Virginia State Meet

Loudoun Valley Boys Roll To Fifth Straight Title With 17 Points

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

New names, same result. Saturday at Great Meadow, the Loudoun Valley boys cross country team won the program’s fifth straight 4A Virginia State Cross Country title, scoring an impressive 17 points.

Despite the graduation of two-time individual winner Sam Affolder, now at Washington, and Jacob Hunter (Virginia), the Vikings didn’t miss a beat. The fourth-ranked team in the country received a first-place finish from Carlos Shultz (15:25), sweeping the top four spots and had six in the top eight. 

While it was a banner day for the boys, the girls also defended the 4A title as Ava Gordon won the race for Loudoun Valley in a time of 18:04. The scored 36 points and had four runners finish in the top 15 and all five in the top 20.

Next up for Loudoun Valley will NXR Southeast later this month. The boys are the two-time defending NXR and Nike Cross Nationals champions. 

Senior Sean Stuck led a strong performance from West Springfield in the 6A boys arce. Stuck won the race in 15:21, as West Springfield had three runners in the top five to win the team title with 39 points.

The Lake Braddock girls returned to the top in 6A, with three finishing in the top 22 to score 89 points and claim the team crown. Senior Bethany Graham of John Champe won the individual race in 17:42. 

The Albemarle boys repeated as 5A champs scoring 52 points. Four runners finished in the top 15. Senior  Colby Burcham of Deep Run won the race in 15:36.

In 5A girls, it was a close race for the team title as Deep Run edged out Midlothian, 65-67 for the championship. Senior Maeve Stiles of Maury went under 18 minutes to win the race in 17:58. 

3A-1A-Green Hill Park, Salem, VA

Mary Caroline Heinen made it three straight state titles on Saturday, winning the 3A crown at Green Hill Park in Salem. The Maggie Walker senior won the 5,000-meter race in  17:52.9, nearly a minute faster than the runner-up. Heinen’s first-place finish was just the start of a banner day for Maggie Walker, as the team placed all five in the top 22 to score 48 points and win the team title after moving up from 2A to 3A this season.

The Western Albemarle boys not only repeated as 3A state champs, but did so perfectly. Led by senior Jack Eliason’s victory (15:15), Western Albemarle placed all five runners in the top six, with one non-team scoring runner breaking up the pack. 

In 2A, senior Kelsey Harrington of Virginia High broke her own course record from earlier this season, as she dominated the race, winning in a time of 16:55.1. Her time was No. 5 all-time in Virginia. The team title went to Radford with 50 points.

Sophomore George Austin III of East Rockingham claimed the 2A boys title in 16:00, while Union scored 54 points, placing three in the top 15 to win the team championship.

In girls 1A, George Wythe of Wytheville had all five runners finish in the top 15 to score 39 points and win the team title. Sophomore Kensey May of Parry McCluer won the individual title in 18:42, nearly a minute faster than the next finisher. 

Senior Dylan May of Parry McCluer led the way for this team with a first place finish in 15:54.6. His teammates went 7-8-9 finishes to score 38 points and win the 1A team title.

Team Champions

Class 6A: West Springfield boys 39 points; Lake Braddock girls 89 points - RESULTS

Class 5A: Albemarle boys 52 points; Deep Run girls 65 points - RESULTS

Class 4A: Loudoun Valley boys 17 points; Loudoun Valley girls 36 points - RESULTS

Class 3A: Western Albemarle boys 15 points; Maggie Walker girls 48 points - RESULTS

Class 2A: Union boys 54 points; Radford girls 50 points - RESULTS

Class 1A: Parry McCluer boys 38 points; George Wythe (Wytheville) girls 39 points  - RESULTS