Local track athletes capture state crowns

rdaski@potomacnews.com
FAIRFAX – Bethany Hyter walked into the infield flashing a smile, knowing she had won the girls’ 500-meter dash. And the Osbourn Park senior did so doing what she does best: running from behind.

One year ago in the Group AAA state track and field meet, Hyter rallied Osbourn Park to win the 1600-relay.
In Saturday’s state meet, she started behind three competitors. Shortly after her race began, she sped to the front where she stayed to finish first in 1:14.64.

“My plan was to catch all the people ahead of me,” Hyter said.
So what makes Hyter so strong when trailing her opponents?
“Passion,” said her twin sister Brittany. “She’s trying to run everybody down.”

Bethany Hyter had more energy left as she and Brittany led Osbourn Park to second in the 1600-relay (3:52.80). The Yellow Jackets were second in the 800-relay (1:43.31).

They were also propelled by Ariel Karabinus finishing fifth in the girls’ 1600 (5:08.18) to record 37 points and a fifth place finish.
Osbourn Park’s Paul DeVito took fourth in the boys’ 55-meter hurdles (7.73) for his first all-state nod – “It’s really nice to know all the work I’ve been doing really paid off,” DeVito said. – Tyler Simmons was seventh in the boys’ 1,000 (2:35.13).

But Osbourn Park was not the lone local school celebrating all-state finishes.
Josh Turner, Wesley Jones, Brice Mathews and Eric Gyamfi helped Potomac win the boys’ 1600-relay in 3:23.82.
“It means everything,” Mathews said.

Prior to that race, Mathews, Jones and Turner teamed with Julian Wells to place fifth in the 800-relay (1:33.04).
Gyamfi helped Potomac by placing seventh in the 500-meter dash (1:06.37) and Mathews and Jones were third (34.89) and sixth (35.58), respectively in the 300-meter dash.

Those finishes allowed Potomac to earn 25 points and finish fourth in the boys’ competition.
Potomac sprinter Yvonne Amegashie capped a splendid postseason by taking fourth in the girls’ 300 (40.75).
Battlefield had an equally impressive day, led by Kim Blaylock’s fourth place finish in the girls’ 55-meter dash (7.16) and sixth in the 300 (40.97).

Bobcats senior Rex Parker jumped 46-07.00 to place fifth in the boys’ triple jump and teammate Eric Hoepker finished fourth in the 500 (1:05.53).
“We’ve done well, really well,” Parker said.

Stonewall Jackson’s Damien Thigpen finished fifth in the boys’ 55-meter dash (6.52) and Os-bourn’s Melvin Villalta jumped 6-04 to finish the high jump in a four-way tie for second place.
Gar-Field took fourth in the boys’ 800-relay (3:28.16).

All this comes after a short week of preparation as the Northwest Region meet took place four days earlier due to being postponed from its original date because of inclement weather.

“We were thinking we were going to come in tired, but we pulled through,” Mathews said.