William Byrd High School played host to the Region 4D track meet last Thursday on the new track at Patterson Stadium and it was a big day for Blacksburg and E.C. Glass. The Bruins won the boys meet and took second among the girls while the Hilltoppers won the girls’ meet and finished second among the boys.

The host Terriers finished sixth in the girls’ meet and eighth in the boys’ meet. The Terriers qualified a dozen for this week’s state meet at Harrisonburg High School, scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

“Overall I thought it was a really great regional championship,” said Byrd coach Andrew Decoster.  “At the beginning of the season we weren’t really sure if we would have any athletes going to the state championship, and after Regionals we have 12 athletes in the state championship.”

Senior Gracie Tyus was the regional silver medalist in the shot put, throwing 34’7″. The girls 4×800 relay team of seniors Kayland Bond and Julia Burek, junior Morgan Fletchall and sophomore Erin Weinke ran a season best time of 10:09.68 to place 3rd. Weinke also placed 4th in the 800 in a personal best 2:30.09, with Fletchall placing 6th in 2:34.66.

Senior Alexis West placed fourth in the long jump in a personal best 15’10” and seventh in the triple jump.  Senior Savannah Gheen also jumped well, placing eighth in triple jump and ninth in long jump. Gheen also placed fifth in the 100 and 200, narrowly missing on a trip to the state meet.

Several other Byrd girls scored points in the meet. Senior Jasmine Allinson placed 7th in the 100 hurdles and sophomore Brynn Tardy finished 8th in the 1600. Senior Rashanda Stovall finished eighth in the discus and Byrd also scored in the 4×100 (8th) and 4×400 (6th).

The boys were led by senior Ashton Ashley, who anchored the 4×800 to a third place finish, ran a great leg on the 4×400 to finish fifth, and placed sixth in the 800. The boys 4×800 relay team of Ashley, senior Luke Johnston, and sophomores Jayden Glass and Cam Dalton improved their season best by over a minute to place third and advance to the state meet.

Senior Beem Sareekun advanced to the state meet in the 400, running a personal best 51.41 to place fourth. Junior Greyson Cornett advanced in both hurdle races, running a 16.00 in the 110 hurdles and 41.39 in the 300 hurdles to place fourth in both events.

Also scoring for the boys was freshman Isaac Roth, placing eighth in a personal best 8’0 in the pole vault.  Junior Hunter Bohon placed seventh in the high jump and eighth in triple jump and the boys 4×400 relay was fifth.

“The meet was a huge success for our program,” said Decoster. “It took a lot to get it rescheduled from Saturday to Thursday and we were short on volunteers, but our kids and parents that were able to be there did an amazing job of working the meet.  It is great for our program to have this beautiful facility, and being able to showcase all our talent and hard work in front of a home crowd was wonderful for our kids.”

Friday June 1

6:20 pm – Greyson Cornett – 110 hurdles prelims

7:20 pm – Girls 4×800 – Bond, Burek, Fletchall, Weinke

7:50 pm – Boys 4×800 – Ashley, Dalton, Glass, Johnston

Saturday June 2

9:30 AM – Alexis West – Long Jump

11:00 AM – Gracie Tyus – Shot Put

11:10 AM – Greyson Cornett – 110 Hurdles finals

1:25 PM – Beem Sareekun – 400

2:05 PM – Greyson Cornett – 300 Hurdles

2:25 PM – Erin Weinke – 800 meters