OP track still a force

By Robert Daski

Published: May 23, 2008

CHARLOTTESVILLE – The sign saying “We Ain’t Dead Yet” hung inside the Osbourn Park tent at Friday’s Northwest Region track meet.

Names of each member of the Osbourn Park girls’ track team were on the sign.

It was the Yellow Jackets’ way of showing that even after relinquishing its Cedar Run District title nine days earlier to Battlefield, they remain a force to be reckoned with.

“We decided we were going to surprise people and show we’re still here,” Yellow Jackets 400-relay 1600-relay runner Cristin Gonzales said.

Gonzales and her teammates backed up those words on Friday, capturing their third straight Northwest Region title with 88 points.

Brittany Hyter’s 300-meter hurdles and long jump wins coupled with her second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles helped.

Second place finishes from Bethany Hyter in the 200-meter dash (25.03) and 400-meter dash (55.38), a third in the long jump (17-01.25) and fourth in the triple jump (35-04.00) helped.

So did Peyton Alston’s fourth place 100-meter hurdles finish (15.48).

Those performances, which combined with Osbourn Park’s runner-up finishes in the 400-relay (49.11) and 1600-relay (4:00.97), ensured the Yellow Jackets were making their district runner-up finish a distant memory.

“No one else was going to beat us at regionals,” Brittany said.

But Potomac made a case that it can also excel at this level.

The Panthers finished second in the girls’ team competition with 74 points.

That was due to Yvonne Amegashie winning the 100 (12.41), 200 (24.81) and 400-meter dash (55.19), Pearl Bickersteth winning the high jump (5-04) and Debra Baner placing second in the 3200-meter run (11:21.31).

“We trained hard so it paid off,” Amegashie said.

Damien Thigpen also saw his regional preparation pay off. The Stonewall Jackson junior won the 300-meter hurdles in a personal-best 37.21 and the 200-meter dash (21.73).

“I’m pretty happy with both my races,” Thigpen said.

He tries to start fast and maintain his speed throughout the 200.

Thigpen certainly had to be fast with Potomac’s Brice Mathews gaining ground as both approached the finish line.

Mathews, who entered the 200 with the faster seeded time, finished second (21.91).

“I always have to stay focused,” Thigpen said.

Gar-Field won the girls’ 1600-relay (3:58.83) and was one of three teams to break the meet record in the girls’ 3200-relay, an event the Indians finished in second (9:23.75).

Mathews won the boys’ 400-meter dash (48.87).

Battlefield senior Rex Parker won the boys’ long jump and qualified for the Nike Outdoor National meet by jumping 23-04.75.

Battlefield won the boys’ 3200-relay in a meet record 7:56.52.

LOCAL ALL-REGION FINISHERS
Team scores: 1. Osbourn Park 88, 2. Potomac 74, 4. Battlefield 62.5.
GIRLS
100-meter dash: 1. Yvonne Amegashie (Potomac) 12.41, 2. Kim Blaylock (Battlefield) 12.45, 3. Genevieve Johnson (Battlefield) 12.69, 4. Jasmine Williams (Potomac) 12.76, 5. Amanda Nocera (Osbourn Park) 12.77.
200-meter dash: 1. Yvonne Amegashie (Potomac) 24.81, 2. Bethany Hyter (Osbourn Park) 25.03, 3. Kim Blaylock (Battlefield) 25.79, 4. Genevieve Johnson (Battlefield) 26.07, 6. Jasmine Williams (Potomac) 26.14.
400-meter dash: 1. Yvonne Amegashie (Potomac) 55.19, 2. Bethany Hyter (Osbourn Park) 55.38, 4. Gerda Gatling (Forest Park) 59.57, 7. Chanel Fauntleroy (Woodbridge) 1:00.32, 8. Priscilla Owusu-Mensah (Gar-Field) 1:00.39.
800-meter run: 3. Aubree Washington (Gar-Field) 2:18.54, 4. Monique Scott (Gar-Field) 2:18.56, 6. Lindsi Arrington (Gar-Field) 2:20.84.
1600-meter run: 2. Lindsi Arrington (Gar-Field) 5:06.96, 4. Diana Budreika (Battlefield) 5:12.01, 5. Debra Baner (Potomac) 5:12.20, 6. Michelle Britto (Woodbridge) 5:13.56.
3200-meter run: 2. Debra Baner (Potomac) 11:21.31, 3. Elizabeth Walls (Battlefield) 11:30.21, 5. Katie Goode (Battlefield) 11:44.47.
100-meter hurdles: 2. Brittany Hyter (Osbourn Park) 15.05, 4. Peyton Alston (Osbourn Park) 15.48, 6. Kayla Williams (Potomac) 15.48, 6. Kayla Williams (Potomac) 15.79, 7. Michelle Ferguson (Osbourn Park) 15.86, 8. Shelby Landay (Osbourn) 16.27.
300-meter hurdles: 1. Brittany Hyter (Osbourn Park) 44.00, 3. Kayla Williams (Potomac) 45.92, 4. Danielle McKenzie-Smith (Osbourn Park) 47.15, 6. Shelby Landay (Osbourn) 47.37, 8. Eboni Strawder (Potomac) 47.85.
400-relay: 2. Osbourn Park 49.11, 3. Battlefield 49.30, 7. Stonewall Jackson 50.13.
1600-relay: 1. Gar-Field 3:58.83, 2. Osbourn Park 4:00.97, 6. Freedom 4:10.06, 8. Battlefield 4:12.77.
3200-relay: 2. Gar-Field 9:23.75, 4. Forest Park 9:33.61, 6. Battlefield 9:50.68, 8. Osbourn Park 9:54.04.
High jump: 2. Pearl Bickersteth (Potomac) 5-04, 5. Shannon Anderson (Battlefield) 5-00.
Pole vault: 6. Brea Zeise (Battlefield) 9-00, 7. Celina Vanegas (Gar-Field) 9-00.
Long jump: 1. Brittany Hyter (Osbourn Park) 18-02.00, 3. Bethany Hyter (Osbourn Park) 17-01.25, 5. Lauren Coleman (Potomac) 17-00.25.
Triple jump: 4. Bethany Hyter (Osbourn Park) 35-04.00, 5. Selina Mann (Battlefield) 35-00.00, 7. Audrey Stiles (Battlefield) 34-07.00.
Shot put: 6. Erin Jones (Hylton) 34-10.50, 7. Tiera Williams (Freedom) 33-09.50.
Discus: 7. Noelia Ramirez (Gar-Field) 100-00, 8. Janae Williams (Freedom) 99-09.
BOYS
Team scores
3. Potomac 65.
100-meter dash: 4. Dayne Mullins (Hylton) 11.09.
200-meter dash: 1. Damien Thigpen (Stonewall Jackson) 21.73, 2. Brice Mathews (Potomac) 21.91, 3. Wesley Jones (Potomac) 22.03, 4. Kelvin Lewis (Woodbridge) 22.11, 8. Eric Gyamfi (Potomac) 22.56.
400-meter dash: 1. Brice Mathews (Potomac) 48.87, 2. Eric Gyamfi (Potomac) 49.02, 4. Wesley Jones (Potomac) 49.43, 6. Philip Lecky (Gar-Field) 50.00, 7. RaMon Mathis (Woodbridge) 50.13.
800-meter run: 2. Eric Hoepker (Battlefield) 1:55.84, 5. Tyler Simmons (Osbourn Park) 1:57.20, 8. Zack Williams (Forest Park) 1:58.29.
1600-meter run: 6. Noah Hagos (Hylton) 4:25.26, 7. Nolan Compton (Osbourn Park) 4:29.61.
3200-meter run: 5. Cameron Shaver (Forest Park) 9:41.40, 8. Richard Arena (Osbourn Park) 9:50.21.
110-meter hurdles: 2. Paul DeVito (Osbourn Park) 14.50, 3. Andre Washington (Woodbridge) 14.62, 5. Jeremy Jackson (Potomac) 14.92, 6. Clinton Burrell (Gar-Field) 15.03, 7. Melvin Villalta (Osbourn) 15.19, 8. John Thomas (Potomac) 15.22.
300-meter hurdles: 1. Damien Thigpen (Stonewall Jackson) 37.21, 3. Andre Washington (Woodbridge) 39.05, 6. Devin Brewer (Potomac) 40.44, 8. Jeremy Jackson (Potomac) 40.49.
400-relay: 3. Woodbridge 43.24, 4. Hylton 43.40, 7. Gar-Field 43.98.
1600-relay: 2. Potomac 3:22.50, 3. Gar-Field 3:23.47, 4. Woodbridge 3:23.57, 7. Battlefield 3:30.34.
3200-relay: 1. Battlefield 7:56.52, 2. Gar-Field 8:01.09, 8. Forest Park 8:42.96.
High jump: 6. Melvin Villalta (Osbourn) 6-00, 7. Matt Passarge (Battlefield) 6-00.00.
Pole vault: 2. John Brennan (Forest Park) 13-00.00, 6. Stuart Shotwell (Forest Park) 12-06.00, 8. Gustavo Osorio (Woodbridge) 12-00.00.
Long jump: 1. Rex Parker (Battlefield) 23-04.75, 4. Wesley Jones (Potomac) 22-00.50, 7. Julian Wells (Potomac) 21-08.00.
Triple jump: 2. Rex Parker (Battlefield) 47-10.75, 5. Kevin Aaron (Gar-Field) 44-03.00, 6. Wesley Jones (Potomac) 43-09.25.
Discus: 7. Isaiah Simmons (Woodbridge) 126-01.