Live and on-site at Virginia Tech's Rector Fieldhouse in Blacksburg for this weekend's Virginia Tech High School Invitational. Recent snowfalls and winter storms over the past few days has affected the attendance for some teams in Northern Virginia and Maryland from at least traveling and attending the first day of events and for some schools, shut down from coming to both days. We'll attempt to provide updates of the event winners and pics throughout the meet. The meet begins on Friday at 5 PM with the field events and trials of the 55 meter hurdles.
Virginia Tech Invitational - Day 1 Results
Virginia Tech Invitational Photo Gallery by Andrew Kicinski - Over 1,200 photos from Friday's events
Gallery of Winners: Friday Running Events - Friday Field Events
Day 1 Meet Summary by Brandon Miles
Friday Winners - Running Events
Girls 55 Meter Hurdles Prelims (Fastest Qualifier)
Danielle Davis (Southeast Raleigh NC) US #2 7.95
Boys 55 Meter Hurdles Prelims (Fastest Qualifier)
Demetrius Lindo (Coolidge DC) US #6 7.48
Girls 55 Meter Dash Prelims (Fastest Qualifier)
Alyn Carr (Blacksburg VA) US #11 7.09
Boys 55 Meter Dash Prelims (Fastest Qualifier)
Ronald Darby (Potomac MD) US #3 6.36
Blacksburg (VA) US #5 9:27.23
DeMatha Catholic (MD) US #6 8:00.70
Mattie Webb (Western Albemarle VA) US #4 10:44.58
George Carter (Blacksburg VA) US #1 9:17.84
Rochelle Evans (Christiansburg VA) US #15 41-9.25
Cameron Overstreet (Atlee VA) US #4 12-3
Jessica Caldwell (McDonough School MD) US #7 39-2.75
Carl Marant (Sanderson NC) US #14 46-6.50
Travis Hudson (Christiansburg VA) US #11 6-7
Boys Shot Put
Event finished late after completion of running events - Results to be posted Saturday morning.
The fast section of the boys 3200 meter run at Virginia Tech gathered all the big distance stars of Group AA into one race with Blacksburg's George Carter, Grafton's Kyle King, Skyline's Thomas Madden, and Western Albemarle's Derek Armstrong. Add in Foot Locker finalist and Group AAA state cross country runner-up Silas Frantz of Douglas Freeman and Friday's final event of the day had all the makings for a 16 lap thriller at Rector Fieldhouse. All five runners either lead portions of the race or found themselves right in the hunt until late when George Carter and Silas Frantz countered a breakway move by Madden into the last 800 meters, which Carter proved to have the jets at the end to turn it on for a US leading performance of 9:17.84. The state of Virginia now has three of the top five fastest 3200 meter times in the country with Carter, Madden (US #4 9:20.56), and Frantz (US #5 9:21.23)
The girls 3200 meter run at Tech did not have as many runners in contention for the win during the race with Sherando's Krista Deceault and Western Albemarle's Mattie Webb separating early to press each other to big PR's well under 11 minutes with winner Webb at a US #4 10:44.58 and DeCeault (who doubled from the 4x800 less than an hour before) as close runner-up at US #5 10:45.19. Webb won MileStat.com's most improved runner of the year award after going from a 20 minute 5K runner to a Foot Locker finalist in 12 months, but Deceault might be hot on her heels for a similar honor with her recent huge improvements this year as a senior. Decault's US top 5 time on Friday is 41 seconds faster than her junior year best in the 3200 meter run.
Blackburg sophomore Alyn Carr is certainly moving herself into elite company among Group AA sprinters all-time with her US #11 7.09 clocking in the prelims at Virginia Tech. Carr's preliminary time sets a new Virginia Group AA indoor record in the event as previous fastest times for the classification were 7.10 by Kisha Garrick of Caroline in 2006 and 7.15 by Patrice Potts of Brunswick in 2005. As only a tenth grader, Carr has plenty of opportunities to become the first Group AA sprinter under 7.00 before her high school career is over. Meanwhile, the Blacksburg girls also excelled in the area which they are known for by winning the 4x800 meter relay in US #5 time of 9:27.23 with key legs from their individual stars Hannah Brown on second leg to put them in position and Sarah Dorrell on anchor to pull away from the field.
Christiansburg High School starred in the field events for the state of Virginia with two event champions in Travis Hudson clearing a US #11 height of 6'7" in the high jump, while Rochelle Evans won another head-to-head matchup with her Group AA rival Daquaa Scott of Robert E. Lee in the shot put with a US #15 mark of 41'9.25". Hudson is using this season as a form of redemption in a second chance after being suspended from the team during the outdoor season and possible be in the running again for an All-American position in the pentathlon at the indoor nationals, while Evans and Scott is developing into one of the best rivalries in the sport this year in Virginia.
After clearing 12'3" and setting a new meet record in the pole vault, Atlee senior Cameron Overstreet set her sights on another record in attempting to break her recently established Virginia high school indoor state record of 12'9" in raising the bar next to a height of 12'10". Overstreet had three decent and consistent attempts at a new state record height, but was unable to clear. However, her unsuccessful attempts indicate that at least an inch PR and likely 13 foot territory are coming in the near future this indoor season.
The Southeast Raleigh (NC) senior Dannielle Davis has certainly lived up to following in her older brother and national indoor hurdles record holder Wayne Davis' footsteps. In Friday's prelims at Virginia Tech, Davis bettered her own US #2 time in the 55 meter hurdles with a 7.95 clocking and she will going after the 7.90 time, which currently stands as the nation's best, in Saturday's finals.
Potomac High School (MD) junior Ronald Darby looked impressive in leaving behind the competition in his preliminary heat of the 55 meter dash at Virginia Tech. The current US leader in the event with his 6.28 performance at the Hispanic Games earlier this month, Darby's 6.36 prelims time is still faster than the US #2 performer in the event and he will look to dip under 6.30 again in Saturday's finals in Blacksburg, Virginia.