Sophomore Ariana Mitchell will represent Rockbridge County High School at the Class 3 state track and field meet on Monday, March 2, at Liberty University.
Mitchell, who won the Shenandoah District title in the girls’ high jump, had already qualified for the Region 3C and Class 3 state meets in the high jump by clearing 4 feet, 10 inches in the first meet of the season on Dec. 10 at Fork Union Military Academy. At the Region 3C meet on Saturday at the Edward S. Long Jr. Track Complex in Penn Laird, Mitchell placed fifth, clearing 4-10 again. Heritage’s Aalyah Wilson won the regional title with a mark of 5-4.
Last year, Mitchell competed at the state indoor and outdoor meets as a freshman, but she was unable to clear the starting height both times, 4-8 at the state indoor meet and 4-10 at the state outdoor meet, and she hopes for a better result this time.
At the Region 3C meet, Mitchell also raced in the 55-meter dash, finishing 20th in 8.07 seconds, a personal record (PR).
Junior teammate Celia Jones, who had won the district title in the girls’ 55-meter hurdles, clipped a hurdle during the race and wasn’t able to finish. In the long jump, however, she concluded her season well, placing 13th with a leap of 13-11, a PR.
RC’s Sarah Lewis completed an impressive freshman season by placing 18th in the 55-meter dash in 7.93 seconds, a PR.
Two RC girls, junior shot put thrower Cate Wilson and freshman high jumper Katherine Finn, had qualified for the Region 3C meet in their events. Finn didn’t clear the starting height, and Wilson didn’t compete.
