RC Honors Mike Brown In Last Meet As Official
Facing three Valley District rivals in their only home meet of the season, the Rockbridge County High School track and field teams had four individuals set personal records last Wednesday evening in Lexington. Also, longtime official Mike Brown was honored at the meeting.
Brown, a former track and field coach at Lexington High School who has also helped at RC over the years, is retiring after 50 years of officiating track and field meets. He was recognized in front of the crowd before the meet began.
RC head coach Jennifer Showalter said Brown “has been an incredible asset to our home meets at RCHS for over 30 years, and we were truly honored that he chose our meet as his final one to officiate.”
On the track, it was a strong day for the RC sprinters.
For the RC girls, Celia Jones and Abby Harding tied for second place in the 100-meter hurdles, with both setting personal records by finishing in 17.52 seconds. They trailed only Harrisonburg’s Mariah Etienne, who won in 17.42. seconds.
In the 4 X 100-meter relay, Jones and Harding teamed up with Ariana Mitchell and Kyra Strowbridge to win in a season-best time of 53.62 seconds. They were comfortably ahead of runnerup Spotswood, finishing in 57.37.
Jones placed third in the long jump, leaping 13 feet 10 inches, and third in the high jump, clearing 4 feet. In the 100-meter dash, Jones finished fifth in 13.69 seconds.
Harding placed second in the long jump, leaping 14 feet, as Harrisonburg’s Liva Jwanmery won with a jump of 14-8. In the triple jump, Harding placed fourth with a distance of 29-2.
Mitchell placed fourth in the 100-meter dash in 13.57 seconds, while Strowbridge placed sixth in the 200-meter dash in a PR time of 29.52 seconds and eighth in the 100meter dash in 14.1.
Wildcat Emily Carroll placed second in the 300meter hurdles in 55.24 seconds, trailing only Etienne’s winning time of 54.66, and finished fourth in the long jump with a leap of 13-7. In the 100meter dash, Carroll came in 13th in 14.65 seconds.
Also sprinting for the RC girls, Tasha Shorter placed 13th in the 200-meter dash in 34.78 seconds, and Harper Bruno finished 18th in the 100-meter dash in 15.44 seconds.
Leading the RC girls’ throwers was Sydney Knick, placing seventh in the shot put with a toss of 25-11 and eighth in the discus with a PR heave of 67-9. Teammate Cate Wilson placed ninth in the discus with a throw of 67-7 and 13th in the shot put with a toss of 23-1.
Jones finished 16th in the shot put with a toss of 21-6, while Shorter came in 17th in the discus with a throw of 47-8.
Two RC boys competed. Marshall Earhart placed third in the high jump, clearing 5-4, and eighth in the 100-meter dash in 12.23 seconds. Teammate Jakob Bailey placed sixth in the 400-meter dash in 58.51 seconds, 14th in the 100-meter dash in 13.17 seconds, and 15th in the 200meter dash in 27.41 seconds.
Both the RC girls and boys placed fourth of four teams. Harrisonburg won the girls’ meet with 64 points, Spotswood (50) placed second, Turner Ashby (40) finished third, and RC (34) came in fourth.
In the boys’ standings, TA (74) won, Spotswood (68) placed second, Harrisonburg (58) finished third, and RC (3) came in fourth.
Showalter said the meet, held after the afternoon rain let up, was successful because of all of the volunteers. Helping Brown officiate the meet was his wife, Gloria, a former track and field coach at RC, while Jamie Youngblood announced the meet. Showalter also thanked “our amazing volunteers, parents, middle school athletes and our coaching staff who worked together behind the scenes. From field events to the hurdle crew, it truly takes a village to run a track meet, and we’re grateful to ours.”
The Wildcats traveled to Bridgewater to compete in the Valley District meet at Turner Ashby High School yesterday. The top six individuals and top three relays, as well as those qualifying by time or distance, advanced to the Region 3C meet, which is scheduled to take place next Wednesday, May 28, at Fluvanna County High School in Palmyra.
AT FAR LEFT, RC sophomore Celia Jones gets some air in the girls’ long jump. Jones placed third with a leap of 13 feet, 10 inches. ABOVE, Wildcat sophomores Celia Jones (left) and Abby Harding (right) try to keep up with Harrisonburg’s Mariah Etienne in the girls’ 100-meter hurdles. Etienne won in 17.42 seconds, while Jones and Harding tied for second place in 17.52, personal records for both Wildcats. AT NEAR LEFT, RC freshman Ariana Mitchell clears the bar in the girls’ high jump. Mitchell qualified for the Class 3 state meet in the high jump in the first meet of the season in late March. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photos)
WILDCAT FRESHMAN Tasha Shorter launches the discus. Shorter placed 17th with a throw of 47 feet, 8 inches. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photo)
AS HIS competitors watch, RC junior Marshall Earhart defies gravity in the boys’ high jump. Earhart placed third, clearing 5 feet, 4 inches. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photo)
MIKE BROWN fires the starter pistol. It was the last meet as an official for Brown, who is retiring after 50 years. Before the meet began, Brown was honored in front of the crowd. (Jennifer Showalter photo)
