SHS, Glenvar have good day at Liberty University
The Salem High indoor track team had a big day at Liberty University last Saturday. The Spartans participated in the Liberty Premier Invitational in Lynchburg and four boys set a new school and meet record in the 4×200 relay.
The Salem 4×200 team of Jonathan Vernon, Josiah Persinger, DaRon Wilson and Peyton Lewis ran a time of 1:28.23 for a new Salem High record, surpassing the previous school record by 3.2 seconds. That was good for first place among 45 relay teams in the event and it also set a new meet record. The foursome now has the fastest high school indoor 4×200 time in the nation.
Salem had a big day all around at the meet. State qualifying times were met by Lewis, Persinger and Wilson in the 55 Dash, and Lewis’ time of 6.40 ranks him first in the state among Class 4 runners while Persinger’s 6.46 ranks him second. Wilson is ranked 10th at 6.64 and Vernon met the region standard with a time of 6.83. Dominic Wright also met the region standard by running 6.89.
Lewis also met the state standard in the 300 meters with a time of 36.14 while Vernon, Wright, Wilson and Bryson Hill all region-qualified in that event. Mitchell Taylor had region qualifying times in the 55 hurdles and the 500 dash and Christopher Cole was a region qualifier in the 55 hurdles with a time of 8.26 for ninth place in the meet. Wright was 21st in the triple jump and Dontay Davis was 22nd in the shot put.
The Salem girls had many season best performances, including five in the 55 dash, six in the 300 dash, two in the 500 dash, one in the 1000 meter run and two in the shot put. The girls’ 4×200 relay ran their best time with Genelle Balthazar, Erin Armistead, Zi’Leyah Haynes and Arianna Simon. This week Salem athletes will be scattered among three meets. Some will compete at Roanoke College on Thursday afternoon, some will travel to the Virginia Showcase Meet in Virginia Beach and others will be back at Liberty on Friday and Saturday.
Glenvar High also took 23 athletes to the Liberty Premier Invitational and had some good performances. “Up to this point in our season this was by far the best competition we’ve seen,” said Glenvar coach Bekka Loder. “It was good to be back on the track since our holiday break. We had 14 athletes set personal records and Joanna Killeen cut her time by six seconds in the 1000 with a time of 3:32.07 , trying to reach her goal of 3:30 to state qualify.”
The Glenvar boys’ 4×200 relay team hit the track for the first time and ran a state qualifying time of 1:36.18 with the foursome of Jackson Swanson, Zach Curfiss, Avone Noel and Heath Bowker.
“We have a very busy week coming up,” said Loder. “Most of the team will attend the RC meet on Thursday and seven athletes will attend the Virginia Beach Showcase this weekend.”