The outdoor track and field team started well for Parry Mc-Cluer High School, with sophomore Kebryl Chandler breaking the school record in the boys’ 1600-meter run and six individuals qualifying for the Class 1 state meet at the Blacksburg Invitational on Saturday at Blacksburg High School.
About a month after winning two individual state titles at the Class 1 state indoor meet, Chandler won the 1600-meter run in 4:18.74, narrowly breaking his older brother Kovyk’s school record. Kovyk graduated last May after winning nine individual state titles, eight in track and one in cross country. Blacksburg’s Asher Roach placed second on Saturday in 4:22.27.
Going over Kebryl’s race, in which he took the lead early and stayed ahead, finishing the last lap in about a minute, PM head coach Chris Poluikis said, “He just keeps racing better and better. It wasn’t easy for him to hit that time. It wasn’t a great setup. I’m kind of excited to see how fast he could go. There were guys that were breathing down his neck, but he led the way.” Poluikis said the weather was really good for the mile, warm with only light wind.
Kebryl also won the boys’ 800-meter run, finishing in 2:01.03, more than two seconds ahead of the runner-up, Radford’s Mustafa Muhammed (2:03.25). Kebryl qualified by time for the state meet in both races.
Also achieving state-qualifying times in both the 800 and 1600-meter runs were PM junior boys Josh Cooper and Logan Wheelock. Cooper placed fourth in the 800-meter run in 2:05.38 and ninth in the 1600-meter run in 4:36.94. Wheelock placed sixth in the 800-meter run in 2:05.38 and came in 11th in the 1600-meter run in 4:37.34, his first time under 4:40.
PM sophomore Henry Lovelace qualified for the state meet in the 110-meter hurdles, competing in the race for the first time and placing sixth in 16.64 seconds.
The PM boys placed second in the 4 X 400-meter relay in 3:46.87, trailing only Floyd County’s winning time of 3:42.33, while Blacksburg finished third in 3:55.27. PM team members were Wheelock, Kebryl Chandler, Josh and his younger brother Caleb Cooper, a freshman. The Blues’ time was faster than their best time in the indoor season.
Caleb Cooper placed second in the 3200-meter run in 9:55.22, his first time under 10 minutes. Caleb was the second PM runner to break 10 minutes, after Kebryl did it last year. Blacksburg’s Benjamin Bailey won the race in 9:49.8, and Blacksburg’s Deland Washburn placed third in 9:47.65.
PM freshman Hinckley Lovely placed eighth in the 3200-meter run in 10:11.98.
The PM throwers had a strong day as well. After winning the state indoor title last month, senior Kamilah Richardson won the girls’ shot put with a state-qualifying toss of 36 feet, 4 inches. Placing second was Blacksburg’s Kensington Jones with a throw of 35-10. “Kamilah remains steady and has her sights set on breaking the outdoor school record,” said PM throwing coach Danny Cole.
In the girls’ discus, Richardson placed eighth with a heave of 82-11.
PM senior Keeli Wheeler performed well also, placing 19th in the girls’ discus with a throw of 69-4.5 and finishing 29th in the shot put with a personalrecord (PR) toss of 25-8.
Junior Presley Austin placed 20th in the discus with a throw of 67-6.4 and finished 22nd in the shot put with a PR toss of 25-6.
For the PM boys, junior Griffin Harlow led the way, placing third in the shot put with a toss of 52-5 and finishing sixth in the discus with a heave of 141-9.5, both state-qualifying throws.
Senior teammate Rayshan Richardson placed seventh in both events, throwing the shot put 45-8 and turning in a statequalifying throw of 140-7 in the discus.
Proud of both throwers, Cole said, “I was hoping to see some 140s this season, but I think I put my expectations too low, as they both hit it Saturday.”
Stepping up in his first varsity meet for the Blues were freshman Timber Thomas and junior Levi Hepler. Thomas placed 15th in the shot put with a toss of 38-8.5 and 21st in the discus with a heave of 93-1.5. Hepler placed 28th in the shot put with a toss of 32-1.5 and 38th in the discus with a throw of 77-8.
“Both are presently throwing from basic power positions as they are learning the needed techniques,” said Cole of the two new throwers. “Levi is new to the sport and showing great desire and determination to improve.”
Thomas has been throwing for two years in middle school meets, but Saturday was his first meet with a 12-pound shot put and a high school discus. “He set some pretty good marks, and I anticipate some great throws as a freshman and in his future,” said Cole.
Cole said the first meet was “a great start to the outdoor season.”
The Blues were missing several throwers who were out sick or had other obligations, but Cole was confident they would get to throw this week.
With 17 boys on the team, the Blues look to continue the success of the indoor season, during which they placed fifth in the state, and build on last year’s second-place finish at the outdoor state meet. The PM girls have just four team members, all throwers, but they look to have strong seasons individually.
Most of the Blues will compete at the New River Invitational on Friday at Giles High School in Pearisburg, starting at noon. Poluikis will then take his top runners to the Kellie Wells Classic at James River High School on Saturday in Midlothian, with the meet starting at 9 a.m.
