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The Rockbridge County High School girls’ 4 X 800-meter relay team set a new school record at the Region 3C track and field meet on Tuesday of last week at Harrisonburg High School, and two RC girls also advanced individually to the Class 3 state meet.
In the 4 X 800-meter relay, the RC girls placed third in 10:21.75, breaking the previous school record of 10:26.25, set in 2014, by 4.5 seconds. Team members were Grace Rolon, Nicole Black, Dorothy Lewis and Deena Ludtke. When they competed in the relay at the state meet last year, the RC girls placed seventh.
The top four individuals and relay teams, as well as those qualified by distance and time, advance to the Class 3 state meet, which will take place on Friday and Saturday at Liberty University.
Ludtke, a junior, had already qualified for the state meet by time when she set the school record of 11:34 in the girls’ 3200meter run at the Dogwood Track Classic in early May at the University of Virginia. Her time was more than 10 seconds faster than that of the regional champion, Charlottesville’s Elaina Pierce, who won last Wednesday in 11:44.86. Ludtke also competed in the 1600-meter run, placing seventh in 5:33.78.
Also advancing to the state meet was junior Bri Marando, placing second in the discus with a throw of 99 feet, 8 inches. Marando finished behind only Heritage’s Jaylen Arnold, who won with a heave of 103-8, while Liberty (Bedford) thrower Shania Brown placed third with a toss of 97 feet. Marando, who will be making her third consecutive state meet appearance in the discus, also competed in the shot put at the regional meet, finishing 14th with a toss of 28-7.
Rolon also competed individually for the RC girls, placing 12th in the 1600-meter run in 6:05.37 and finishing 14th in the 800meter run in 2:37.64.
In the 4 X 100-meter relay, the RC girls placed 12th in 1:00.65. Team members were Alice Gresham, Madeline Doerfier, Melissa Mejia and Evelyn Mc-Clung.
Black finished 21st in the 300meter hurdles in 1:00.13, and McClung came in 22nd in the 100-meter dash in 15.16 seconds.
The RC girls tied for 13th of 16 scoring teams, tallying 14 points. Charlottesville won the girls’ meet with 99.5 points, Heritage (68.5) placed second, and Fort Defiance (54) finished third.
It was the last meet of the season for the RC boys, who had one individual and two relay teams competing. Senior Andrew Brannon placed 13th in both of his individual races, finishing the 800-meter run in 2:12.19 and completing the 1600-meter run in 5:08.07. He was also a member of the 4 X 800-meter relay team, which placed eighth in 9:16.27. Joining Brannon in the relay were teammates Alexander Miller, Will Gibbs and Jordan Imler.
In the 4 X 100-meter relay, the RC boys finished 15th in 50.24 seconds. Team members were Spencer Pfaff, Ethan Drake, Konner Orebaugh and Caden Culp.
The RC boys did not record a team score. Out of 15 scoring teams, Broadway won with 82 points, Heritage (72) placed second, and Liberty Christian Academy (60) finished third.
Both the RC boys and girls are led by head coach Jennifer Showalter and assistant coaches Julie Tisone and Eric Wilhelm.
At the Class 3 state meet on Friday, the RC girls will race the 4 X 800-meter relay, and Marando will compete in the discus. On Saturday morning, Ludtke will race in the girls’ 3200-meter run.
