Wildcats Start Season With Co-Ed Relays At Broadway
In the first meet of the outdoor track and field season, Rockbridge County High School freshman Ariana Mitchell qualified in the girls’ high jump for the Class 3 state meet, leading the RC track and field teams at the Co-Ed Relays on Friday at Broadway.
Mitchell, coming off a strong indoor season, won the high jump, matching her personal record (PR) by clearing 5 feet. The qualifying mark was 4 feet, 10 inches. She had qualified for the state indoor meet in the first meet of the indoor season, though she was unable to clear the starting height in the indoor state meet on March 3.
Four girls tied for second place on Friday, including RC sophomore Celia Jones, who cleared 4-4. Jones also placed third in the 100-meter dash in 13.73 seconds and finished seventh in the long jump with a leap of 13-5.5.
Also stepping up for the RC girls was sophomore Abby Harding, placing eighth in the triple jump with a distance of 27-2.5 and coming in ninth in the long jump with a leap of 12-9.25. In the 100-meter dash, Harding finished ninth in 14.78 seconds.
RC sophomore Emily Carroll tied for fourth place in the long jump, leaping 13-7.5, and finished seventh in the triple jump with a distance of 27-10.5. Carroll placed 10th in the 100-meter dash in 14.78 seconds.
Leading the RC girls’ throwers was freshman Cate Wilson, placing fourth in the discus with a heave of 63-6 and finishing 15th in the shot put with a toss of 21-3. Sophomore teammate Sydney Knick placed fifth in the discus with a throw of 63-6 and tied for 10th in the shot put with a toss of 23-0. RC sophomore Julianne Woodward finished 20th in the shot put with a PR toss of 16-9.
For the RC boys, sophomore Jakob Bailey placed fifth in the high jump, clearing 5-4, and finished 10th in the long jump with a leap of 17-3. He finished 11th in the 100-meter dash in 12.69 seconds.
RC junior Marshall Earhart placed eighth in the high jump, clearing 5-2, and finished 11th in the 100-meter dash in 12.53 seconds.
In the mixed 4 X 100-meter relay, the Wildcats placed second of five teams in 51.4 seconds. They only trailed Broadway’s winning time of 48.63 seconds, while Rocktown finished third in 51.72 seconds. RC team members were boys Bailey and Earhart and girls Mitchell and Jones.
Longtime RC head coach Jennifer Showalter looks forward to the season with her young teams and said the Co-Ed Relays are “always a fun season opener.”
The RC girls placed fifth of seven teams with 47.5 points. Harrisonburg (94) won, Broadway (68) placed second, and Turner Ashby (54) finished third. Rounding out the standings were Rocktown (49.5), RC, Eastern Mennonite (33) and Blue Ridge Christian School (6).
The RC boys placed sixth of seven teams with 11 points. Broadway (99) won, Rocktown (90) placed second, and Eastern Mennonite (77) finished third. Completing the standings were Harrisonburg (75), TA (27), RC, and Blue Ridge Christian School (7).
In the combined standings, the Wildcats placed sixth of seven teams with 71.5 points. Harrisonburg (208) won, Broadway (205) placed second, and Rocktown (188.5) finished third. Rounding out the standings were Eastern Mennonite (131), TA (107), RC and Blue Ridge Christian School (19).
On her staff, Showalter is joined by returning throwing coach Eric Wilhelm and new coach Tyler Staton, who works mostly with sprinters.
On Saturday, the Wildcats will compete in the Vince Bradford Invitational at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg.
The Wildcats have one home meet scheduled this season, a quad meet on Monday, May 12.
