LHS 4×400 state runner-up; records set; all-state honors; dozen local athletes finish among Top 10 at state meet
By Randy Arrington
HARRISONBURG, June 1 — Luray High School’s Davey Johnson has won two state titles, earned three state-runner-up finishes, collected multiple region and district titles, broken school records, broken course records and surpassed his father Paul’s running records…and he still has one year left as a Bulldog.
On Saturday at James Madison University, Johnson collected his second state title by taking first in the boys 800-meter run with a time of 1:55.82 — almost three full seconds ahead of the state runner-up — at the VHSL Class 2 state track and field championships. Almost exactly one year ago to the day, also at JMU, the then-sophomore earned his first state title in the 1600-meter run (4:28.68). For the last two years, Johnson’s two state titles represent the only state championships — team or individual — earned by any athletes in the county.
Two years ago, Johnson posted a state runner-up finish in the 800 meter run as a freshman. He started his sophomore year with a second place finish at the state cross country meet, just under five seconds behind the state champion. Then a few months later, Johnson set a new school record in the 1000 meter run and took yet another “silver” at the state indoor track meet in Lynchburg.
The LHS boys 4×400 relay team broke a school record this season and earned a state runner-up finish on Saturday at JMU with a time of 3:27.27. Hurdler James Farrow earned all-state honors in two hurdling events. The LHS junior took fifth place in the 300-meter hurdles (:41.62) … just 2.58 seconds off first; and sixth place in the 110-meter hurdles (:15.92) … just 1.61 seconds off the state champ.
Page County’s Summer Kite took seventh place in the girls 3200-meter run at Saturday’s Class 2 state meet, with a time of 12:29.6. The senior also placed 13th at state in the 1600-meter run with a time of 6:04.15. Kite is a two-time Region 2B champion, with a title in the 1600 meter run (5:44.57) last season and a region title in the 3200-meter run (12:44.7) this season. She set a school record this season in the 1600 meters that had stood for 18 years. The PCHS senior has signed her letter of intent to run next year for the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. (Be on the lookout for a feature next week on PVN.)
Luray’s Annah Whitmer posted two eighth-place finishes at the state meet — the 400-meter dash (1:03.05) and the 800-meter run (2:31.81). Earlier this season, the junior set a new LHS school-record in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:34.89. The previous record had stood for 40 years. Whitmer also earned all-state honors last season after finishing third in the 400-meter dash (1:02.06). She finished 11th last season at state in the 800-meter run.
It was a strong year for local track athletes at the state meet on Saturday in Harrisonburg. Between Luray and Page County combined, a total of 12 athletes finished among the Top 10 in their respective categories. A handful earned all-state honors, including a state runner-up and a state champion.
Other Top 10 finishes by local athletes at the Class 2 state track meet:
• 6th place — LHS girls 4×800 relay team (10:49.28)
• 7th place — LHS senior Josh Nuckols, 800-meter run (2:04.47) … just under nine seconds over Johnson’s state title
• 8th place — PCHS boys 4×800 relay team (8:53.62)
• 10th place — PCHS sophomore Asher Kite, boys 1600-meter run (4:43.82); LHS boys 4×800-meter relay team (8:56.10).
OTHER NOTABLES FINISHES AT STATE:
• 11th place — PCHS sophomore Aaron Hensley, boys 3200-meter run (10:15.4); Hensley also finished 23rd in the 1600-meter run finals (4:56.03).
• 13th place — LHS boys 4×100 relay team (:44.65).
• 14th place — PCHS senior Elizabeth Ramos, discus (89-00) and shot put (29-11). Ramos was the Region 2B runner-up in discus and placed third at region in shot put.
• 16th place — LHS senior Hunter Kibler, 400-meter dash (:52.54) … still only about 3.5 seconds off the state champ.
For FULL RESULTS from the VHSL Class 2 state track and field championships,
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