Pettit, Jackson bring home state track titles

Several top six finishes among local athletes at state track meet in Harrisonburg

~ PVN staff report

HARRISONBURG, June 6 — Page County’s Braxton Pettit and Luray’s Azmani Jackson once again established themselves as the top track athletes in the county by earning individual state titles during the VHSL Class 1 and 2 State Track and Field Championships June 5-6 at James Madison University.

After finishing as a state runner-up a year ago at 14.74 seconds…and winning this year’s Region 2B title on May 26 in 14.55 seconds…and then topping the state prelims on Saturday in 14.49 seconds…PCHS junior Braxton Pettit won a state championship in the 110 meter hurdles with an amazing time of 14.16 seconds. Pettit also went on to place 8th at state in the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 41.63 seconds.

During the Region 2B meet on May 26 at Turner Ashby, Pettit won THREE region titles — 110 meter hurdles (14.55 sec); 300 meter hurdles (42.12 sec); and the 100 meter dash (11.33 sec). He also placed sixth in the triple jump (37-11.5) and eighth in the long jump (18-10).

After a seventh-place finish as a sophomore a year ago, Luray junior Azmani Jackson won a state championship in the 800 meter run by shaving nearly six seconds off last year’s time of 2:02.14 to finish at 1:56.29. Jackson shaved about 1.5 seconds off his 400 meter time to improve from third place last year (50.49 sec) to this year’s state runner-up (49.01 sec).

During the Region 1B meet on May 27 at George Washington HS in Danville, Jackson won the region title in the 400 meters (50.08) and was region runner-up in the 200 meters (22.6 seconds). (There was a three-way tie for second place.)

Page County’s Nate Holloway hurled a shot put 49 feet, five inches to become the Class 2 state runner-up in the event. Holloway won the Region 2B title 10 days earlier with a foot less, at 48-5. The junior also finished in fifth place at region in the discus at 119 feet, 1.5 inches.

Luray’s Daniel Frey finished fourth in the 300 meter hurdles on Saturday with a time of 41.56 seconds — almost identical to the 41.68 seconds that earned the sophomore third place in the event at the Region 1B meet. Frey placed seventh in the 100 meter hurdles (16.35 seconds). He placed fifth in the prelims with a time of 16.23 seconds. He also placed fifth at region (16.26 sec).

Luray’s Brylee Painter finished fifth in the 800 meter run (2:30.32) and sixth in the 1600 meter run (5:34.46) at the state track meet on Saturday. The freshman won the Region 1B title in the 1600 meter run at 5:37.46. Painter was also the region runner-up in the 800 meters at 2:32.51.

Other top performances at the VHSL Class 1 meet at the JMU Track and Field Complex:

• 4th — LHS girls 4×800 relay team (10:55.63); won Region 1B title in 11:27.64.
• 6th — LHS boys 4×400 relay team (3:34.36)

For full results from the VHSL Class 1 State Track and Field Championships, CLICK HERE.

Other top performances at the VHSL Class 2 meet at the JMU Track and Field Complex:

• 5th — PCHS girls 4×100 relay team (50:75 seconds); finished in third at region in 55.04 seconds.
• 6th — PCHS gilrs 4×400 relay team (4:21.40); finished fourth in region at 4:32.49.
• 8th — PCHS senior Aaron Hensley (10:15.26)

For full results from the VHSL Class 2 State Track and Field Championships, CLICK HERE.

Other top performances at the Region 1B meet at George Washington HS on May 27:

• 2nd — Kristina McLain, junior, LHS — 100 meter hurdles (17.07 sec)
• 4th — Maya Jenkins, junior, LHS — 800 meter run (2:42.12)
• 4th — LHS boys 4×400 relay team (3:40.24)
• 5th — Ryan Patterson, freshman, LHS — 1600 meter run (5:22.52)
• 5th — Kristina McLain, junior, LHS — 300 meter hurdles (53.42 sec)

For full results from the Region 1B Track and Field Championships, CLICK HERE.

Other top performances at the Region 2B meet at Turner Ashby HS on May 26:

• 1st — Asher Kite, senior, PCHS — 800 meter run (2:02.51)
• 2nd — Adison Caton, junior, PCHS — long jump (14-10)
• 2nd — Brenna McKay, freshman, PCHS — triple jump (29-5)
• 3rd — Aaron Hensley, senior, PCHS — 1600 meter run (4:38.8)
• 3rd — PCHS boys 4×400 relay team (3:43.61)
• 3rd — Bri Backen, junior, PCHS — triple jump (29-4.25)
• 4th — Isaac Davis, sophomore, PCHS — 300 meter hurdles (44.66 sec)
• 4th — PCHS boys 4×100 relay team (47.7 sec)
• 4th — Asher Kite, senior, PCHS — high jump (5 feet, 8 inches)
• 4th — Brenna McKay, freshman, PCHS — long jump (14-5.25)
• 5th — Kaylee Holbert, freshman, PCHS — 3200 meter run (15:15.6)
• 5th — PCHS girls 4×800 relay team (12:08.42)

For full results from the Region 2B Track and Field Championships, CLICK HERE.

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