayette senior Chris Smith won the 800 (1:58.10) in Class 3.

  • Phoebus senior Billy Jones III set a meet record with a time of 49.30 to win the 400 in Class 3. He also teamed with Tyreon Taylor, Jordan Bass and Siyon Bunch to win the 4x100 (43.16), and teamed with Bass, Bunch and Kemon Driver to win the 4x400 (3:25.50) in Class 3.

  • Norcom senior Montrell Covil set a meet records in the long and triple jumps. He jumped 24-1¾ in the long jump and 50-0½ in the triple jump.

Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com Follow @LHRubama on Twitter.