Western Branch High School (VA) = Home of Nation's Best High School Girls Hurdles Program Brian Fries Feb 22, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this weekend’s VHSL Group AAA State Championships, many teams will only have one or two athletes entered.  Western Branch can enter 10…in one race.   Desmonae Gray, Taranisha Taylor, Shamia Lassiter, Devin Mitchell, Alana Calhoun, Tiffany Ellick, Javette Lee, Ramona Thomas, Cierra Cutshaw, and Jamesha Richard are the young ladies who claim 10 of the top 20 spots in the Group AAA hurdle rankings this season.  All 10 are at the state qualifying mark of 8.66 or better.  Only 3 (Gray, Richard, and VMI signee Cutshaw) are seniors.  This is a truly ridiculous and dominant group of runners, led by 2 highly-acclaimed coaches.  (Photo by Ryan Kelly)

Athlete Spotlight: Kenneth Williams Brian Fries Feb 21, 2011

Photo by Ryan Kelly

 When you run track for the same school as two Olympic gold medalists (LaShawn Merritt and Latasha Colander), the standards are set pretty high.  You’re running against school records like 20.69 in the 200, 33.51 in the 300, and 45.38 in the 400.  Some high schoolers might be intimidated by the legends that came through the halls of Portsmouth’s Woodrow Wilson High School, but not junior Kenneth Williams.  When asked if he felt like he was running for 2^nd place in the school record books, Williams was quick to answer:  “Oh no, I’m running to break the records.”  

Athlete Spotlight: Jeremy Greenwald Brian Fries Feb 03, 2011

 
Photo by Ryan Kelly

 

Grassfield senior Jeremy Greenwald had not run the 1000 meters in competition since the 2010 state meet, but he certainly didn’t show any rust at the Suffolk Stars Invitational in mid-January.  Taking the lead before the pack rounded the first turn, Jeremy clicked off metronome-like splits of :29, :59, 1:29, and 1:59 to finish in a US#1 2:29.76. Jeremy (pictured right by Ryan Kelly) was gracious enough to give MileStat.com some of his time this week in between a college visit and a trip to the New Balance Collegiate Invite at the Armory this weekend.  Jeremy will compete in the 1000 meter run on Friday night against an absolutely loaded field featuring 6 runners ranked in the top 9 in the nation at that distance this year.