By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
On Jan. 21, the Fluco boys and girls indoor track and field squads traveled to Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA) to compete in the 2020 Jerry Cutright Classic. The meet is named for a long-time cross country and track coach at Louisa County High. Louisa County hosted the meet. Five teams were on hand and the FUMA facility was packed with runners and jumpers and throwers and vaulters. The schools on hand were Fluvanna County, Louisa County, Western Albemarle, Nottoway and FUMA.
Since FUMA does not have female students there were four schools competing in the girls meet. The Flucos were up against strong teams from Louisa and Western Albemarle, but they held their own finishing with the second highest score in the meet. The only individual first place finisher for the Fluco girls was Emily Beckman who won the 3200-meter run by three seconds, finishing in 13:24.24. The Fluco girls also recorded a win in the 4X8000 meter relay. The winning team consisted of Evelyn DeMers, Kieri Hart, Skylar Solga and Hattie Lintecum. They won easily, by about eleven seconds.
Hart and Solga finished second and third respectively in the 500-meter run. Another second-place finisher for the Fluco girls was Shea Hart in the 55 meter hurdles, losing by only one second. The Fluco girls had some strong performers in the field events as well. R’ Tia Payne and Lintecum were second and third in the high jump. Amina Wilson was third in the pole vault, while Hannah Feith and Payne were second and third in the triple jump. Elle Dudzik was second in the shotput, missing the top slot by just an inch.
The boys’ team held its own against very strong squads from Louisa County and FUMA, finishing close to both teams. On the track, Ledric Reid was a winner in the 55-meter hurdles by a second. He also finished in a dead heat for a joint win in the 55-meter dash. The Flucos’ Aidan Girard was a winner in the 300-meter race, also winning by exactly one second.
The Flucos also did well in field events. Ethan Yancey and Jariq Hensen tied for first in the pole vault, both clearing 12 feet. In the long jump, Fluco Cameron Holland was easily the best. His leap of 22 feet was almost three feet better than the second-place finisher. Eli Hartzog was just as impressive in the shot put. None of the big strong boys from FUMA were even close, although they did finish second, third and fourth. Hartzog’s throw of 51 feet was best by a huge nine feet.
Fluco boys’ Coach Steve Szarmach and girls’ Coach Rose Brogan said that a number of their athletes have already met the requirements for participation in the State meet at the end of the season. On the boys’ side, Reid has qualified in the 55-meter hurdles, Hartzog in the shot put, Holland in the long jump, Yancey in the pole vault and Eric White has qualified in the 500 meter.
On the girls’ side, Wilson has met the State qualifying standard in the pole vault. Lintecum, has qualified in the high jump, as has Payne and Jules Shepherd. Shea Hart has qualified in high jump and in 55-meter hurdles.
Like the vast majority of public high schools, Fluvanna County High School does not have an indoor track facility. Luckily, nearby FUMA does have an excellent facility and the Flucos have competed in three straight meets held at FUMA this season. On Jan. 25 the Fluco teams competed in the St. Christopher’s meet in Richmond and on Jan. 30 they are traveling to Woodberry Forest just north of Orange. The District meet is Feb.5. The Region meet is on Feb. 19 and the State meet is Feb. 28.
