Wood girls second at ABI track

WINCHESTER — While making the announcement for the girls' Most Valuable Performer award at Saturday's 55th H. Brian Landes Apple Blossom Track & Field Invitational, James Wood coach Craig Woshner explained since no one captured two events, there was no clear choice.

When the winner was revealed at James Wood's Kelican Stadium, it was pretty evident that the MVP decision was indeed a difficult one to make.

Junior All-State sprinters Emeryce Worrell of Handley and Jada Arrington of Millbrook were separated by a total of just one-tenth of a second in total time while competing in two events together on Saturday, with Worrell getting the award.

After Arrington defeated Worrell in a race for the first time since they were freshmen by taking the 100 meters in 12.49 seconds to Worrell's 12.55, Worrell rebounded to take the 200 in another tight finish. Worrell was just 0.11 off her personal record with a time of 25.05, while Arrington was second in 25.21, beating her previous PR by 0.15.

Area athletes won eight events total on Saturday, with James Wood taking three and leading all local teams by taking second with 99 points in the 17-team meet. Loudoun Valley won with 103 points. Millbrook — which also won three events — placed third with 70, Clarke County took fifth with 53 and Handley was seventh with 40. Sherando competed at the Falcon Classic at Fauquier High School on Friday and did not compete.

For Worrell — the Class 4 state runner-up in the 100 last year and holder of the fastest 100 time in area history at 11.77 — Saturday's defeat in the 100 was a rare one.

Just like two weeks ago at the Handley Invitational, Worrell took the track after playing a soccer game the previous day. On that day, Worrell was able to beat Arrington in the 100 in their only race together, 12.94 to 13.02, as they ran into a stiff headwind. Saturday's cool weather wasn't much better for sprinting — the hard rain that fell only stopped about 20 minutes before the event — but the duo pushed each other to solid to times in the 100, with Arrington refusing to give up her slight lead at the end.

Worrell says she reminds herself of the toll playing soccer can take when she doesn't have the performances she desires in track.

"It's OK," said Worrell of the 100. "We'll bounce back, and hopefully, we'll get it next time."

Fortunately for Worrell, she had a chance to end her day on a positive note, and she did with one of the fastest 200 times of her career. There was no telling who would win for much of the race, but Worrell finished strong in the last 20 meters just like Arrington in the 100 to help her to a split of the two races.

"It definitely feels good," Worrell said. "It makes me feel a lot more complete with the win. It's super friendly competition [with Arrington]. It pushes both of us."

Handley coach Mike McKiernan said Worrell showed exceptional fortitude by not letting the 100 defeat linger.

"The 100 was tight, and the 200 was tight," McKiernan said. "I thought she executed a really well-run 200. She ran the curve well, transitioned into her straight well, and then held on. Both of those were fun races to watch. She showed what type of competitor she is."

Arrington showed her competiveness as well. Arrington was the better 100 and 200 runner between the two when she and Worrell were freshmen, but Worrell held that title last year despite another exceptional year from Arrington.

The duo should have more matchups together in the future, but Arrington's win in the 100 was an important breakthrough.

"I feel good about it," Arrington said. "I'm pleased with that performance. My block [start] was a little iffy, but my top-end speed was able to bring me to the finish."

Though Arrington was the runner-up in 200, it's always a good thing to set a PR no matter what place you take. She ran 25.36 last year and her best time this season was 26.31.

"I felt OK about it," Arrington said. "I probably could have pushed a little bit more and kept my knees up more, and then I probably would have had her."

Millbrook coach Jamie McCarty said it was good for Arrington to win the 100, but there's more work to be done.

"It's always been a good battle between those two," McCarty said. "This morning she ran well, but we didn't feel like it was a great race. It was a good race. The same with [the 200]. There's more there, and she even knows that. But she was excited this morning [to win]. It's a fun battle. We've still got a month to the state meet, and that's when those races are going to count the most."

Arrington has earned All-State honors in the 100, 200 and 400 at each of the last two state meets, but the Pioneers' performance in the 4x400 at the previous week's Lake Braddock Hall of Fame Invitational could make for an interesting decision as for which events she'll run this year. Millbrook recorded a school-record time of 4:02.55 that would have been good for fourth in Class 4 last year. Virginia High School League athletes are limited to three running events in a meet in track.

"We're still got a ways out, and we've got some other girls that we're hoping maybe can come along so she doesn't have to make that choice," McCarty said. "She's state-qualified in four events if you count the 4x4. It's going to be her choice. We're not going to put any pressure on her to make a choice either way."

James Wood has competed in invitational meets that featured at least four of the five local high schools each of the last three weeks, and the Colonels have beaten all of them each time.

"The girls' team is a little more balanced [than our boys]," Woshner said. "We're scoring points in all the event areas, which is really nice. I thought we competed really, really, really well. I'm very happy with today."

The Colonels were led on Saturday by sophomore Alina Kieffer (won 3,200 by 38.2 seconds in 11:36.59); the 4x400 team of Katelyn Palmer, Lauren Thompson, Ruby Ostrander and Mallory Juvinall (won by 6.26 seconds in 4:20.99); and junior Olivia Boyce (won long jump by four inches with a mark of 15-0).

"Fifteen is not her PR, but she won it," Woshner said of Boyce. "In this weather, it's comparitive. A lot of kids were scratching because they didn't want to compete in it. I tell our kids it doesn't matter what the weather is. You just go out and compete."

Other top performances for the Colonels came from freshman Erin Link (second in discus, 32-2.5); sophomore Isabelle French (third in 300 hurdles, 52.26; fourth in 100 hurdles, 18.52); sophomore Kate Konyar (third in 1,600, 5:27.26); sophomore Alexandra Van Meter (third in 100 hurdles, 18.33); the 4x800 team of Juvinall, Ally Oliver, Kiren Nashed and Palmer (third in 10:33.72); Mackenzie Sine (fourth in discus, 84-7); Ostrander (fourth in 1,600, 5:32.16); Thompson (fourth in 800, 2:30.04); and the 4x100 team (fourth in 54.13).

"We're a really close-knit team, just like we were in cross country," said Ostrander of the Colonels as a whole. "All the girls just want to really go far and do well. It's a good group to be with."

Millbrook's other two champions were freshman Janai Washington (won high jump by two inches with a 4-10 mark) and junior Jillian Taylor (took shot put by 7.25 inches in 32-9.75). Washington also took fourth in the 200 (27.17). The Pioneers also were led by sophomore Keri Hecker (second in triple jump, 30-1.5; fifth in long jump, 13-11.75); senior Kamora Talley (fourth in 100, 13.42); and sophomore Caydence Bayne (fourth in 300 hurdles, 53.27).

Clarke County was led by sophomore Reagan Myer (second in long jump, 14-8, third in triple jump, 28-11.25); the 4x100 team of Robyn Preston, sophomore Alainah McKavish, Myer, and sophomore Emmalene Morris (second in 53.95); Morris (third in high jump, 4-8); McKavish (fourth in triple jump, 28-3.25); and junior Molly Husted (fifth in 3,200, 12:26.05)

Sophomore Amayah Smith was victorious for the Judges in the triple jump by 13.25 inches (31-2.75), with McKiernan noting that Smith has shown a lot of improvement. Handley was also led by freshman Elisabeth Pitcock (fifth in high jump, 4-6).

For more meet coverage, 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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