Charles City’s Williams, Smith capture Group 1A/2A state triple jump titles

Charles City's D'Angelo Smith (left) and Alexis Williams (right) both display first place medals after each captured the Group 1A/2A state triple jump title in their respective divisions.

Andre' Jones photo

It’s been more than 20 years since Charles City High School has been able to claim a state championship of any kind. On Mar. 3 at the VHSL Group 1A/2A Indoor Track and Field championships at Liberty University, they earned two in one day.

Charles City senior Alexis Williams and male counterpart D’Angelo Smith both won the triple jump in their respective divisions during the championship meet. It is the first time since 2000 that Charles City has produced a state champion.

The last time Charles City boasted a state champion was the result of Khalid Dover’s 200-meter dash in outdoor track and field. For Williams, she becomes the first female athlete to hold a state title since Torski Dobson won the Serious Dramatic Interpretation in Forensics in 1994.

Williams captured her title in the early morning session, leaping 33’8” to lay claim to her title. Smith duplicated his counterpart’s feat with a leap of 42’6” during the afternoon session, taking home his title. One of the more intriguing conundrums about the duo’s wins is that Charles City is only in their second season of indoor track.

Meanwhile, Williams and Smith’s day wasn’t just limited to the triple jump. For the lone Lady Panther Williams, she finished fourth in the girls’ 55-meter dash (8.06), sixth in the girls’ 55-meter hurdles (11.12), and seventh in the girls’ long jump (14’1½”). She also participated in the girls’ 300-meter dash and the shot put. By herself, Williams amassed 20 points, leading Charles City to a 12th place finish in state competition and besting 17 other teams. Glenvar High School won the girls’ 1A/2A championship with a score of 65 points.

For Smith, he added two points by placing seventh in the boys’ 55-meter hurdles with a time of 9.63. He also participated in the boys’ long jump. His 12 accumulated points placed Charles City 14th in the state meet. Parry McCluer emerge as the winner of the boys’ 1A/2A championship with a score of 58 points.

One other Charles City participant, Justin Post-Parada, placed ninth in the boys’ triple jump, leaping a personal best of 30’4”.