Lafayette’s boys and girls outdoor track and field teams have added hardware to their trophy case during the month of May.
After claiming the Bay Rivers District and 3A Colonial Rivers Conference 25 titles in recent weeks, their latest triumph came Wednesday when both teams captured the inaugural 3A East Region titles at Culpeper High School.
Lafayette’s boys took first with 125 points while fellow Bay Rivers District members Warhill (53) and York (46.50) finished second and third, respectively.
The girls team outscored runner-up Armstrong 109-76 with Warhill placing third (52).
Both teams were led by the usual suspects — Kathryn Tomczak, Deborah Allison and Adrianna Hooks paced the girls while Derek Holdsworth, Micah Canaday and Jason Menzies anchored the boys — although Rams coaches were pleased to note a few standout performances from some of less heralded athletes.
Brooke Crookston ran a personal-best time of 2 minutes, 26.81 seconds in the 800 to place second behind Warhill’s Miriam Buscher, who won the event in 2 minutes, 24.14 seconds.
Delaney Savage also aided the girls’ efforts with a third-place showing in the mile run behind teammate Adrianna Hooks (5:10.05) in second.
Allison, as usual, dominated the 100 meter hurdles to win in 15.21 seconds and added a runner-up finish in the 300 hurdles as well.
Tomczak did not have to challenge her personal best height in the pole vault; she won the event at 10 feet, 6 inches, roughly a foot-and-a-half lower than her career mark, and also placed third behind Allison in the 100 hurdles.
Other local winners from the girls meet were Warhill’s Alexus Wells, who won the long jump at 16 feet, 11 inches.
A handful of athletes on the boys side recorded personal best times, including Holdsworth, who ran a 48.30 to win the 800 meter.
Lafayette’s Andrew Loper also ran a career-best 4 minute, 25.38 second mile to place second in front of Menzies at 4:27.02.
While the performance of the day belonged to Canaday, who won both the 110 and 300 meter hurdles, one of the more notable achievements came from York’s Myles Brown, who set a personal record by more than 4 feet in the triple jump to win the event in 44 feet, 10 inches.
Warhill, which took second in the boys standings, was led by Christopher SShort, who won the 800 meter in 1:55.52, and Devonte Dedmon, who placed second in the 100 meter dash at 10.96 seconds.
The top six individuals from each event, including relays, advance to the 3A state championships. Any other athlete who met 3A state qualifying times during the regular season is also eligible to compete.
Click here for complete results from Wednesday’s 3A East Region championships.
