Along with MelissaDewey in the distance events, Hayfield has other talented athletes who could help the Hawks contend for the Virginia AAA title. Murielle Ahoure was an All-Met last spring and is one of the D.C. area's best sprinters, while Nakeisha Wineglass was the indoor state champ in the triple jump. . . .
Lake Braddock senior All-Met Ashley Haislip high-jumped 5 feet 9 inches during the winter season and won her third straight indoor state title in that event, but she has never won a state outdoor championship. Last year, she was runner-up in that event as well as the pole vault. Her senior teammate, Kelsey Snowden, was second in the Virginia AAA 800 last year. . . .
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_____Story Lines_____
Nationally ranked distance runners lead the way.
Back for their senior years are Hayfield's Melissa Dewey and Fauquier's Sarah Bowman, each of whom were among the nation's best this winter. Dewey was one of the nation's fastest in the 3,200; Bowman won a national title in the 1,600.
Who will be top of the heap in 4x800 relay? One of the Washington area's deepest events should be close this spring. In the indoor season, Westfield won the Northern Region title, Oakton was the top finisher in Virginia AAA, and Lake Braddock clocked the area's fastest time at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships earlier this month.
Can Courtland girls repeat? Back for defending girls' AA champ Courtland is Sha'Tia Hart, who won the long and high jump state titles indoors. The Cougars finished an area-best fourth in the indoor AA meet.
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_____Athlete to Watch_____
A six-time All-Met and three-time national champion during her first three years of high school, Bowman has emerged in the past year as one of the nation's premier half- and full-milers. Last June, Bowman won the national outdoor title in the 800 meters (2:04.90, the fastest time since 1996). In February, the Tennessee signee set a national record in the 1,000 meters (2:43.40).
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Kharya Brown, who was an All-Met last spring for Potomac (Va.), has been cleared to run for Brooke Point this spring. Brown, a North Carolina A&T signee who was the Virginia AAA runner-up in the 100 meters last June, transferred from Potomac in February. She joins the Stafford school's already deep squad, which includes sprinter Jarryd Mushatt-Valrie, and hurdler Chadnee Green and standout jumper April Sinkler. . .
Centreville looks to have an up-and-coming squad. With a deep mix of seniors like Tanisha Demby and Amy Collins and underclassmen such as sophomore Cate Tisinger and freshmen Jordan Grant and Brittini Finch, the Wildcats finished second at the Northern Region meet during the indoor season. . . .
Good Counsel's multi-talented senior Katie Rogus led the Falcons to a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title last year. The All-Met won the 100- and 300-meter hurdles and the triple and long jumps. . . .
The national championship meet has a new name and a new location. The Nike Outdoor Nationals will be held this year on June 17 and 18 at North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, N.C.
-- Sean P. Flynn
