The Kecoughtan boys came into the Class 5 state track and field meet on Saturday convinced it could win the program’s first state title.
“We felt we could win because coach told us we could,” said Kecoughtan thrower David Anderson, who won the shot and discus.
Warriors coach Deon More was right as Kecougthan put together a team effort to bring home the state title.
The Warriors clinched it by winning the 4×400 relay — the last event of the meet.
“We had the No. 1 time coming in,” said junior Jaymes Saunders, who ran on the victorious relay along with JuhaSaun Credle, Ahmik Allen and Daniel Danner. “We just had to stick to it and stay No.1, and that’s what we did.”
Saunders had an incredible meet that saw him set four personal-best records. He finished second in the high jump, and third in the triple jump, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles.
“I did the same thing at regionals, so I already knew what I was coming into and how the pain was going to be,” he said. “I just had to do the same thing. This is even better. We made history. That’s what we came to do. And that’s what we did.”
Anderson, an All-Tidewater lineman who will play football at Duke in the fall, won the shot with a throw of 59 feet, 8 inches. He also won the discus with a throw of 169-5.
In Class 6, Western Branch’s boys finished runner-up to Patriot High by just seven points. The Bruins were led by hurdlers Antonio Smith and Micah Hinton, who finished first and third, respectively, in the 300 hurdles. Smith also finished second in the 110 hurdles and Hinton was third.
Oscar Smith finished fourth. Jamiel Bowers led the Tigers by winning the 110 hurdles in 14.17 and Alvin Jones was runner-up in the 100 meters. Jones — along with Jahmari Deloatch, Jeryll Gaines and Elisha Dozier — also won the 4×100 relay.
On the girls side, Grassfield finished runner-up to South County in Class 6. The Grizzlies were led by freshman Sophie Rambo, who won the 400 meters in 55.23. She also placed seventh in the 200. Thrower Morgan Graham set a meet record in the discus with a throw of 159-8.
Oscar Smith finished third. The Tigers were led by freshman hurdler Shakayla Lavender, who won the 110 hurdles in 13.88 and the 300 hurdles in 43.17. The Tigers also were victorious in 4×100 relay. Kennedy Chapman, Nadia Jacobs, Jada Starks and Tyra Price were on that team.
Western Branch, led by Llyric Driscoll, was fourth. Driscoll won the triple jump (42-7 1/2), was second in the long jump and fourth in both the 100 hurdles and discus.
In Class 5, Glen Allen won the team title. Nansemond River finished third and was led by senior Nyah Harrison, who won the 400 in 55.22 and finished runner-up in the 200.
Norview senior Jaydin Williams set a meet record in the high jump as he cleared 7-0. He is one of only 20 high school athletes in the country to clear that height this season.
Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, [email protected]. Twitter @LHRubama
