The Maroon boys took first in the Mountain Empire District track and field showdown in Galax, besting Auburn 167 points to 143. Auburn took first in the girls, beating George Wythe 175 to 126. Fort Chiswell’s girls finished third with 59 points, and Bland took fifth with 14 points. The Bland boys finished sixth with nine points and Fort Chiswell was fifth with 14 points. Grayson’s girls and boys each finished in fourth. Galax girls took sixth and the Tide boys finished in third.
The Maroon boys took first in the 4×800-meter relay, clocking in at 9:32.76. The girls were first, too, finishing in 11:36.97.
In the 100-meter hurdles, Ella Richardson of GW finished first with a time of 19.27. Nathan Swatsky took second, clocking in at 20.60.
George Wythe’s girls swept the top three in the 100-meter dash. Haley Faulkner, a freshman, grabbed first with a 13.83 finish. Peyten Thompson was second, clocking in at 13.94, and Ava Fowler finished third, posting a time of 14.34. Fort Chiswell sophomore Carmen Brown was fifth, finishing in 14.67. In seventh was Galax’s Kassidy Thompson, finishing in 15.00. Fort Chiswell freshman Aurora Haywood took eighth, clocking in at 15.08. George Wythe’s Ella Richardson took ninth, finishing in 15.11. Galax’s Jaylean Jackson and Laikyn Ayers finished 10th and 11th, respectively. Jackson clocked in at 15.41, and Ayers at 15.55. Kaylee Bennett of Grayson County took 12th with a time of 17.33.
Galax senior Cole Pickett took first in the 100-meter dash, finishing in 11.81. George Wythe’s Justin Felts took second with a time of 12.03. In fourth, Brock Smelser of GW, finished in 12.39. Kevin Reyes of Galax clocked in at 12.44 to take fifth. In sixth, George Wythe’s Joseph Wilkins stopped the clock at 12.51. Galax freshman Josh Jemison finished seventh at 12.53. His teammate, Jackson Alderman, came in ninth with a time of 12.76. Layton Kennedy of Fort Chiswell crossed the line at 12.76 for 10th. Holden Cassell of Grayson County came in at 13.50 to earn 11th. George Wythe’s Ty Campbell claimed 12th with a time of 13.81.
In the 1600-meter run, Grayson freshman Destyne Rutherford clocked in at 6:12.37 for first. Bland’s Chessie Tindell was third, clocking in at 6:29.66. Grayson County senior Alyssa Edwards finished in 6:40.98 to take fourth.
Grayson’s Zane Cox was first in the boys 1600 meters, clocking in at 4:48.04. Two seconds back, at 4:50.06, was Kade Minton of George Wythe. Grayson’s Dylan Bedwell took third, clocking in at 4:53.83. His teammate, Isaiah Osborne, took sixth, finishing at 5:17.31. Oscar Montgomery, a freshman at George Wythe, clocked in at 5:30.04, earning seventh. Grayson’s Dustin Wise finished eighth with a time of 5:31.07. George Wythe’s Anthony Wilkins grabbed ninth, speeding to a 5:44.37 finish. Jason Wilburn of Bland clocked in at 5:45.08 to take 10th. George Wythe’s Mason Mabry clocked in at 6:57.08, good for 12th.
The GW girls took first in the 4×100 meter relay, posting a time of 52.27. The Maroon boys, too, took first, clocking in at 47.02.
In the 400-meter dash, George Wythe’s McKenzie Tate wrapped up first with a time of 1:06.81. Chessie Tindell of Bland took second, finishing at 1:13.97. Alyssa Edwards of Grayson County came in third, posting a 1:17.51 finish.
George Wythe senior Terry Morgan took the top spot in the 400-meters, finishing at 53:32. Galax junior Eric Bagley clocked in at 58.94 for second, followed by Bland’s Kary Romano at 1:02.01. Carter Kegley of George Wythe, finished fourth with a time of 1:08.04. In fifth, Galax’s Evan King clocked in at 1:09.76, and Fort Chiswell’s Jerimiah Cline claimed sixth with a 1:11.51 finish. Kalen Williams of Galax clocked in at 1:12.46 to finish seventh. Conner Lester of Fort Chiswell claimed eighth with a time of 1:14.81.
Fort Chiswell sophomore Katie Alderman’s 55.69 finish in the 300-meter hurdles was good for first. Her freshman teammate Aurora Haywood followed, clocking in at 59.62. In third, Laikyn Ayers of Galax took 1:01.41.
George Wythe’s Nathan Swatsky finished second in the 300-meter hurdles, finishing in 46.20.
In the 800-meter run, Grayson’s Destyne Rutherford finished second, stopping the watches at 2:43.23. Mogan Dalton, a junior at George Wythe, clocked in at 2:43.54, earning third, Kara Temple, a sophomore at GW, took fourth, finishing at 2:49.70. Grayson’s Olivia Cormany was sixth, finishing at 4:50.31.
Kade Minton of George Wythe earned third in the boys 800 meters, finishing at 2:19.36. Isaiah Osborne of Grayson County came in at 2:23.87 for fourth place. Oscar Montgomery of George Wythe followed with a time of 2:31.61. In sixth, Bland County’s Kary Romano clocked in at 2:33.58. Jerimiah Cline of Fort Chiswell finished seventh with a 2:38.43 run, and Bland’s Jason Wilburn earned eighth, clocking in at 2:44.27. Carter Kegley of GW stopped the watches at 2:46.02 for ninth. Aidan Groseclose and Conner Lester, both of Fort Chiswell, finished in 11th and 12th, respectively. Groseclose clocked in at 3:17.64 and Lester at 3:32.43.
Haley Faulkner of George Wythe grabbed gold in the 200-meter dash, stopping the clock at 28.05. Her teammate, Peyton Thompson was third, finishing at 29.55. Carmen Brown of Forth Chiswell finished in fourth, stopping the watches at 30.14. Fellow Pioneer Katie Alderman claimed sixth with a time of 31.13. Ava Fowler of George Wythe took seventh, followed by Aurora Haywood of Fort Chiswell. Fowler clocked in at 31.19 and Haywood at 31.65. Galax’s Kassidy Thompson and Jaylean Jackson finished in ninth and 10th, respectively. Thompson stopped the watches at 31.74, and Jackson at 31.92. Laikyn Ayers of Galax took 13th with a time of 32.06. George Wythe’s Candice stone earned 14th with a 33.15 finish.
George Wythe boys took the top four spot in the 200 meter dash. Brock Smelser was first with a 24.51, followed by Davion Tillison a hair behind at 24.52. Justin Felts finished third at 24.69, and Terry Morgan took fourth with a time of 25.24. In fifth, Galax’s Jackson Alderman clocked in at 25.27. His teammate, Keven Reyes finished seventh with a time of 25.32. Fellow Maroon Tide runner Richard Dickerson took eighth with a time of 25.76. Layton Kennedy of Fort Chiswell was ninth, stopping the clock at 25.94. Josh Jemison of Galax finished at 26.68, good for 10th.
Grayson County’s Dylan Bedwell finished second in the 3200-meter run, finishing at 11:04.75.
The GW girls took first in the 4×400 meter relay with a time of 4:35.22. Galax’s boys team took second in the 4×400 relay, clocking in at 4:20.84. George Wythe’s 5:18.62, gave the Maroons third.
George Wythe’s Cristal Clarke, Anastasia Kapranos and Lianna Dillon finished fifth, sixth and seventh in the discus throw, respectively. Clarke tossed 63 feet, 9 inches. Kapranos hit the 58-foot, 2-inch mark and Dillon tossed 53 feet.
In the boys discus, Galax’s Josh Brown took second, hitting 103 feet, 7 inches. Thomas Smith of George Wythe tossed for 93 feet, 10 inches for third. Kalen Williams of Galax claimed fourth, throwing for 90 feet, 1 inch. Conner Lester of Fort Chiswell grabbed fifth, tossing 89 feet, 7 inches. In sixth, Bland’s Andy Blankenship tossed for 85 feet. Jaylin Salyes and Bryce Greogry of George Wythe finished in eighth and ninth. Sayles threw 79 feet, 11 inches and Gregory 75 feet, 2 inches. Fort Chiswell’s Luke Hillenberg finished in 11th, throwing for 66 feet, 9 inches. Zach Neal of George Wythe’s 60-foot throw earned 12th.
In the shot put, Cristal Clark, Lianna Dillon and Anastasia Kapranos of George Wythe finished fifth, sixth and seventh. Clarke tossed for 23 feet, 8.5 inches. Dillon hit the 22-foot, 1-inch mark, and Kapranos tossed for 21 feet, 7.5 inches.
Josh Brown of Galax took first in the boys shot put, hitting 38 feet, 8 inches. Conner Lester of Fort Chiswell earned third, tossing for 34 feet, 1 inches. Thomas Smith of George Wythe hit 34 feet, 0.5 inches, grabbing fourth. In sixth place, Bland County’s Andy Blankenship threw for 30 feet, 7 inches. Bryce Gregory followed, hitting 29 feet, 9 inches. Jaylin Sayles of George Wythe grabbed ninth, throwing for 25 feet, 7 inches. Peyton Isom of Grayson hit 25 feet, 5.5 inches, good for 10th. His teammate, Jackson Greer, was 11th with a 25 foot, 4 inch heave. Zach Neal of George Wythe wound up in 12th, throwing for 23 feet, 10 inches.
Haley Faulkner continued to dominate in the long jump, clearing a 14 foot, 8.25 inch gap to give the Maroons first. Carmen Brown, Katie Alderman and Aurora Haywood finished second, third and fifth, respectively. Brown cleared 13 feet, 6.5 inches. Alderman jumped 13 feet, and Haywood 11 feet, 7.75 inches. Alyssa Edwards of Grayson hit 11 feet, 7 inches to earn sixth.
George Wythe swept the top three spots in the boys long jump, with Davion Tillison leading the pack with a 19-foot, 6-inch jump. Terry Morgan was second, hitting 18 feet, 0.5 inches. Brock Smelser was third, nailing 16 feet, 11 inches. Layton Kennedy of Fort Chiswell was fourth, leaping 16 feet, 0.5 inches. Fort Chiswell’s Jerimiah Cline took sixth, leaping 13 feet, 3.5 inches.
In the triple jump, Haley Faulkner and Aurora Haywood took first and second for George Wythe and Fort Chiswell, respectively. Faulkner leapt 30 feet, 5 inches and Haywood 27 feet, 1.5 inches.
Davion Tillison claimed the triple jump crown for the GW boys, hitting 45 feet, 2 inches.
In the high jump, Katie Alderman of Fort Chiswell cleared 4 feet, 4 inches to lead the field. Davion Tillison took first among the boys, clearing 5 feet, 10 inches. Eric Bagley of Galax was second, clearing 5 feet, 6 inches.
