2008 Gameday Gridiron Challenge Rewind
ASHBURN, VA - Several of the area's best football players gathered at Velocity Sports Performance on Saturday for the 3rd Annual Gameday Gridiron Challenge. The event showcased several major college football prospects from around the region. Among those in attendance was Stone Bridge's David Wang (Virginia Tech), and Park View's Kenny Smith, two of the best 2009 lineman from Loudoun County.
Each player was SPARQ tested in the 40 yard dash, the 3-Cone agility drill, the Power Ball throw, and the Vertical Jump. At the conclusion of the event, SPARQ gives each athlete a total score based on their final results in each event. That SPARQ score is then entered into a national database of high school athletes.
One of the top scorers at the Gameday Gridiron Challenge was Broad Run's Joey Quigg. The rising junior notched an overall SPARQ score of 106.17. Quigg ran the 40yd dash in 4.57 twice on SPARQ's laser timing system. Quigg had a Lacrosse game Saturday and couldn't compete in the Fastest Man competition in the final event of the day, but his 40 yard dash time stood as the best when it was all said and done.
Stone Bridge's David Wang, the national record holder in the Power Ball throw, actually beat his own national record again on Saturday with an official throw of 48 feet. Wang actually hit 51 feet on an earlier throw but a technicality kept it from counting as the record. Wang finished the day with a SPARQ rating of 124, which was the top overall SPARQ score at the event.
Once each team finished their training, the top 24 athletes were invited back to compete fo the Fastest Man and Strongest Man awards. Gwynn Park High School's (MD) Michael Forth won the Fastest Man honor with a 4.6 40yard dash and a 4.0 3-Cone time. Wang won the Strongest Man competition going away with his Power Ball throw of 48 feet.
A few 2007 All Gameday players were on hand to showcase their skills, including Broad Run tailback Breon Earl and Chantilly linebacker Isaac Sine. Both tested well. The 2010 recruiting class might be special for the Spartans with Joey Quigg (DB), T.J Peeler (RB), and Adrian Flemming (WR) all testing near or at the top.
With off-season training in full swing, the area's finest gridiron performers attend events like the Gameday Gridiron Challenge to measure their results in the weight room, and also to see how they stack up across the country in SPARQ's database. College coaches were not permitted to attend, but the SPARQ scores from Saturday's event will be available to them at their request to SPARQ.
One of the highlights of the day came in the morning session as Washington Redskin receiver Antwaan Randle El stopped by to give the participants of the event some encouragement.
All in all, the day was a success and Gameday's coverage of the event will continue throughout the next month as we will showcase video highlights and interviews from the day.
For more information on SPARQ and VELOCITY of ASHBURN please click the links.
