Prince Edward County High School’s varsity girls outdoor track and field team placed third out of 32 scoring teams at the Virginia High School League Class 2 state championships, held Friday and Saturday at East Rockingham High School in Elkton.

“Overall it was a good performance,” Prince Edward Head Coach James Baker said. “We carried nine girls to the state track meet, and all nine girls placed in some event, so that was good.”

Sophomore Makayla Morris repeated as the girls high jump state champion, winning with a 5-foot 3-inch leap, and the Lady Eagles also repeated as the 4×400-meter relay champ. The team of junior Jordan Booker, senior Montiera Wynn, sophomore Mia Seay and sophomore Naomi Jones combined for a winning time of four minutes, 11.65 seconds.

Baker noted that Jones’ rally during the anchor leg run is what put Prince Edward into first place in the event.

The coach praised Morris for producing a personal record (PR) in the girls long jump, placing third with a 17-4 leap. Junior Salma Muhammad also recorded a PR in the long jump, flying to a 16-9 1/2 mark, good for sixth.

“Once again, our 4×100 relay team were bridesmaids,” Baker said, referring to the squad that won the regional title but was disqualified in the district championships. This past weekend at states, “we had one bad hand-off, and that was enough to cost us, because we didn’t run our best time.”

The team of Muhammad, Seay, Booker and freshman Haniyyah Johnson finished in 51.11 seconds, just behind East Rockingham, which won with a 50.90-second time.

Johnson has had an outstanding season, particularly for someone so young. At states, she also placed fourth in the girls 100-meter dash, seventh in the girls 200-meter dash and 10th in the girls long jump.

“If she had ran her best time in the 200, she would have placed higher,” Baker said to further highlight her ability.

After a season in which Johnson won the district titles in the girls 100 and 200, Baker reflected on her overall performance this year by saying, “I knew she was fast. I didn’t know she was that fast …”

Another Lady Eagles freshman that stood out at states was Jayla Calhoun. She placed seventh in the girls discus throw.

For the boys, Prince Edward’s team generated seven points to tie for 24th out of 39 teams to produce a score.

The best individual finish for the Eagles came courtesy of sophomore Amourre Watkins, who tied his personal best mark of 6 feet in the boys high jump, placing third.

“This was his first year of being with us,” Baker said.

The coach also highlighted the Eagles 4×100-meter relay team, which he said did not produce its best time but still managed to place eighth. The team included juniors J’Sean Dupuy and Rah’Quan Payne, senior Jalil Robinson and sophomore Abdul Johnson.