Landstown, Branch Track Down State Titles
Just before the gun was about to sound for one of the final races of her high school career, Marlena Wesh almost decided not to run.
Warming up for her block starts in the 100-meter AAA state championships Saturday at Todd Stadium, the Landstown senior collided with someone else on the track, sending her crashing to the ground and giving her a bloody nose, bruised arm, and injured leg.
Wesh, who's continuing her running career at Oklahoma, nearly decided to end her Landstown running time before she had one more shot at a state title. Then one of her coaches pulled her aside.
"He told me about winning as a champion," Wesh said. "I forget exactly what he said, but it was a good quote. I was crying. I didn't think I could (race). But whenever I stepped into the blocks, I said one of my teammates' names, and then I just ran."
She ran all the way to victories in the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter races, helping her team to its second consecutive state title, and making her, according to track officials, the first female in state AAA history to win all three events at the state meet.
"I was hoping I could do it for my teams," Wesh said. "I wanted to win the 400 for my sister (Diana, a Landstown junior, didn't qualify for the final 400 race). By the time I got to the 200, I just told myself, 'Win one for yourself. It's your last race.'" Wesh's brother Darrell, also a junior Eagle, finished second in the 200-meter run.
Wesh's three wins, along with Taylor Wheaton's victories in the 100- and 300-hurdles, helped the Eagles to a resounding win, notching 73 points to second-place Deep Run's 39.5. Bethel, which won the indoor state title in February, was three points behind Run.
"I was really nervous," said Wheaton, heading to George Mason University. "I don't know why. But I knew I had to do good for my team. This was a good way to end my senior year." Landstown's Jessica Williams took second in the discus and fourth in the shot-put, and the Lady Eagles got fourth in the 4X100 relay and fifth in the 4X400.
"We had a very talented sprint crew and a well-rounded team," said Landstown coach Dave Coulter. "We scored points in distance races, the throw, and the sprinting events."
On the boys' side, just as with 2008, Western Branch took home the boys' title, beating Nansemond River and Ocean Lakes 62-47-46. After finishing second in the 110 hurdles for the past two seasons, Jeffrey Artis overcame a leg injury to win the 2009 event - edging South Lakes' Vincent Brown by the slimmest of margins, 14.04 to 14.05 seconds. He also snared third in the triple and long jump.
"It's perfect to end my senior season this way," said Artis, who'll be joining Wesh at Oklahoma this fall. "It's nice to have something that's my own, and finally win."
Branch coach Claude Toukene notched his fourth state title.
"We try to work a little bit harder and smarter, and we have high expectations for our kids," he said. "At the beginning of the season, we talk about this day. We tell them how it's going to be, so they're always prepared mentally and physically."
Ocean Lakes' Justin Hunter took the long jump with a 25-03.75, just a quarter of an inch shorter than the state record. He also won the high jump and notched second in the triple jump, his 49-05.00 just .25 shorter than George Washington's David Wilson. Nansemond River's James Taylor, who finished just behind Hunter in the long jump, crossed the line first in the 100- and 400-meter races (his 47.12 second time in the 400 was a personal best), and finished fourth in the 200.
"It feels great," said Taylor, heading to Norfolk State University this fall (Hunter, a junior, has one more shot to break state high school records). "I'm happy. I'm just excited because I P.R.'ed in the 400. I put forth my best effort."
