Embedded Files
City County Meet Heats Up
City County Meet Heats Up
This past week the girls ran their first 5k of the season in a mid-week race at Panorama Farms. The City County Meet featured 4 teams: WAHS, Monticello, Albemarle, and Charlottesville. Most of the girls did this meet as a progression run workout on what proved to be a rather toasty afternoon.
Sadie
Sadie
Sadie Adams won the meet with a well-executed decreasing pace throughout the workout. She was followed by Jenna Stutzman, Grace Cook, Hailey Hodson, Emma Schmitz and Jordan Stone, all finishing in the top 10.
Carter
Carter
Our top newbie of the day was Carter Torrence, who finished in 11th. She was followed by Eleanor Abell in 13th, AJ Torrence in 15th and Sienna Collier in 16th.
Places 22-26 were all WAHS runners in a 40 second spread: Amelia Sims, Abbie Apicella, Lily Smith, Helen Moak, and Emerson Ritter. Mabelli Sumner rounded out our 5k crew in 36th.
Hadley
Hadley
We had 5 of our newest runners run the first 4k instead of the full 5k. This allowed them to participate, get another (or first) race under their belts, but not do too much too early in the season. All of these girls are very new to running, and it is important to bring them along safely and gradually. They are making a lot of great progress and working very hard. Our 4k finishers were Hadley Powell, Paige Morris, Raylee Baynes, Chloe Sachno and Maggie Anderson.
All meets are learning experiences, both for our newest runners and our veteran runners. Emotions were high for some of our girls during the race on Wednesday, both newbies and oldies alike. The next day we talked about the importance of maintaining control of our expressions during the race and, if you start panicking, to redirect and focus on something positive...be it the upcoming downhill, how great you will feel when you finish, something fun coming up that you are looking forward to, etc. Often all it takes is a few minutes of positive thoughts to get through a rough patch in a race, and then you realize that you have more strength in you than you thought. Coach Cherie also stressed the importance of eating healthy. The big takeaways: always eat when you are hungry! But be mindful of what you are eating--try to eat mainly whole foods and avoid processed products as much as possible. Treat yourself to deserts occasionally, but not every day. Get a good balance of carbs and protein in every meal. Hydrate with a combination of water and electrolytes, but avoid the sports drinks that are full of sugar. Your body is a finely tuned engine, and you will get the best results out of it if you put the best fuel into it.
Thanks once again to our wonderful supportive parents for providing race snacks and breakfast for the Friday practice. The Hodson's & Smiths covered meet snacks and Katie West, (AKA Amelia's mom), did breakfast. Thanks for all you do to keep this team fed and happy.
Western Girl's Win Ragged Mtn Cup by more than 3 Minutes!
Western Girl's Win Ragged Mtn Cup by more than 3 Minutes!
The Western Girls prepared well this summer and it really showed this past Tuesday, when they not only won the Varsity race by minutes, but we also put another Varsity team in the top three. If we had been able to put our open race girls in the Varsity race, they would have been 4th. Including Emma Schmitz, 3rd in the open race, we had 6 girls under 13!
Jenna Stutzman breaks course record!
Jenna Stutzman breaks course record!
Although it may have been a new and faster course, it is still important to realize that Jenna ran the fastest RMC time by a Warrior and the top relay time ever recorded. Her time of 11:25.9, beats the time set by Zoe Clay of WAHS from 2017.
Most Improved
Most Improved
Paige Morris was most improved from the Couch Tempo run. She dropped 2:11 seconds from her tempo run time and finished 36th out of 88 girls in the open race. What you may not know is that Paige just joined the team in the last week. Her time of 16:54 is a great time for a Newbie.
Most Improved from past RMC Time
Most Improved from past RMC Time
Hailey Hodson last ran the Cup as an 8th grader in 2019. Her time was 16:14. Flash forward to this year. She ran an amazing12:24! She's been working hard and it is great to see the results. She is a perfect example of someone who may not have set the world on fire in her early races, but after two years of consistency she is having dramatic results.
Top Middle School Time
Top Middle School Time
Emma Schmitz had the top middle school time of the day. She ran a blazing 12:35, which would have placed her 8th in the Varsity race. She continues to impress with her amazing work ethic.
Most exciting New 8th Grader!
Most exciting New 8th Grader!
Carter Torrence finished 5th in the open race with a time of 13:27. An excellent time for a middle schooler. She will really bring a lot to our middle school team.
Most Exciting New Varsity!
Most Exciting New Varsity!
AJ Torrence is our most exciting new Varsity. She ran 13:55 in the open race to finish 6th. That time would have placed her among the top 25 in the Relay race.
Most Impressive B team!
Most Impressive B team!
The fact that our second team beat every other team in central Virginia other than our A team and Albemarle's A team, speaks volumes about the depth of this team.
Thanks to . . .
Thanks to . . .
Special thanks to Maia Ritter for bringing snacks and drinks and for Brett Stone for bringing amazing home made bagels. Also shout out to the Hodson's for hosting the girls Friday night for Pizza and S'mores.
Ragged Mountain Cup Record in Serious DANGER!
Ragged Mountain Cup Record in Serious DANGER!
The last time WA held the Ragged Mountain Relay Record was in 2016 by Alyssa Santoro-Adajian, Faith Reid, Averi Witt, & Zoe Clay. Their times of 12:46, 13:51, 12:15, and 11:51 add up to 50:43. Minions on a Mission was the team name and their mission was to beat the All-Time Girl's record which they did. It has since been broken and is held by AHS, 50:09. Zoe Clay has the individual record of 11:27, which she ran her senior year. This year's race will be on the new cup course. This course could be faster and with this year's team looking so good with both Jenna Stutzman and Sadie Adams having run under 12:00 and several others in the 12s, we could not only capture the cup, but also the team record.
Newbies and NewNews Race Ready
Newbies and NewNews Race Ready
The team has been so excited about our new members. Last year, due to COVID, we were unable to grow as a team. This year we have several exciting new runners who have joined the team. Several of them ran in the 14s for our Couch tempo run. Emerson Ritter, AJ and Carter Torrence have been with us the longest and all their hard work is really showing up. The three of them ran in the low 14s on the tempo run and should have a great first race this Tuesday. Several others will get their first race experience on the 2 mile course which is a perfect distance to test the waters so to speak. Can't wait to see how everyone will do. Come ready to display our team spirit. Que up the Blue and Yellow and get ready to cheer!!!!
First Week of School
First Week of School
This past week brought a lot of firsts for our team: the first week of school, the first time we were all back full time in-person learning, and the first week of practice for several of our new team members. We would like to offer a huge WAHS XC Welcome to Paige, Hadley, Helen and Caroline! Also, a big welcome back to Layla, who has come back stronger after her injuries. We are truly glad to have you all on the team.
With the start of school, practice moved to the afternoons, and with it came the heat. On the very first day of school the girls did a tough workout on Cemetery Hill, and for some of our newest this was their first day of practice! Although it was hot, many of the girls had done Jarman's Gap two days earlier, and it was the first day of school, we did not hear any complaining! The rest of the week was equally hot, but the girls managed to get in their maintenance runs and distance run, and also some good strength and flexibility work. The week wrapped up with an excellent interval workout at Coyner's Spring Park.
This next week has us traveling two days, so please read the Weekly Schedule page carefully. On Monday we will head to Lily's house for a distance run and some exercises afterwards. Thursday we will be traveling to Panorama Farms to preview the course for our first meet, Ragged Mountain Cup, coming up September 7. Thank you in advance to the parents for helping us transport girls to these various practices!
Jarman's Gap Attack 2021!
Jarman's Gap Attack 2021!
Saturday dawned cool and full of promise for our annual 3 mile ascent of the Blue Ridge Mountains via Jarman's Gap. We all assembled at Chile's Peach Orchard and the girls made predictions about how long it would take them to complete the grueling climb. The caravan of parents prepared to drive up to pick them up on the Skyline Drive. Meanwhile, Coach Katie left early to run up the Gap while Coach Cherie explained the staggered start to the girls. And they were off!
First to arrive at the top was Jackie, followed closely by Abbie. Soon, everyone was climbing the last few yards of the gravel road and crossing the finish line at the top, cheered on by their teammates through the "finishing tunnel"! The coaches could not have been prouder of how tough the girls were on this run. The second mile of Jarman's Gap is incredibly steep, and we did not hear any complaining before or after the run. The girls were positive, enthusiastic, and really pushed themselves.
A few highlights from the ascent. Jordan was the closest to her predicted time, finishing a mere 5 seconds off. Way to go!
Sadie finished just 2 seconds off the school girls' course record which was set by Zoe Clay in her senior year.
Many of our newbies ran together in a pack and pushed each other to success up the steep climb.
After the ascent, the newbies rode back down to Chile's while the older girls added on a few miles on the Skyline Drive. Back at the orchard, the girls found that no pancake breakfast was available! So, the next best thing: DOUGHNUTS! The girls had an incredibly healthy breakfast of doughnuts, and, in Abbie's case, gummy worms. I knew things were bad when I was excited that J-Stutz and Emma were getting ice cream instead of just doughnuts! Hopefully, the girls got some protein in them when they got home.
Great job on this tough workout! Next week we start back at school, and there will be many new challenges. It is crucial that you maintain healthy habits, such as getting plenty of sleep, packing a good lunch, and hydrating throughout the day at school. Things are about to get more complicated and busy...so keep anchored to those things that will keep you successful both at school and at practice.
First Grass Workout a Success
First Grass Workout a Success
The girls headed to Coyner Springs Park in Waynesboro for their first grass workout of the season. The extreme heat of the past week had broken somewhat and the freshly mown grass trails were in good condition. The veteran girls had 4 x mile repeats, while some of our newbies had 3 x .75 mile repeats. Everyone maintained positive attitudes and pushed each other over the rolling course. Jenna Stutzman had a particularly strong workout, dropping her pace on each interval. I was incredibly proud of our 4 "newbies". They were understandably nervous for their first workout, but pushed hard and worked together. Their last interval was their fastest! These girls are a wonderful addition to our team and I can't wait to see how they continue to improve.
Stunning sunrise at the park
Warming up as a team
The newbies right before their workout, looking a bit nervous.
The newbies after their workout: yes, they look tired, but also confident and united.
Boys Win States with 57 points, Girls 3rd with 56 points
Boys Win States with 57 points, Girls 3rd with 56 points
The Western Girls came in with a great group of girls in a limited number of events. The team managed to place third off the strength of it's relay runners, middle distance runners and one pole vaulter. Western racked up points in the 800 where we took 3 of the top places. Not surprisingly we crushed the field in the 4 x 800, winning by a straightaway. After winning both Cross Country State Titles and Indoor State titles, and finishing third this outdoor season, these girls can be proud of what they accomplished in a very challenging year. They can be confident knowing that their perseverance and mental toughness paid off in so many ways and will continue to do so in many aspects of life.
Cierra Halloran Places Third
Cierra, managed to tie her best vault at the state meet, going 10-6. She was the only vaulter to make it to the state meet this year. She came in at 10 feet, clearing the height right off the bat. She then went to work at clearing 10-6, and managed to do so, clinching a top three spot.
4 x 800 Places First
The 4 x 800 team of Hailey Hodson, Maeci Frank, Jenna Stutzman, and Jordan Stone dominated the competition. Jenna secured the lead right from the start and each leg after contributed to a 100 meter lead. The girls ran 9:53.71 a season best by 18 seconds.
4 x 400 finishes 4th
The 4 x 400 team of Ella Taylor, Abby Huemme, Maeci Frank, and Jordan Stone ran just a second off their season best at the end of a long hot day. Half of the girls had already run two challenging events, but they ran tough, securing the third place finish by one point over Rustburg.
Three in the top 4 in the 800
The 4 x 800 runners came back to place 1st, 3rd and 4th with an exciting race which had them all taking a turn at leading. In the end Jenna Stutzman came out with the win, running 2:24.70. Maeci finished third in 2:25.63, and Jordan Stone finished 4th in 2:26.13.
Jenna Stutzman's Perfect Day
Jenna Stutzman's Perfect Day
Jenna has really learned how to race this year and it showed in Friday's state Meet. She did a great job of getting off the line and in the clear in all her races. She controlled the pace right from the beginning in both the 4 x 800 and the 1600. She won the 1600 and made it look easy after leading off the 4 x 800 just an hour prior. In the 800 she surprised us all by changing gears in the final stretch to fight off a Maggie Walker runner for the win. It is so rewarding to see the growth she has made this year and to see the fight she had in her at the state meet.
Special Group of 2021 Seniors
Special Group of 2021 Seniors
Kate Ratcliffe
Kate Ratcliffe
Kate has been a 9 time All State performer in individual events. She had a spectacular senior year, especially during the indoor season where she won her first state title, winning the 3200 after placing second in the mile. She also placed 7th at AAU nationals in the 3000, running an amazing 10:46. She will continue her running at Middlebury College.
Maeci Frank
Maeci Frank
Maeci has been an 800 meter specialist who has really shined in the relays. She is a 3 time individual All-State performer and All-State in multiple relays through the years. She will be attending Georgia Tech in the fall and will continue to run club, although a walk on possibility is not out of the question.
Abby Huemme
Abby Huemme
Abby came late to the track party, but immediately made an impact as a sprinter jumper who is not afraid to step up to the 400. She finished 5th in the 400 this year and secured her first individual All-State Performance. She ran her personal best time of 60.75, dipping under 61 for the first time. She has contributed on multiple relays, earning All-State honors in the 4 x 400. Abby will continue her running at High Point next year.
Taylor Overman
Taylor Overman
Taylor also came late to track, but also contributed right away in the relays. She is an All-Region performer in the 55 hurdles, and the 200 meter dash this past spring. She has been a team leader among the sprinters and has shown great leadership skills, which has helped to keep this team on track, no pun intended. Taylor will be attending William & Mary next year.
Ella Taylor
Ella Taylor
Ella has been on multiple All-State teams in relays. She has been All-State in the 1000 in indoors and All-State multiple times on the 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 relays. She has also been a part of the team since Fall of her 8th grade year. She has been a leader and role model for many years. She will be attending Duke in the Fall.
Emma Walcott
Emma Walcott
Emma has been a part of the 4 x 100 team this year, her first year of running track. She also ran the 100, 200, 400 and the 500 in indoor season. Emma is planning to attend NC State in the fall.
Awesome Support
Awesome Support
Many thanks to all the team members for the awesome support you gave each other throughout the year. We really can do hard things together. I hope you will always remember to lift each other up because when you do, you will see that together, we can accomplish great things.
Not surprisingly, we have had more parent support this year then ever before. Bringing coolers of fresh fruit, water, energy bites, tents, etc. It is clear that these kids come from loving families and that has given them the ability to shine in this crazy year.
Finally to the seniors. Sometimes when you don't get something, it makes you do one of two things, give up, or be even more determined to make something special happen. Just like the UVA basketball team, you have not given up. Now go forth and make something special happen in your life. It's entirely up to you.
REGION 3 C RUNNER UP
REGION 3 C RUNNER UP
ALL THREE RELAY TEAMS ADVANCE TO STATES
ALL THREE RELAY TEAMS ADVANCE TO STATES
The Western Girl's team started off the meet with a win in the 4 x 800, with team members Jenna Stutzman, Maeci Frank, Jordan Stone and Grace Cook and ended the meet with a win in the 4 x 400 with Maeci, Hailey Hodson, Jordan, and Abby Huemme, (pictured left). Between these two relays, a lot of places were captured and two individual Region Champions were crowned.
Jenna Stutsman Wins the 1600
Jenna Stutsman Wins the 1600
Jenna came back from the relay to win the 1600, running right on her personal best time of 5:15, which was more remarkable by the fact that the temperatures were hovering in the 90's with a real feel of 97. Her splits never waivered more than a second as she evenly paced herself to a Region Championship. Hailey Hodson placed fourth in that event, running it for just the second time all season and both girls will move on to states.
Jordan Stone Wins the 800
Jordan Stone Wins the 800
Jordan came back from the 4 x 800 to win the 800, right on her best time and closely followed by teammates, Maeci Frank, and Jenna Stutzman. The three Warriors swept the event, racking up some much needed points.
Abby Huemme Racks up Points in the Sprints
Abby Huemme Racks up Points in the Sprints
Abby placed second in the 400, running a personal best time of 61.06 then came back to place fourth in the 200 with a 26.83. She anchored the winning 4 x 400, running a blazing 61.22 on her third event of the day.
The 4 x 100 also contributed points by placing fourth in their event, advancing to states with the team of Taylor Overman, Bri Marsh, Emma Walcott, and Lizzy DelCarmen.
Cierra Halloran placed second in the Pole Vault and is our only field event member to make it to states. She vaulted right on her personal best, of 10-6.
Kate Ratcliffe & Eleanor Abell capture 3rd & 5th
Kate Ratcliffe & Eleanor Abell capture 3rd & 5th
Running the 3200 on a cool day can be tough enough, but to do it on a day when the track temperatures were hovering right around 100, is brutal. It takes a mental toughness that most people don't possess. Kate and Eleanor managed to place 3rd and 5th in those less than ideal conditions.
Ella Taylor finishes hurdle Career
Ella Taylor finishes hurdle Career
Ella Taylor finished her hurdle career, placing 7th in a loaded field of 300 m Hurdlers. Ella has run every distance from the 200- 1600, and pretty much every relay. She has been a consistent member of the team since her 8th grade year. She will be part of our State Team, likely helping out one of the relays.
Wednesday it's Hot, Saturday it's Cold
Wednesday it's Hot, Saturday it's Cold
One extreme to the other this week
One extreme to the other this week
Wednesday's meet at Fluvanna we had sweltering temperatures near 90 degrees. Thankfully we got a little cloud cover by the end of the meet. We had several great performances.
Wet and Cold Saturday at Louisa
Wet and Cold Saturday at Louisa
Saturday the temperatures hovered in the 50's with 5-10 mph winds. The on and off drizzle made things bone chilling while waiting to race.
Cierra Halloran
Cierra Halloran
Cierra had a great day in Fluvanna, tying her personal best, 10-6 to win the pole vault. Lauren Broussard jumped 7-0, her personal best to finish 5th.
Wins
Wins
Lauren also placed 8th in the shot put. Nora Wood placed 7th in the shot put. In High Jump Ellie Schundler placed 4th with a 4-2 jump.
with 10-6
with 10-6
WA, 5 of the top 6 in the 800
WA, 5 of the top 6 in the 800
The 800 was super exciting. A sea of yellow dominated the field. Western Albemarle took 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th with Jenna Stutzman, Maeci Frank, Kate Ratcliffe, Eleanor Ablell and Amelia Sims in Fluvanna.
WA, 4 of the top 8 in the 400
WA, 4 of the top 8 in the 400
Jordan Stone ran an impressive 62.76 to win the 400. Team mates Hailey Hodson, Sienna Collier and Olympia Saurwein finished 3rd, 5th and 8th in that event.
Taylor places 4th in 200
Taylor places 4th in 200
Taylor Overman placed 4th in the 200 with a 28.46. Sienna Collier placed 8th.
Lizzy DelCarmen finishes 2nd
Lizzy DelCarmen finishes 2nd
Lizzy finished second in the 100 Dash and also was a part of the 4 x 100 team which finished 2nd. Lizzy ran a 13.53 100 and was the anchor for the relay. Team mates for the relay were Taylor Overman, Bri Marsh, and Emma Walcott.
Bella Karr placed third in the 100 hurdles and fourth in the 300 hurdles at Fluvanna.
Jenna Stutzman ran a personal best in the 1600 to place second with a 5:15.05.
Hailey Hodson had a big personal best to finish fourth in the 1600 with a 5:37.5
The 4 x 400 team of Maeci Frank, Jenna Stutzman, Ella Taylor and Jordan Stone, finished first with a time of 2:23.44.
Grace Cook and Kate Ratcliffe
Grace Cook and Kate Ratcliffe
Grace and Kate took second and third in the 3200. Grace was just off her best time which was impressive given that there was a good bit amount of wind. Kate was just over twelve minutes and was also left to battle the wind as the field became stretched out by the second mile.
Personal Bests for Many in the 3200
Personal Bests for Many in the 3200
Many of our runners ran personal bests in the cooler than usual late May temps. Eleanor Abell ran a 25 second PR and finished 8th with a 12:41. Sienna Collier ran a 28 second personal best to finish in 13:14. Amelia ran a 12 second PR finishing in 13:29. Mabelli Sumner crushed her previous best, running a 1:02 PR finishing in 14:17.
Heating up at Fluvanna
Heating up at Fluvanna
The Warriors travelled to Fluvanna this past Wednesday. We were missing some key people, but we still had many outstanding performances. Lizzy DelCarmen won both the 100 and 200, setting personal bests in both (Not counting the wind aided ones from AHS). She was also a part of the 4 x 100 which won, running a season best time of 54.65. She is pictured center left with two of her relay team members Taylor Overman and Bri Marsh. Taylor and Bri finished second and third in the 200, both running their best time, not counting the wind aided times from Albemarle.
Cierra Halloran had a personal best in the Pole Vault, going 10-6 to win the event. Adonyah Sorenson improved her Triple Jump by over a foot, jumping 27-7. My apologies for lack of field event pics. Hoping to get more of them this week.
Other big improvements were made by Sienna Collier in the 1600 to place second. She also jumped in the 200, quite possibly the only time anyone has done the 1600/200 double. She placed 5th in the 200. Amelia Sims placed 4th in the 1600 and ran her personal best time by 9 seconds. Olympia Saurwein placed second in the 400, running her personal best.
Jordan Stone had an amazing day, running a personal best 2:28.41 to win the 800, then coming back to anchor the 4 x 400 with a personal best split of 62.5
Sadie Adams continues to break every record ever set by a Henley Middle Schooler. She ran an impressive 5:15.02, lowering her own record by another 4 seconds.
Emma Walcott won the 400, running it for the first time and breaking 70 with a 69.64. She was also a member of the victorious 4 x 100.
Kate Ratcliffe battled the high temperatures winning the 3200. She is the indoor state champion in that event and is working her way back to full form.
Western Wins Big Against Albemarle & Monticello
Western Wins Big Against Albemarle & Monticello
Western Wins with 72 Points to AHS 49
Western Wins with 72 Points to AHS 49
,Western continues to roll with many athletes placing high in multiple events. Abby Huemme continues to impress in both the sprints and jumps. She won the 100, 200 and placed second in long jump. Maeci Frank won the 400, led off the second place 4 x 800 and the winning 4 x 400. Jordan Stone won the 800 and anchored the 4 x 800 and 4 x 400. Jenna Stutzman won the 1600 and placed 3rd in the 3200. Ella Taylor won the 300 hurdles and was a part of the winning 4 x 400. The team of Taylor Overman, Bri Marsh, Emma Walcott, and Lizzy DelCarmen won the 4 x 100.
8th Grade Sensations
8th Grade Sensations
Sadie Adams continues to break every middle school distance record in the book. She has already gone 11:12 in the 2 mile, but now she's showing us she has some speed. She broke the middle school 1600 record, running 5:19.03. Then she came back in the 800 to run 2:29.63, not a school record yet, but she is closing in on that one too.
Meanwhile in the jumps, Adonyah Sorenson is quickly making a name for herself in the triple jump. She jumped 28-7.5, a full foot and a half further than last week.
Next Up: WA will travel to Fluvanna
More top performances
More top performances
Grace Cook placed second in the 3200, running a personal best time and dipping under 12:00 for the first time. Hailey Hodson was second in the 400 and ran a leg on the winning 4 x 400 and the second place 4 x 800. Lizzy DelCarmen placed third in both the 100 and 200 and was on the winning 4 x 100. Bella Karr was second in the 100 hurdles and third in the 300 hurdles. Kate Ratcliffe was 3rd in the 800 and 4th in the 1600.
Taylor Overman was 4th in the 200 and was 5th in the 100 and was a part of the 4 x 100. Sienna Collier was third in the 400 and came back to place 4th in the 3200. Ellie Schundler was third in the high jump. Lilly Smith, just an 8th grader, would have been third in the 800 and 4th in the 3200, running two strong performances, back to back.
First Meet Magic at AHS
First Meet Magic at AHS
Western's first meet of the outdoor season went off without a hitch. The girls were great at warming up on time and being at their events. Albemarle did not run a full team and Orange just doesn't have the numbers, so it was an easy win for Western. It did provide a good workout and a chance to shake off the rust from not having an outdoor season last year.
The temperatures were ideal, but a bit windy. While that was great for the sprinters, it was a negative for the distance runners. Despite the wind on the backstretch they still posted some impressive early season times.
Abby Huemme
Abby Huemme
Abby Huemme's been working hard all year and it showed Wednesday night. She won the 400 in 62.04, and the 200 in 26.34 and anchored the winning 4 x 400. She has become quite the team leader for the sprint group.
Lizzy DelCarmen
Lizzy DelCarmen
Lizzy placed second in the 100 in 13.64 and she was 3rd in the 200 in 28.34. She also ran a leg on the winning 4 x 100.
Bri Marsh and Taylor Overman
Bri Marsh and Taylor Overman
Taylor and Bri went third and fourth in the 100. Bri was also 4th in the 200. They both ran legs on the winning 4 x 100.
Distance Team
Distance Team
Since the distance girls from Albemarle were not racing we used this meet as a workout. Jenna Stutzman won both the 1600, 800 and led off the winning 4 x 800. Hailey Hodson was second in the 800 running an excellent early season time of 2:30.7. She was also a member of both the 4 x 800 and 4 x 400 team. Jordan Stone was second in the 400 and was also a member of both relay teams. Grace Cook was third in the 800 and fourth in the 1600, while 8th grader, Sadie Adams was unofficially third in the 1600 and fourth in the 800. They ran awesome times in both races. Grace ran her 800 PR with a 2:31.3 and Sadie ran her personal best in both the 1600, 5:25.30, and 800, 2:33.0 Western also took 5th and 6th in the 800 with Lily Smith and Sienna Collier .
Kate Ratcliffe won the 3200 and took 5th in the 1600. Eleanor Abell was second in the 3200, Amelia Sims was third with a PR time of 13:41.80 and Mabelli Sumber was fourth in her first outdoor track experience. You can see Kate laughing above. There was an interesting young man in the race who seemed to be running wind sprints during the 3200. Kate had to pass him a couple of times before he dropped back to play ping pong with Eleanor.
Maeci Frank was fourth in the 400, and was a member of both 4 x 800 and 4x 400 teams. Olympia Saurwein was 5th in the 400. Emma Walcott was 7th in the 100, 8th in the 200 and was a member of the winning 4 x 100 team.
Hurdle Team of Ella & Bella
Hurdle Team of Ella & Bella
Ella Taylor won the 300 m hurdles and Bella was second. Bella was also second in the 100 m hurdles. Ella also ran a leg on the winning 4 x 400 team.
Exciting Young Field event Performances
Exciting Young Field event Performances
Adonyah Sorenson, just an 8th grader had the top triple jump with a distance of 27-1.5. She also had the third best long jump. Raina Fitzwater had the best vault in pole vault going 10-6, also an eight grader. Cierra Holloran was third with a vault of 10-0. My apologies for not getting field event pictures. The first meet is always a little tricky to make sure athletes know when to warm up, etc.
Jenna Stutzman wins State 3 A Title and leads team to another State Championship
Jenna Stutzman wins State 3 A Title and leads team to another State Championship
On a Blustery day the Warriors went to work to finish what they started. They were all business as they employed Coach Chuck's game plan. They all had a job to do and they managed to improve upon their seed. They beat Hidden Valley by 6 points and managed to get 4 in the top 20. Jenna Stutzman won the race, going out smart and slowly moving into position with a half mile to go. Kate Ratcliffe ran a solid race, moving up into 13th. Grace Cook went out strong and then held onto 14th place. Hailey ran an amazing race, finishing in 19th place. Keep in mind these girls were seeded 9th, 18th, 21, and 35th. Eleanor had possibly the most impressive finish. Training alone over the past two weeks due to a Covid exposure, she managed to be our number 5 runner. She finished 38th. She wasn't even ranked because she was unable to participate in the Region Meet. Jordan Stone ran right on her seed, still coming back from iron deficiency. No fair to have to run in this kind of wind with that going on. Sienna, had one of her best races of the year. She was also a victim of the Covid exposure. She had to train solo for the past two weeks. What these girls have accomplished this year speaks volumes about their determination. Life gets difficult at times and some people will just give in. It is so important to stay positive and keep focusing on your next goal. So many people go astray when the going gets tough. The true champions keep their focus and that focus can be a healthy distraction from the negatives in life. All the coaches are immensely proud of the girls and all that they have accomplished this year.
Western Takes Region 3 C
Western Takes Region 3 C
While we were down a few of our top seven due to COVID, Western still managed a decisive victory winning the 3C Region Meet with 35 points. Fort Defiance got the only other team spot to states with a score of 67. Fluvanna just missed the trip to States finishing with 75 points. Senior, Emily Smeds from Fluvanna, won the race and she along with the next two individuals will advance to states.
Thankfully we will have Eleanor Abell, Sienna Collier and Maeci Frank back in time for this Wednesday's State meet where it will be a tight race with Hidden Valley, Warren County and Maggie Walker.
Jenna Stutzman Leads the Warriors with a 4th place finish
Jenna Stutzman Leads the Warriors with a 4th place finish
Jenna Stutzman ran 36 seconds faster this past week on the same Fluvanna course as Districts. She's been dealing with breathing issues all year and with a new regimen in hand she is looking strong and capable of running with anyone in 3A.
Another great Race from Grace
Another great Race from Grace
Grace Cook has been rock steady all season and continues to improve, meet after meet. Her time was 25 seconds faster from the District meet. She finished 5th overall.
Hailey & Jordan
Hailey & Jordan
Both Hailey Hodson and Jordan Stone dropped a lot of time from the District meet. Hailey dropped 41 seconds and Jordan a 1:44, after discovering she was suffering from anemia again and has take steps to improve her iron status. A flat course this week at states will benefit both of these 800 meter runners.
Bizarre Format
Bizarre Format
Because of Covid the Region Meet employed a bizarre format where the top five raced in one section, leaving the six and seven runners to run in a small race, thirty minutes later. Amelia Sims and Mabelli Sumner got the chance to run top seven because of a COVID exposure which took out our team's 6, 7, 8, and 9 runners. Mabelli dropped another 58 seconds from her time and promptly headed off with her Mom to run / hike Rim to Rim at The Grand Canyon. Amelia has had a great season, running her best race at the District meet.
A BIG THANK YOU!
A BIG THANK YOU!
The girls from the Indoor State Team were treated to beautiful Sweatshirts from an anonymous donor who felt that their hard work should not go unnoticed. The 15 girls who ran in The Indoor State Meet were treated to sweatshirts and cupcakes on the first official day of outdoor track practice. Extra sweatshirts were purchased so that team members or fans could purchase them. There are about 5 left. Contact Cherie Witt if you are interested. cherwitt26@gmail.com
Low-Key Distance Meet at Panarama
Low-Key Distance Meet at Panarama
This past Saturday a handful of WAHS girls took to the beautiful rolling course at Panorama Farms for a recovery distance run while representing their school in the tri meet. After a long warm-up, the trio of Ella, Eleanor and Sienna paced each other well, finishing together in right under 24 minutes. Mabelli ran most of the race with a small pack of Louisa runners, and finished in the 26 minute range. Sadie and Lily were the lone girls in the Open Race, and they both looked smooth and comfortable as they finished in 21:45 and 22:50, respectively. It was an absolutely gorgeous day out and quite a nice way to end a very busy week of training and racing.
As we enter into Spring Break, it is crucial that you keep up with the running schedule, whether you are in town or not. This week we are focusing on getting in some good mileage with some uptempo pacing, as well as incorporating some good strength building exercises. Do your best to get in the workouts, recovery runs, and exercises. The week we return from Spring Break we jump right into Regionals and then States the following week.
WARRIORS WITH THE WIN ADVANCE TO REGIONALS
WARRIORS WITH THE WIN ADVANCE TO REGIONALS
The WAHS Warriors once again raced the fields and woods of the Fluvanna home course at Pleasant Grove this past Tuesday, this time in a quad meet serving as the qualifier for the Regional Meet which will be held after Spring Break. The course had been altered slightly, and this week it was a true 5k distance. The girls brought back a team tradition of putting on glitter, tattoos and blue and gold hair ribbons to get in the racing mood!
The team was led by junior Jenna Stutzman’s 2nd place finish in a time of 20:28. Three WAHS girls followed Jenna in quick succession: Kate (3rd, 20:47), Grace (4th, 21:02), and Hailey (5th, 22:03). The varsity race was rounded out by Jordan (23:50), Sienna (23:53) and Ella (24:15).
Amelia Sims Drops Time on Longer Course
Amelia Sims Drops Time on Longer Course
WAHS girls took the first 4 places in the Open Race, led by Sadie Adam’s first place finish in 20:05 and Lily’s 2nd place time of 22:48. Amelia Sims dropped even more time this week, finishing 3rd in a time of 23:28, and Jonsie rounded out the top 4 in 23:58. Mabelli Sumner had another strong race, finishing in 26:31.
After their cool down, the girls enjoyed some early Easter treats provided by some of our fantastic parents!
The Youth Leads the Way . . .
The Youth Leads the Way . . .
In the absence of several of our older runners this past Wednesday the youth of our team stepped up and handily defeated Fluvanna 20-35. In the first of 3 meets at Pleasant Grove, the Warriors were led by freshman Hailey Hodson (21:09), who came in second place overall in the race. Hailey ran a very smart race, hanging with the pack for the first part of the race and then, after everyone eased up as planned in the woods, had enough left in the tank to push extremely hard the last ½ mile. She looked strong and confident as she crested the last hill and powered around the bend into the finish chute. Hailey has been working extremely hard to transition from the shorter distances she raced in Indoor Track to the 5k for Cross Country, and her consistency and determination are paying off.
Hailey was followed by a string of 4 other WAHS runners. Grace finished in 3rd overall with a time of 21:20, followed by Jordan (21:50), Sienna (21:58) and Eleanor (22:03). Ella (23:37), Amelia (23:44) and Caroline (23:50) rounded out our crew in the Varsity Race. Amelia had another fantastic race and has been steadily improving over the past few months.
The co-ed Open Race was, once again, a time for three of our young runners to shine. Sadie (20:01) finished in 4th overall, battling it out to the line with WAHS’ Nolan Burkhart. Lily ran another very strong race, finishing in 8th overall with a time of 22:08. Finally, Mabelli had another big PR, finishing 12th overall in 25:33, and likely pushing WAHS’ Colin McLaughlin to a PR as well as they forced each other into a sprint to the finish.
This upcoming Wednesday we will be back at Pleasant Grove for the Region qualifying meet, racing against CHS, MHS and Fluvanna. The top 2 teams will move on to the Region Meet, which will also be held at Pleasant Grove the Wednesday after Spring Break. The training we do in the next 2 weeks (including Spring Break) will determine how we perform at States later in April.
We will be holding practices throughout the week of Spring Break. If you will be out of town, it is very important that you get in all of the workouts that we give you, even if it means getting on a treadmill. Make sure you contact the coaches to get the workouts and let us know how they go. Communication is key.
Old Guard Bemused by Young Enthusiasm
Old Guard Bemused by Young Enthusiasm
On a chilly afternoon the girls raced for the first time as an entire team on the newly redesigned Monticello Cross Country course. All of the girls were still recovering from a weekend of solid racing, be it the UA Track Meet or the Ragged Mountain Cup, so the plan was to treat this meet as a workout. The varsity girls were to break the 3.05 mile course up into race-paced/ hard effort sections broken up by two rest periods of very easy jogging. I laid the plan out as we ran our warm-up, and, after much clarification, the girls seemed to understand “the plan”...
Grace Runs to her own Beat
Grace Runs to her own Beat
The girls ran together for the first hard effort section, led by veterans Jenna Stutzman and Kate Ratcliffe. When they arrived at the first easy jogging section, the older girls immediately dropped the pace while the younger girls reluctantly, and only after repeated reminders, eventually also slowed down. The second time that the girls were supposed to ease up, Grace just couldn’t stand it and forged on ahead at the same hard pace. She quickly pulled ahead of the pack with ½ mile to go and opened up a considerable lead.
With less than a ¼ mile to go, Jenna and Kate ran by the coaches with half bemused, half amused expressions, explaining to us the obvious fact that Grace had not slowed down. I asked, “Well, what are you going to do about it?” Needless to say, both Jenna and Kate ran Grace down and passed the upstart freshman at the line! Coach Cherie pointed out that once they passed her Grace almost sneaked back into first as she often does...but didn’t quite manage it this time. Jenna came in first with a time of 20:50, followed by Kate in 20:51.1 and Grace in 20:51.6. All three girls were laughing as they crossed the finish line, and Grace’s time when converted to 3.1 miles would be right on her PR time from the fall of 21:10. While she might not have followed “the plan”, I love the enthusiasm of these young girls, and the friendly competition that they inspire in the older girls.
Grace Cook
Grace Cook
Jordan Stone
Jordan Stone
The rest of the team ran very well. Jordan and Hailey ran 21:15 and 21:22 respectively, followed by Eleanor Abell (21:46). Eleanor’s time converted to 3.1 would have her running right on her PR as well. Ella Taylor (22:52) and Sienna Collier (22:53) worked together the entire race, and
Caroline Jones
Caroline Jones
Caroline Jones finished soon after with a time of 23:07. The varsity race was rounded out by Amelia Sims with a very good time of 24:00. I was happy that all of these girls averaged a pace under 8 min/ mile even with the ½ mile of easy jogging.
The JV race was no less exciting, even considering WAHS only had three girls running in it. This little group was told to treat the race as a tempo run, especially the 8th graders, as they had participated in more racing days than the others down at the VA Beach track meet the previous weekend. Once again, however, the “plan” seemed to be lost on the youth of our team. Before the race, Coach Chuck predicted that Sadie Adams would not be content to hang back and not race with the boys, and that
she would finish with perhaps only 3- 4 boys in front of her. His prediction came partly true. Sadie was indeed not content to simply tempo the race, and she immediately started right near the front of the pack of boys. Soon it was just Sadie and two boys. Sadie and the second place boy ran neck and neck through 2.5 miles until finally the boy had had enough and pulled ahead. Sadie ran a fantastic time of 19:44, and made that “tempo run” look easy.
Our other 8th grader, Lilly Smith, also had a fantastic race, not exactly following the plan either. She pushed hard and ran a great time of 21:54, blowing away her previous PR. Freshman Mabelli Sumner ran her first 5k Cross Country race and, once again, kept up a strong, consistent pace, finishing in 27:10. Her pace was just about the same that she ran for the 2 mile Cup race the previous weekend, and after she finished she stated, “I loved that course!”.
Mabelli is a great addition to our team and her hard work over the past few months is starting to pay off in her racing. I look forward to seeing her continue to improve.
I was extremely pleased with how everyone ran this past week, both newbies and veterans alike. The girls are all very strong right now coming off of Indoor, and are transitioning to this mini-cross country season with great attitudes.
Ragged Mountain Cup
Ragged Mountain Cup
A small yet fierce group of WAHS WARRIORS started off the Cross Country season with the Ragged Mountain Cup this Saturday at the beautiful Panorama Farms. The format of the race was much different than past years, and the girls rose to the challenge. The team was led by junior Eleanor Abell with a time of 13:46, a 1:29 PR over her time from last year. Eleanor placed 10th overall. She was followed closely by sophomore Sienna Collier, running a 33 second PR in 14:00, and placing 13th overall. Both Eleanor and Sienna will receive the coveted “Cup Shirts”. Senior Caroline Jones came in 3rd on our relay team in 14:56, and was instrumental in getting the girls organized and where they needed to be. Sophomore Amelia Sims had an excellent race, running exactly a 1 minute PR over her time from last year and finishing in 15:14. She looked confident and smooth the entire race.
Freshman Mabelli Sumner ran her very first race, and was also the first runner of the entire day to toe the starting line! Mabelli kept up a steady, solid pace and had the most impressive, even splits. She finished in a great time of 18:02, putting her in 10th place in the Open Race. These girls trained very hard over the past few weeks, getting in some solid tempo runs at Sugar Hollow and grass intervals at Mint Springs Farm, and it was exciting to see them push each other over the hills of Panorama. They even had a chance to outrun a hot air balloon!
Incredible Day of Tough Racing!
Incredible Day of Tough Racing!
The Warriors had so many great performances. In all, a total of 15 girls contributed to the score, crushing the competition. Western 110, Heritage 80. A more complete write up to follow. Western earned first in the 4x8, 300, 1600, 1000, 3200. Second in the 55, 1600, 1000, 4x4. Third in the 4x2, fourth in the 500 & Pole Vault, fifth in the 3200 & pole vault, sixth in the pole vault, and an eighth in the 500. Everyone who qualified to run in the state meet, contributed to the score. For Complete results click here. For the Scrimmage Play article Click here. To see The Daily Progress article Click here.
Sportsmanship on Display
Sportsmanship on Display
It wasn't just that we won the state meet, it was how we won it. The schedule was tight. Many girls ran 2 and 3 events. With the boys being in a different section, many girls were lucky to have 30 minutes between events. Despite the tough conditions I saw many displays of good sportsmanship. This is Kate Ratcliffe congratulating Jenna Stutzman as the starter awarded her the much prized shell from the starter's pistol after her championship race.
Western Team Comes Together For The Win
Western Team Comes Together For The Win
The seniors especially stepped up their game. Megan Futty, whose event started at 8:30, stayed till the end after finishing 5th in the pole vault. Despite the fact that many of the girls have practiced separately, they all came together to support each other on the day it counted. The sprinters came early, just so they could watch the 4 x 800. All the team cheered and watched in amazement as our amazing freshman, Reese Mattern, broke the school record to win the 3A State Title in the 300 after placing second in the 55. Each member was truly happy for each other and it showed.
Reese Mattern
Reese Mattern
Reese ran 3 races in less than 2 hours. She placed second in the 55 m with a 7.39, She won the 300 m with a school record of 40.28 and then anchored the second place 4 x 400. Quite a triple for the freshman who is quickly making a name for herself in the track world. Sprinting is a technique sport with a lot of block work needed in order to perfect your race. It is exciting to see the potential for the years to come.
Jenna Stutzman
Jenna Stutzman
Jenna had to once again run a strategic first race so that she would still have some left for the second race, which was just 30 minutes later. She paced her first race, hitting 78-79 for the first 3 laps of the 1600, before dialing it back for the win. She came back in the 1000 for the win, running all 5 laps within 2 tenths of a second. #youdontneedawatchjenna
Kate Ratcliffe
Kate Ratcliffe
Kate has come into her own this season. She did a great job of running a strong 1600 for second place, but an even more impressive job in the 3200. She kept her cool through the early part of the race with the confidence to know she could unleash a 77 on her last 400 to take the lead and win. Chill bumps were had by all who were lucky enough to watch her chase down the leader for the win.
Cierra Halloran
Cierra Halloran
Cierra has been a consistent force on the Pole Vault squad. With her strong performances throughout the season, it is no surprise that she finished 4th in the state with a vault of 9-6.
Megan Futty
Megan Futty
Megan is the most experienced of the pole vault members. This is her fourth All-State performance and her highest placing thus far. Megan placed 5th with a vault of 9-0.
Emma Blackman
Emma Blackman
This is Emma's fourth All-State performance. Her vault of 9-0 ties her personal record. She finished 6th which is her highest state meet placing thus far.
Maeci Frank
Maeci Frank
Maeci Frank ran three races at states. Individually she was second in the 1000 with a 3:09.35, which is just a tenth shy of her personal best. She also anchored the winning 4 x 800 and she was a part of the second place 4 x 4. This is Maeci's highest individual placing in States. She's got a great shot at a state championship this spring.
Jordan Stone
Jordan Stone
Jordan also ran 3 events. She ran a 3 second personal best to finish 4th in the 500. She was a part of the Championship 4 x 800 and the second place 4 x 400. She ran a personal best this season in every event she ran, from the 300-3200. This kid's got range.
Grace Cook
Grace Cook
Grace Cook had an amazing first season as a Warrior. She finished 5th in the 3200, almost sneaking in for 4th. She ran a well paced race and dropped another 2 seconds from her personal best, running 12:05.88.
Hailey Hodson
Hailey Hodson
Hailey Hodson also had an impressive first season. She was a part of the Championship 4 x 800. She made All-State in the 500, and she has been a part of our 4 x 400 team leading up to states. She is a future leader on this team with her "Take Charge" attitude.
Championship 4 x 800
Championship 4 x 800
Hailey Hodson, Ella Taylor, Maeci Frank and Jordan Stone were the members of the 4 x 800. Ella lead off in her best race of the season bringing the team into first and each leg did their part to extend that lead.
Runner-up 4 x 400
Runner-up 4 x 400
Maeci Frank, Abby Huemme, Reese Mattern and Jordan Stone. Abby lead off with the fastest split running a personal best time of 61.5. The other 3 legs, on their third event of the day each ran a 63 split.
Third Place 4 x 200
Third Place 4 x 200
Brooke Whittier, Gabi Andres, Abby Huemme, and Cat Domecq ran their season best time of 1:52.16, knocking a full second off of their season best.
Western Wins Region 3C Dominating the Running Events
Western Wins Region 3C Dominating the Running Events
Western Albemarle managed to take first and second in the 1000, 1600, and 3200. We also took first in the 300, second and third in the 500, second and third in the pole vault, second in the 55, first in the 4 x 800, second in the 4 x 400 and third in the 4 x 200. It was a total team effort and the Warriors finished the day with a score of 133 with Heritage in second with 90 and Charlottesville in third with 68 points.
Reese Mattern continued to impress by placing second in the 55 with a personal best time of 7.34. She came back later to destroy the field in the 300, knocking a full second off of her time, finishing in 40.97. Her times rank her 6th in the state in the 55 and 10th in the state in the 300 out of all six divisions.
Reese Mattern continued to impress by placing second in the 55 with a personal best time of 7.34. She came back later to destroy the field in the 300, knocking a full second off of her time, finishing in 40.97. Her times rank her 6th in the state in the 55 and 10th in the state in the 300 out of all six divisions.
Jenna Stutzman & Maeci Frank
Jenna Stutzman & Maeci Frank
Jenna Stutzman had an amazing day, pacing her 1600 carefully, taking it out slow and running negative splits to win easily with a 5:32. She came back 25 minutes later to win the 1000. Jenna's racing ability continues to improve with each race. Maeci Frank placed second in the 1000 after anchoring the winning 4 x 800 team and running a leg on the second place 4 x 400 team. Maeci ran a strong triple and sits in great position to vie for a title at states.
Kate Ratcliffe
Kate Ratcliffe
Kate Ratcliffe had her best double of her running career, placing 2nd in the 1600 with a 5:32, then coming back to win the 3200 with a 15 second personal best, to finish in 11:46.43. She ran a comfortable 6 minute pace through the first mile and a half then ran an impressive 2:46 on her final half mile. Kate, claims to not have speed, but what she has is the ability to change pace dramatically and then hold that challenging pace for an extended amount of time.
Hailey Hodson & Jordan Stone
Hailey Hodson & Jordan Stone
Hailey and Jordan took second and third in the 500. Hailey was right on her personal best time and Jordan ran her personal best time. They are both members of our winning 4 x 800 and second place 4 x 400.
Abby Huemme
Abby Huemme
Abby was 5th in the 300, running a personal best time of 43.82. She ran a leg on the third place 4 x 200 with teammates, Brooke Whittier, Cat Domecq and Gabi Andres. She anchored the 4 x 400 and ran a personal best 62.0.
Winning 4 x 800
Winning 4 x 800
The team of Jordan Stone, Ella Taylor, Hailey Hodson, and Maeci Frank won the 4 x 800. Jordan, Hailey and Maeci, joined Abby to place second in the 4 x 400. Ella Taylor ran a season best in the 1000 to finish 5th.
Grace Cook Sneaks in for 2nd
Grace Cook Sneaks in for 2nd
Grace managed to knock off the top seed in the 3200 catching her right at the line to place second, behind Kate Ratcliffe. Grace ran a smart race, pacing off of Kate for the first mile of the race. Just when it looked like she didn't have a chance, she found another gear and caught The Spotswood girl, right at the line.
Pole Vaulters take 2, 3, & 4
Pole Vaulters take 2, 3, & 4
Cierra Holloran, finished second for the Warriors, vaulting 9-6. Megan Futty and Emma Blackman both cleared 9-0 to finish third and fourth. Pictured above, Cierra, from last year's indoor season.
Mattern runs fastest WA 55m & 300m
Mattern runs fastest WA 55m & 300m
in the past 20 years!
in the past 20 years!
Reese wins 100 in 7.50
Reese wins 100 in 7.50
Reese easily ran the fastest 55 meter time, we've seen in the last 20 years. It might have been a little wind aided, but even still, it was impressive.
Reese runs 42.0 to win the 300
Reese runs 42.0 to win the 300
She came back later to win the 300, also in the fastest time run by a Western student in at least the past 20 years.
Mallory Greene and Maggie Inge Celebrate with Reese
Mallory Greene and Maggie Inge Celebrate with Reese
Reese celebrates with teammates Mallory Green and Maggie Inge while her opponent lays flat out after the effort.
Stutzman wins both the 1600 & 1000
Stutzman wins both the 1600 & 1000
Jenna, who currently sits on the all time top 10 in multiple events, won both the 1600 and the 1000 at AHS. Later in the week she ran personal bests of 5:15, and 3:03 in those events.
Liora Shin Wins High Jump
Liora Shin Wins High Jump
Liora Shin, won the high jump in 4-6, placed second in the shot put with a 22-01.5 and ran a leg on one of our 4 x 200 teams.
Kate Ratcliffe Wins 3200
Kate Ratcliffe Wins 3200
Kate Ratcliffe ran a 10 second personal best in windy conditions to win the 3200. Her time of 12:01.79 is the second fastest right now in 3A. She also came back later in the week to run a personal best 3:10.75 in the 1000.
Mallory Greene won the triple jump in 27-9, her personal best. Maeci Frank, Hailey Hodson, Ella Taylor and Abby Huemme won the 4 x 400. Maeci was also second in the 1000, running 3:15 on a windy day, coming back later in the week to run 3:09.22 a personal best by 3 seconds. Jordan Stone, ran the 3200 for the first time on Wednesday, placing second. She came back later in the week to run a 63.4 on a relay split, her indoor personal best. Cat Domecq placed second in the 55 dash, running a 7.79, her personal best. We had several athletes placing third; Abby Huemme in the 300 and Long jump, Grace Cook in the 1600, Hailey Hodson in the 1000, and Eleanor Abell in the 3200.
Congratulations to Megan Futty for clearing 9-3 in pole vault. She did that this past Saturday as a part of the AHS meet. Unfortunately, Elizabeth Strobach broke her foot that same day and will be out for 6 weeks. Please remember to encourage Liz and pray for a speedy recovery. We will surely miss having her in the post season.
Running in "Lane 0"
Running in "Lane 0"
Since the championship races are coming up, just want to take this opportunity to let you know that this is a "No, No! We usually do a good job of running in our lanes, but while it is important to run near the inside of the track, running in "lane 0" will get you disqualified if there are any meet officials paying attention.
Pictured above: Reese and Brooke
Western's meet with 5A Albemarle and 3A Fluvanna, provided much exciting competition, most notably in the relays. The 4 x 200 team of Reese Mattern, Brooke Whittier, Elizabeth DelCarmen and Abby Huemme, won the event with an impressive time of 1:53.09.
Pictured above: Brooke, Elizabeth, Abby & Reese
Reese also ran lead leg on the 4 x 400 team, opening up with a 59.9 split which is one of the fastest 400 splits in recent years. The team of Reese, Hailey Hodson, Jordan Stone and Maeci Frank ran 4:16.41 and finished a close second.
A Stacked Field in the 1000 Produced Some Great Times
A Stacked Field in the 1000 Produced Some Great Times
Albemarle and Western put most of their top 1000 meter runners together for an exciting race which produced many of the top times in the state. Jenna Stutzman led most of the way and finished 3rd, in 3:07.33 a time that puts her 14th in the state in all divisions. Maeci Frank, coming off of a swim meet the night before, ran a 3:15.77 to place 4th, Jordan Stone was 5th with 3:15.89, and Grace Cook was 6th with 3:27.31. Both Jordan and Grace ran their personal best times.
Less than 10 min. Later, Stutzman and Cook take 1st and 2nd in the 3200
Less than 10 min. Later, Stutzman and Cook take 1st and 2nd in the 3200
All the hard work paid dividends when Jenna and Grace, literally jumped in the 3200 just minutes after finishing the 1000. They started off with a leisurely pace and proceeded to drop the pace the second mile. Jenna won in 12:15.62 and Grace ran an amazing first 3200 time of 12:24.29.
Other great performances . . .
Other great performances . . .
Hailey Hodson, set a personal best in the 500, running 1:24.21, over a two second drop from her previous best, to place second.
We had several people earn third place: Eleanor Abell in the 1600, with a personal best of 6:05.99, Isabella Karr, 11:02 in the 55 hurdles, Gabi Andres, 8.35 in the 55 dash, Liora Shin, 4-2 in high jump, Emma Blackman, 8-7 in pole vault and Abby Huemme, 26-11.5 in triple jump. Teammate Mallory Green finished 4th in triple jump, going 26-10.0 For Complete Results Click here.
Finally the Meets Begin
Finally the Meets Begin
This past week Western Albemarle started having meets for the first time since COVID shut things down in March of 2020. Despite the cold temperatures, the girls had many great performances this past week.
Reese Mattern
In this past week, Reese has already established herself as possibly one of top sprinters at Western Albemarle in recent years. In Fluvanna, she won the 300 in 43.95 and just days later in Louisa, lowered that time to 43.26. Her time is the third fastest by a Western Albemarle Student in the last 20 years and she did it without blocks. She won the 55 at Louisa in 7.74 and led off the Victorious 4 x 200 team.
Jenna Stutzman
& Kate Ratcliffe
Jenna and Kate went 1-2 in both the 1600 and 1000. Jenna also ran the anchor of the victorious 4 x 400 which included Maeci Frank, Hailey Hodson and Jordan Stone. In the JV 1600, Sadie Adams, Grace Cook, and Lily Smith went 1,2,3. Both Sadie and Grace set personal best times of 5:44.9 and 5:46.49, times that would have placed them 2nd and 4th in the varsity 1600.
Jordan Stone, Maeci Frank,
& Hailey Hodson
Maeci, Jordan, and Hailey went 1-3 in the 500, then came back 10-15 minutes later and placed 2nd and 3rd in the 300, behind Reese. All three came back to run a leg on the 4 x 400. Jordan and Hailey ran PR legs in the 500. Jordan's 300 time was a personal best as was Hailey's leg on the 4 x 400. Maeci's 500 and 300 were both season best.
Elizabeth DelCarmen
Elizabeth was second in the 55 dash in Fluvanna and was third in the 55 in Louisa. She was also 4th in the 300 in Fluvanna and 5th in the 300 in Louisa and was a member of the victorious 4 x 200 team along with Reese, Abby Huemme, and Mallory Greene.
Eleanor Abell & Caroline Jones
Eleanor Abell & Caroline Jones
Caroline, AKA, Jonsie, won the 1600 in Fluvanna, placed second in the 1000 and in Louisa placed 4th in the 3200. Eleanor was second in the 1600 in Fluvanna, third in the thousand and third in the 3200 in Louisa. Eleanor was out most of last year due to a stress fracture. She was finally healthy enough to race when Covid shut things down. This junior has been training diligently and it was great to see her run personal best times in all three of her races this week.
Abby Huemme
Abby Huemme
Abby finished second in triple jump in Fluvanna with a jump of 26-6. She is also a member of the 4 x 200 team which finished second in Fluvanna and first in Louisa.
Cat Domecq placed third in the 300 with a good early season time of 46.13. She also was a part of the 4 x 200 team who placed second in Fluvanna.
Cat Beck placed 3rd in the 1600, 4th in the 1000 in Fluvanna and came back on Saturday to place 6th in the 3200.
Grace Cook
Grace Cook
Grace Cook, only a freshman, finished third in the 1000, just seconds off her best time, which was all the more impressive as she had just 10 minutes to recover from running the JV mile, which she ran a personal best time.
Some Early Season Tips
Some Early Season Tips
Take a look at the Weekly schedule page by clicking the top left corner. More info will be added.
If you are a New Parent to track. You may have questions. Here is a quick list of things you may be wondering.
Equipment
Equipment
Uniform Shorts: An example of what they typically wear. You can hold off for now as they will wave the uniform rule for Polar Bear Meets. We will look into putting in a team order for States.
They all need some type of watch. This doesn't have to have all the bells and whistles. GPS watches are great, but not necessary. The most important piece of equipment is a pair of good running shoes. There are lots of brands of shoes and most make good running shoes. Be careful though, just because they are NIKE, NB, etc, does not mean they are good running shoes. Rack Room carries these brands, but they usually carry the "fashion version" of those brands. Go to a reputable place like "Ragged Mountain Running Shop". Make sure you tell them what events you are running so that you can get the shoes that are right for you. Shoes are also only made to last 300-400 miles. If your child is running middle to long distance, that is a pair every 3 months. Sprinters may get up to 6 months out of their shoes.
Spikes? Not necessarily. If your child is new to running or in middle school you may want to hold off for now. Your child's coach will tell them when and if they need spikes. Spikes may not help if your child is a heel striker or has structural or strength issues. Spikes are not made to last long. If you get two seasons out of them then you are doing good. Keep an eye on their alignment. Sit them on the floor and notice if they are collapsing inward.
Sports Drinks? Probably not. Water is really what they need. Most sports drinks contain too much sodium which is already too high in the typical American diet. They can also contain lots of sugar and artificial colors. If they were doing an event in the heat that went on continuously for 90 minutes or more than they might need one.
Warm-ups or sweats? YES! If the temperature is 60 degrees or colder, they should have sweats on. They can have a pair of shorts on underneath and take the sweats off once they've warmed up. When they go to meets, they should be prepared for whatever that night's low is. Sitting in 45 degrees for 2-3 hours is far different than just going to the mailbox. More is better.
Training clothes. For outdoor meets, the girls will want to wear tights if it is cold. Simple black tights are best, but I'm sure they will wave the uniform rule and you can wear whatever you have. Performance fabrics are worth every penny. Staying dry means staying warm. Ragged Mtn Running Shop has lots of options, but if you don't feel like spending a lot of money, I recommend Marshall's and TJMaxx. You would be amazed what you can find. Even Ross' in Waynesboro you will find $70 name brand tops for literally $14.99. Don't forget socks. Blister free, wicking socks are also important this time of year. I personally like Smart Wool, Balega, when it is cold. I usually find Smart wool at a discount, at sierratradingpost.com. Another cold weather hack for running shoes is to put Duck Tape across the toes of your shoes. Most shoes are made to breath, which is a problem this time of year. Toes and fingers are the first to freeze. Layering is key. I think it is good to have a close fitting layer, tank or short sleeve (performance fabric), in case you really warm up, a thin long sleeve, a top layer that can be a sweat shirt, wind breaker or fleece. For pants, either tights, or shorts with warm-up pants with zippers at the leg so they can be easily removed.
Water Bottle Have one at every practice and maybe two at a meet once the weather warms up.
Snacks: Always have a snack handy for right after practice or for between races at meets. Simple foods are best. Things like Lara bars, or other healthy bars. Watch out though, some of them are just glorified candy bars. Fruit & nuts are great for post practice and between races as long as you have enough time. A nut butter sandwich is also a good choice.
Five Evidence Based Paths to Happiness. We all need a little more happiness in our lives. This is a good read and has information we can all use.
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