The Recorder on May 29, 2025
Zach Armstrong, right, hands off to anchor man Eli Moore in the 4×100- meter relay on Monday. The Ram foursome of Patton Hull, Elijah Good, Armstrong and Moore finished second in the 4×100 and 4×400, qualifying for the state meet in both events. (Recorder photos by Mark Pifer)
PEARISBURG — The track seasons at Highland and Bath County high schools have been anything but normal.
It was only fitting that the Memorial Day weather conditions at Giles High School were a little on the unusual side too.
The Rams, Chargers and athletes from 11 other schools braved the rain and wind, soldiering through the Class 1, Region C championship meet Monday.
The Highland foursome of Patton Hull, Elijah Good, Zach Armstrong and Eli Moore provided the top area highlights of the day, finishing in the runner-up spot in both the 4×100 and 4×400-meter relays, qualifying for next weekend’s state championship meet at James Madison University.
The group ran season-best times of 47.83 in the 4×1 and 3:50.18 in the 4×4 on the wet track, losing to just Auburn in the 4×1 and Parry McCluer in the 4×4.
“We just couldn’t run the relays healthy this year,” said HHS coach Colby Jackson. “Today was them at full strength. The 47 second runner-up in the 4×1 was kind of unexpected. The 4×4, I knew they had it in them. We shaved 10 seconds off our time from Riverheads. Eli led us off with a 52-second split — that was two seconds faster than his hand held split time.”
Bath County’s Anna Essex competes in the discus competition on Monday in the Class 1, Region C track meet at Giles High School. Essex finished fifth among 23 throwers.
Colleen Adams will join the Ram relay teams in Harrisonburg, clearing 4-4 in the long jump, in perhaps the worst of the day’s weather conditions, finishing fourth and earning a trip to the state meet.
“I couldn’t be any happier for Colleen,” Jackson said. “She shows up every day and works hard. It’s great for her to get rewarded.”
Jackson said the ability for the team to leave on Sunday and stay overnight, instead of an early wake-up call Monday morning was a huge help.
“Not to be couped up for a three-hour drive this morning was big,” he said. “I am immensely proud of them. We had a lot of young kids competing in the throwing events in the pouring down rain. They didn’t complain, they competed and supported their teammates. We had two freshmen running the 200 when it was freezing. Owen (Honaker) almost ran his season best and Chase Lupo did run a season best. I’m just overly impressed with the whole group.”
While Highland competed in just three regular season meets, Bath County ran in just one. Both programs shared athletes with other sports.
Anna Essex led the group of Charger girls with a fifth-place finish in the discus, earning four team points with a throw of 83 feet, 3 inches.
Essex added a ninth in the shot put.
Chad Fleming took over the program last minute after the death of Mark Weiss, a long-time track coach who started the program back at BCHS last year.
“Chad stepped up when we didn’t have anyone else,” said BCHS athletic director Jake Phillips. “He certainly didn’t have the track knowledge of Mark Weiss, but he has the same passion for the kids and dedication that Weiss had. For people to step up like that, it shouldn’t go unnoticed.
“When Weiss came to me last year about starting a track program, I kind of deflected it. I didn’t know what kind of response we would have from the kids,” Phillips added. “I knew we had a runner (Natalie White) and the next thing you know we had seven or eight. That’s what we’re all about, giving the kids a chance to compete. Weiss took it and ran with it and he was so looking forward to this year. It was tough when he passed. And then you have 15 kids signed up and you were going to have to tell them that we weren’t going to have a team.”
In stepped Fleming and the Chargers competed, even if it was at just a couple of meets.
“It was great to see those kids compete,” Phillips finished. “The kids stepped up and Chad stepped up.”
Monday’s Summary
Boys’ varsity team scores
• 1. Auburn, 194; 2. Narrows, 136½; 3. Parry McCluer, 82; 4. Eastern Montgomery, 81; 5. George Wythe, 46; 6. Giles, 36; 7. Craig County, 34½; 8. Highland, 16; 9. Grayson County, 12; 10. Fort Chiswell 5
Area boys’ individual results
• 100-meter dash: 18. Elijah Good (H), 13.18; 27. Chase Lupo (H), 14.06; 28. Owen Honaker (H), 14.08
• 200-meter dash: 20. Lupo (H), 28.63; 21. Honaker (H), 28.98
• 4×100-meter relay: 2. HHS (Patton Hull, Good, Zach Armstrong, Eli Moore), 47.83
• 4×400-meter relay: 2. HHS (Moore, Good, Hull, Armstrong), 3:50.18
• Long jump: 20. Lupo (H), 14-8; 21. Hull (H), 14-5; 24. Honaker (H), 14-0
• Discus: 21. John Wagner (H), 84-5; 26. Steven Rogers (H), 60-0
• Shot put: 17. Wagner (H), 34-2; 25. Good (H), 29-3; 30. Rogers (H), 25-7
HHS individual points: Hull 4, Good 4, Armstrong 4, Moore 4
Girls’ varsity team scores
• 1. Auburn, 203; 2. Narrows, 105; 3. George Wythe, 86; 4. Giles, 81; 5. Grayson County, 53; 6. Eastern Montgomery, 36; 7. Parry McCluer, 18; 8. Fort Chiswell, 16; 9. Bland County, 14; 10. Galax, 6; 11. Highland, 5; 12. Bath County 4.
Area girls’ individual results
• 100-meter dash: 11. Colleen Adams (H), 15.20; 14. Zy Coleman (BC), 15.63
• 200-meter dash: 15. Adams (H), 32.63
• High jump: 4. Adams (H), 4-4
• Discus: 5. Anna Essex (BC), 83-3; 11. Sierra Gardener (BC), 68-5; 14. Kristina Neil (H), 63-1; 22. Elin Essex (BC), 40-1; 23. Sarah Liller (H), 38-1
• Shot put: 9. A. Essex (BC), 25-8; 10. Macey Paxton (BC), 24-8; 15. Gardener (BC), 23-11; 24. Adams (H), 22-2; 25. Neil (H), 22-0; 28. Liller (H), 17-10
• BCHS individual points: A. Essex 4
• HHS individual points: Adams 5