Dobbs sisters lead Deep Run to region track title

Sisters Erica and Courtney Dobbs are like a twin-engine jet.

Yesterday they helped lift Deep Run High to a second straight Central Region Indoor track and field championship.

"That's an important family," said coach Drew Stockdreher after his Wildcats outraced runner-up Lee-Davis 95-80.

"The sisters are different in some ways, but what they share is an incredible level of competitiveness; they're intense racers who bring a lot of energy to our team."

Sophomore Erica won the 1,600 and took third in the 1,000. Junior Courtney was third in the 1,600 and fifth at 3,200. Both also ran on Deep Run's victorious 3,200 relay foursome (with Madalyn Nuckols, Caroline Turner).

Overall, the girls accounted for 36 points -- a total that would have placed fourth in the team standings.

Other Wildcats standouts were leaper Briana Hudson, who won the high jump, took third in the long jump, fourth in the triple jump.

DR's Julia Drapac added a second in the 1,000, behind Lee-Davis whiz Montasia Golden. Drapac also ran on DR's fourth-place 800 relay.

The Confederates' sophomore won the 300, was second in 55 hurdles, fifth in the triple jump and sixth in the high jump.

Also, Golden anchored L-D's winning 1,600 relay quartet.

The Dobbs sisters, who grew up playing soccer, are still newcomers to track. Erica didn't begin running until ninth grade. Courtney didn't start until 10th.

"Really, I just went out for track as a conditioning thing for soccer," said Erica. "Then I found out I had some talent in it."

A third sister, freshman Laura, scored in the Colonial District meet 1,600 but not in the regional.

"I'm in a lucky situation," Erica said. "Courtney is always pushing me, and Laura is the one who makes it fun."

Lee-Davis coach Neil Mathews acknowledged the Dobbs' effect.

"It's like every event we're good in, Deep Run is good in," Mathews said. "Everywhere I look, there's a Dobbs . . . I'm throwing up the white flag."

Lee-Davis was second to Deep Run in the 3,200 relay, and L-D's Amanda Lineberry was runner-up to E. Dobbs in the 1,600.

Continuing a tradition, Midlothian scored heavily in the distance events. Pagina Johnston won the 1,000 by five seconds over Anna Spiers of Maggie Walker-Governor's School.

Amy Whitt prevailed by seven seconds over Lee-Davis's Stephanie Cario in the 3,200, with DR's Nuckols third.

Patrick Henry's Shyra Molton won the 55, was third at 300 and ran a leg on the Patriots' wining 800 relay.

There were no records, but Atlee's Emma DeJarnette (twin of Atlee male runner Ben) won the pole vault at 12 feet -- just 1 inch off her mark set a year ago.

The top six individuals in each event advanced to next weekend's Group AAA meet at Boo Williams Sportsplex in Newport News.

Team scores -- Deep Run 95, Lee-Davis 80, Patrick Henry 47, Manchester 35, Midlothian 35, Henrico 33.5, Meadowbrook 31, Prince George 30, Mills Godwin 28, Thomas Dale 27, Atlee 23, Maggie Walker GS 21, J.R. Tucker 14, Douglas Freeman 12, Hermitage 9, Matoaca 8, L.C. Bird 8, Hopewell 7, Varina 7, James River 7, Clover Hill 7, John Marshall 5, Dinwiddie 4, Huguenot 4, Hanover 3, Colonial Heights 3, Highland Springs .5.

Triple jump -- 1. Jasia Richardson (JRT) 38-8½; 2. Elaine Derricott (Hen) 38-5½; 3. Siobhan Ford-Holland (TD) 37-7¾; 4. Briana Hudson (DR) 36-6¼; 5. Montasia Golden (L-D) 36-0¼; 6. Candice Hairston (Man) 36-0¼; 7. Jazmine Brown (Var) 35-9¾; 8. Sarah Nuttycombe (PH) 35-7.

Pole vault -- 1. Emma DeJarnette (Atl) 12-0; 2. Lizzie Powell (PH) 11-6. 3. Stephanie Oleson (Hen) 10-0; TIE Sydney Hobart (PH) 10-0; 5. Caitlin Walton (MG) 10-0; 6. Brittany Malnar (Din) 9-0; 7. Katherine Buffey (DF) 8-6; 8. Jessica Ravensbergen (LD) 8-0. 55 hurdles -- Erica Perkins (Man) 8.59; 2. Montasia Golden (L-D) 8.68; 3. ShayQuante Hawley (Herm) 8.83; 4. Jessie Ferguson (PH) 8.89; 5. Brie Jackson (L-D) 9.02; 6. Raven Singleton (Mat) 9.22; 7. Mphamvu Kalengamaliro (Man) 9.25; 8. Madison Spagnolo (DR) 9.30.

55 dash -- 1. Shyra Molton (PH) 7.43; 2. Ciarre Morris (Mbk) 7.45; 3. Angela Harris (Mbk) 7.48; 4. Mary Allen (JM) 7.51; 5. Maria Warith (Var) 7.60; 6. Shaniquia Epps (Herm) 7.61; 7. Victoria Fubara (DR) 7.63; 8. Desiree Russell (Man) 7.64.

800 relay -- 1. Patrick Henry (Shyra Morton, Lizzie Powell, Jessie Ferguson, Brooke Perdue) 1:53.13; 2. Meadowbrook 1:53.73; 3. Atlee 1:54.48; 4. Deep Run 1:54.83; 5. Lee-Davis 1:55.58; 6. Manchester 1:55.88; 7. Midlothian 1:56.58; 8. Mills Godwin 1:56.85.

1,600 -- 1. Erica Dobbs (DR) 5:13.84; 2. Amanda Lineberry (L-D) 5:15.14; 3. Courtney Dobbs (DR) 5:18.51; 4. Jackie Ferrance (L-D) 5:18.78; 5. Amanda Tomlin (PG) 5:19.56; 6. Krista Willard (Mid) 5:21.20; 7. Catherine Pulley (CHts) 5:23.38; 8. Lizzy Powell (MG) 5:28.72.

500 -- 1. Desi Scott (PG) 1:19.55; 2. Faith Sykes (LCB) 1:22.89; 3. Caroline Turner (DR) 1:23.77; 4. Ellen Upton (MG) 1:25.05; 5. Shukeia Donaldson (Hug) 1:25.32; 6. Aubrie Ewell (JR) 1:25.37; 7. Regina Smith (CH) 1:25.48; 8. Kelsey Carter (MG) 1:25.93.

1,000 -- 1. Paige Johnston (Mid) 3:02.96; 2. Anna Spiers (MWGS) 3:07.62; 3. Erica Dobbs (DR) 3:09.02; 4. Amanda Lineberry (L-D) 3:09.98; 5. Caroline Gecker (JR) 3:10.32; 6. Taylor Clevinger (Han) 3:10.95; 7. Lizzy Powell (MG) 3:12.99; 8. Kelsey Newcomb (Din) 3:13.50.

300 -- 1. Montasia Golden (L-D) 43.82; 2. Julia Drapac (DR) 43.84; 3. Shyra Molton (PH) 43.89; 4. Angela Harris (Mbk) 43.98; 5. Ciarre Morris (Mbk) 44.16; 6. Amber Pierson (PG) 44.51; 7. Nadia Natt (Hope) 44.65; 8. Lizzie Powell (PH) 44.85.

3,200 -- 1. Amy Witt (Mid) 11:20.27; 2. Stephanie Cario (L-D) 11:27.08; 3. Madalyn Nuckols (DR) 11:30.05; 4. Susannah Piersol (MWGS) 11:31.09; 5. Courtney Dobbs (DR) 11:32.37; 6. Claire Benjamin (Mid) 11:33.64; 7. Katie Ardiff (MWGS) 11:35.27; 8. Catherine Pulley (CHts) 11:54.76.

3,200 relay -- Lee-Davis (Tiel Westbrook, Jessica Ravensbergen, Jessie Spence, Montasia Golden 4:20.35; 2. Mills Godwin 4:21.25; 3. Deep Run 4:21.39; 4. Midlothian 4:23.45; 5. Manchester 4:24.42; 6. Atlee 4:26.10; 7. Clover Hill 4:26.22; 8. Highland Springs 4:26.87.