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Eleven individuals and three relay teams from the Rockbridge County High School indoor track and field teams advanced to the Region 3C meet based on their performances at the Valley District meet on Thursday night at the Virginia Military Institute Corps Physical Training Facility in Lexington.
In the team standings, the RC girls placed second of four teams, while the RC boys finished fourth. Turner Ashby defended its title in the girls’ meet with 76 points, while RC placed second with 35 points to edge third-place Spotswood (33), and Broadway (23) came in fourth. Broadway (99) won the boys’ meet, while Spotswood (69) placed second, TA (33) came in third, and RC (20) finished fourth.
If not qualified by time or distance, the top six individuals and top three relay teams advanced to the Region 3C meet.
The Wildcat girls garnered three individual titles. Junior Deena Ludtke won the 1600-meter run in 5:37.45 and claimed the 1000-meter run in 3:17.38. Junior Deborah Fashida won the girls’ 55-meter run in 8.2 seconds, a personal record (PR).
For the RC boys, senior Evan Roney won the 1000-meter run in 2:42.12. He was one of five RC boys to advance individually.
Roney was also part of two relay teams that advanced to the Region 3C meet. The RC boys placed second in the 4 X 800meter relay in 9:13.85. Teaming up with Roney were seniors Andrew Brannon and Brian Kendall and freshman Fisher Howald. In the 4 X 400-meter relay, Roney teamed up with Brannon, Kendall and junior Hunter Howald to place third in 3:58.35.
Brannon advanced in the 1000-meter run by placing third in 2:56.6, as did Kendall by finishing fifth in 3:06.01, while Fisher Howald advanced the 1600-meter run by finishing fifth in 5:12.43.
In the boys’ shot put, senior Ben Batis qualified for regionals by placing third with a toss of 36 feet, 1 inch.
Including Fashida and Ludtke, the RC girls had six individuals qualify for the regional meet. Fashida also qualified in the long jump, placing second with a leap of 13-8.
Senior Grace Rolon advanced by placing third in the 1000-- meter run in 3:26.49 and finished fourth in the 1600meter run in 5:50.11. Sophomore Madeline Swisher placed fourth in the 300meter run in 49.53 seconds and finished fifth in the 500-meter run in 1:34.36, and sophomore Brooke Eichelberger came in sixth in the 300-meter run in 49.84 seconds.
The RC girls advanced in the 4 X 200-meter relay by placing second in 2:02.18. Team members were Fashida, Swisher, Eichelberger and sophomore Lydia Kendall.
In the girls’ shot put, junior Bri Marando advanced by placing fifth with a toss of 25-9.
Expressing her gratitude for those that helped make the district meet successful, RC head coach Jennifer Showalter said, “Thank you to VMI for allowing us to host for the second year. Also a big thank you to the RCHS staff, officials, volunteers, parents and team members for working the meet. Thank you to Hogback Mountain BBQ for providing the hospitality room for those who helped make this evening happen.”
The Region 3C meet is scheduled for Saturday at Heritage High School in Lynchburg, starting with field events at 10 a.m. If not qualified by time or distance, the top three individuals and relay teams will advance to the Class 3 state meet.
