NEWPORT NEWS
Landstown coach Tom Anderson expected to dominate the sprints and hurdles on the first day of the Group AAA state track meet, but he got an unexpected surprise Friday when the Eagles won the girls 3,200 relay.
The foursome of Kelnesha Hinnant, Stephanie Frenchik, Samira Johnson and Amira Chowyuk surprised everyone, including themselves, as they ran a season-best time of 9 minutes, 19.42 seconds. Their previous best time was 9:27.81.
The Eagles became just the second girls team from South Hampton Roads to win the 3,200 relay in meet history. Kellam won it 2004.
“We thought we’d finish in the top four or five,” Anderson said. “But distance coach David Coulter has done an outstanding job with them and had them ready.”
The Eagles also got two points in the shot behind Jessica Williams’ seventh-place to finish with 12 points. Atlee leads the girls team competition with 16 but Landstown advanced 10 sprinters and hurdlers to today’s finals.
On the boys side, Ocean Lakes leads after four events with 13 points, followed by Oscar Smith. Lakeland is fourth with 10 points and Nansemond River is seventh with eight. Favorite Western Branch is 17th with four.
Another surprise was Churchland junior Tiffany Harris’ victory in the long jump. She came as the fourth seed but won with a leap of 18-11¼. T.C. Williams junior Tynita Butts came in as the No. 1 seed but scratched on all three attempts.
“When I saw her scratch on the first one, I knew I had to get a jump in,” she said. “When I knew she scratched all three, I knew I could win it. It feels so good because last year I didn’t even make it to the finals.”
Lakeland’s Chris Copeland and Oscar Smith’s Wesley Smith defended their state titles.
Copeland, a senior, won the high jump with a leap of 6-10. Ocean Lakes sophomore Justin Hunter finished second with the same height – but on more misses.
Afterward, Copeland was excited about his fourth individual state high jump title but disappointed by his performance because he wanted to clear 7 feet.
“It’s just been elusive this season,” said Copeland, who cleared 7 feet during the indoor season. “I just think I’m just pressing too hard. I just need to relax.”
Smith won the long jump with a personal-best leap of 24-7.
Nansemond River’s Kelvin Griffin was second at 24-4.
“The competition was amazing with four guys going over 24 feet,” Smith said. “They came out wanting it and jumped for it. But I wanted it, too, because this was my last time competing for Oscar Smith. So I gave it everything I had.”
The meet resumes at 9:30 a.m. today with field events; running finals are at noon.
Larry Rubama, (757) 446-2273, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com
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