.jpg)
Saturday, June 3 – Parry McCluer High School junior Kovyk Chandler defended his state title in the boys’ 3200-meter run and placed second in the 1600-meter run at the Class 1 state track and field meet on Saturday at the James Madison University Track and Field Complex in Harrisonburg. Three other Fighting Blues – Logan Wheelock, Kyra Lee and Jasmine De Souza -- also earned all-state honors by placing in the top eight.
In the 3200 on Saturday morning, Chandler took the lead with just over 400 meters to go and pulled away in the final lap, finishing in 10:04.16, running the second half of his race in 4:59.4. Castlewood’s Adam Gibson placed second of 17 runners in 10:12.34. Lebanon’s Derek Mitchell, who was leading for most of the race, finished third in 10:18.34. Chandler holds PM’s school record of 9:31, which he ran at the Dogwood Track Classic on May 6 at the University of Virginia.
Joining Chandler in the 3200 was Wheelock, a freshman, placing seventh in 11:09.66.
Less than four hours after the 3200, in the heat of the early afternoon, Chandler competed in the 1600. In a similar way to how he raced in the 3200, Chandler stayed near the front for almost the entire race before taking the lead with just over 400 meters to go. However, in the final lap, Grundy senior Kaleb Elswick, who specializes in the 800-meter run and did not run the 3200, surged ahead. In a dogged sprint to the finish, Elswick won in 4:31.32, finishing the final 400 meters in 59.223 seconds. Chandler placed a close second in 4:31.78, running the final 400 meters in 1:00.385. Lancaster’s Matthew Kane finished third of 16 runners in 4:35.3.
Also competing in the 1600 for the Blues was freshman Josh Cooper, who placed ninth in 5:01.4, about a second shy of his personal record (PR).
For the PM girls, Lee completed an impressive freshman year by placing sixth in 20 runners in the 3200-meter run, finishing in 13:11.51, about two seconds shy of her PR. De Souza, a junior, followed in seventh in 13:13.62, a PR by about nine seconds and 71 seconds faster than her time at the state meet last year. Auburn’s Kasey Rosenbaugh won the race in 12:03.75.
De Souza also competed in the 1600-meter run, placing 10th of 13 runners in 6:17.61. Galileo’s Carol-Anne Garrett won the race in 5:32.45.
PM’s lone thrower, sophomore Kamilah Richardson, placed 10th of 17 individuals in the girls’ shot put with a toss of 30 feet, 7.5 inches, a mark that was 2 feet, 3.5 inches shy of the PR she threw to place eighth at the Class 1 and 2 combined state indoor track and field meet in early March. Galax’s Emily Edwards won the shot put on Saturday with a toss of 40-6.
Under the direction of head coach Chris Poluikis, throwing coach Danny Cole and assistant coach Robert Williams, the Blues have high hopes for the future, with no seniors on this year’s teams.
For the full story and photos from the state meet, with final team scores and standings please see our June 7 newspaper.
