Alyn Carr

  A list of the top returning individuals in each event among Region IV schools from last year's outdoor season and links to full returnees rankings lists in each event. Cave Spring junior Katie Fortner (pictured by Jon Fleming) settled as a regional and state runner-up in two events this past indoor season, while she just missed All-American honors indoors in the mile (4:53). One of the state's top returning distance runners, Fortner is hoping that a new season this spring will be different for her and not find herself coming up just short of titles and more honors like this past indoor season. It will be one more season of great races between herself and district rival Carolyn Bethel of Hidden Valley before Bethel graduates.  

  At the Bulldog Invitational this past Saturday at Liberty University, only fully automatic timing and a finish line camera could be able to determine the winner in the girls 55 meter dash as it was virtually a dead heat between four runners at the finish line between George Washington's De'ana Forbes (7.25), Heritage's Latrice Morris (7.25), Blacksburg's Alyn Carr (7.26), and E.C. Glass' Zakiya Bateman (7.27)

Hidden Valley senior Carolyn Bethel opened her indoor season in epic style with two monster PR's in a distance double of a 4:53.56 1600 and 2:52.46 1000. Her 1600 time is a US leader, while the 1000 time puts her US #2 currently, but ranks her #9 all-time in Virginia high school indoor history. The 1600 meter time for Bethel also inserts her well up on the state all-time indoor list at #13.

  Foot Locker All-American Sophie Chase of Lake Braddock will return next year for indoors with the fastest times from this past season at 1600 (4:52.43) and 3200 (10:29.66) meters as well as fourth fastest time in the 1000 (2:55.96). (Photo by Ryan Kelly)    With the exception of the upcoming New Balance Indoor Nationals for Virginia's best, the 2011-2012 indoor season is essentially in the books for the vast majority of high school track & field athletes in Virginia  So lets take a look at next year's top 50 returnees in each event for the girls based on performances from this past season.

Links to virtual meet & event rankings for each region in Group AA.

  A top 25 list of returning Group AA girls athletes by event from last year's indoor track season. The Blacksburg girls will be tough to beat in Group AA with their big three in short sprinter Alyn Carr, long sprinter Kendell Wiles, and mid-distance runner Hannah Brown. All are capable of winning state titles individually this winter.

Known by her peers and coaches for her humble and friendly attitude, Blacksburg’s Alyn Carr has emerged as one of Virginia’s top sprinters this indoor season. Despite just being a sophomore, she has already established herself as one of the top sprinters in the US. Carr ran the 11th fastest time nationally in the 55-meter dash (7.09) at the Virginia Tech Invitational. In the process, her time broke the Virginia Group AA record previously held by Caroline graduate Kisha Garrick (7.10), who is now competing collegiately at Virginia. Read Full Story