By scoring points in multiple events, most significantly the distance races and relays, the Potomac School Panthers defended their state track and field championship.
The girls high-school team won the outdoor Virginia crown in Richmond with 113.5 points. St. Catherines was second with 95.
“We knew we had a chance to win, and our team did about as well we could and performed the way we hoped we would,” Potomac School coach Meredith Valmon said. “A key was our strength in the distance races, and our seniors were exceptional. It was a great way to end our season.”
Leading Potomac School individually was double winner Reagan Exley. The senior was first in the 800-meter race (2:20.83) and 1,600 (5:12.71) and anchored the second-place 4x800 relay.
Panthers’ senior captain Kate Tuttle, who will run for Williams College, won the 3,200 at the state meet (11:09.49) and was second in the 800 and 1,600. She earned the meet’s Most Outstanding Runner for scoring the most points (26) in girls races.
“Running those three races was a long day for her,” Valmon said. “She works hard, loves to compete and score points for the team.”
Potomac School’s winning relay was the 4x400 in 4:06.71. Tenley Overdeck, Rose Barabanov, Charlotte Everhart and anchor Mackenzie Fulgham made up that foursome. The team’s 4x100 relay finished fifth.
Individually, Fulgham was second in the 400 and third in the 200, Overdeck was seventh in the 200 and eighth in the 400, Barabanov was fifth in the 200 and seventh in the 100, and Everhart was seventh in the 400.
In addition for the Panthers, Natalia Vilela was fifth (100) and seventh (300) in the hurdle races.
Brynn Windisch, Kaida Mizzo and Ella Lu were the other runners on the 4x800 relay.
Potomac School scored points in every running event.
In the field events, a busy Michele Horton led the way, with the sophomore competing in three events. She was third in the triple jump, fourth in the long jump and sixth in the high jump. Vilela was eighth in the high jump.
Additionally, Horton ran on the 4x100 relay and was in both hurdle races.
A few days earlier, the Potomac School girls finished second in the Independent School League championship girls meet. Exley won the 800 (2:11.02) and 1,600 (4:57.64) and Tuttle was second in the 1,600 and fifth in the 800.
NOTES: During the fall, Exley helped the Potomac School girls soccer team win conference and Northern Virginia state tournament championships. She will play soccer in college at Yale University and might try to run on the track and field teams. Overdeck will run at Pomona College and Fulgham at Brown University.
