All boys. All boarding. Grades 9-12.
Athletics
Athletics at Woodberry
Track Finishes Second in the VPL
The Woodberry track and field team competed at the Virginia Prep League Championships, and despite limited numbers, the Tigers once again proved their toughness by battling their way to an impressive runner-up finish!
The Tigers delivered heart, grit, and championship effort from start to finish as sixth formers John Morrison, Boyd Looney, and Zaidien Melton continued the tradition of excellence with personal best performances and strong finishes. Meanwhile, fourth formers Apollo Kniseley, Aaron Li, Req Butler, and Ronald Carey officially announced their arrival on the championship stage with breakout performances of their own.
As this marked my final Virginia Prep League Championship, I found myself appreciating every moment of the day.
You could feel the energy all around the track as Mr. Hale commanded his runners, keeping them locked in and prepared for every race. Coach B was in full championship form, personally escorting her athletes to the meet in the van and walking away with two huge personal bests from Ronald.
Coach Quece stayed cool, calm, and collected as both Woodberry long jumpers advanced to the finals with confidence and composure. Over at the high jump area, Coach Dunn and Jacob controlled the atmosphere as the stadium announcer echoed across the facility: “Ladies and gentlemen, direct your attention to the high jump area as this athlete attempts 6’5!”
Moments like that remind you just how special this sport truly is.
As I stood near the finish line watching John settle into the blocks for the 100-meter final, reality hit me — there’s only one more chances left to witness moments like this. The gun sounded, John exploded through his drive phase, stayed patient through 30 meters, and once he rose into max velocity, you already knew the race belonged to him.
Then came our final race of the day — the 800 meters. Req immediately positioned himself right on the hip of the top-ranked runner and did exactly what his personality has always reflected: never backing down from a challenge. Aaron and Boyd stayed patient early, trailing through the pack while waiting for the perfect moment to strike. As the runners completed the first lap, Aaron began making his move on the backside of the track as Boyd followed, steadily working into contention. Coming down the final 100 meters, you could see Req and Aaron hit another gear as they charged toward the finish line alongside Boyd. All three scored valuable points, helping secure Woodberry’s second-place finish.
What made the day unforgettable wasn’t just the performances — it was the fight. These young men never cared that they were outnumbered. They never made excuses about missing key teammates due to other obligations. They showed up, competed, and defended the pride of being a Tiger. That’s what championships are about.
Below are the athletes who contributed to Woodberry’s second-place finish at the Virginia Prep League Championships.
John Morrison
1st place – 100 meter (personal best), 200 meter, long jump
1st place – 100 meter (personal best), 200 meter, long jump
VPL most valuable performance
Jacob Kitonga
1st place – High Jump (personal best)
6th place – Long Jump
1st place – High Jump (personal best)
6th place – Long Jump
Boyd Looney
3rd place – 1600 (personal best)
6th place – 800
3rd place – 1600 (personal best)
6th place – 800
Josiah Logan, Jacob Kitonga, Spencer Hunt, John Morrison
2nd place – 4x100 relay
Zaidien Melton
4th place – 400
4th place – 400
Apollo Kniseley
2nd place – High Jump
2nd place – High Jump
Ronald Carey
6th place – Discus (personal best)
6th place – Discus (personal best)
Everette Floyd
5th place – Pole Vault
5th place – Pole Vault
Req Butler
3rd place – 800
3rd place – 800
Aaron Li
5th place – 800
5th place – 800
Woodberry Forest School is an exceptional private school community for high school boys in grades nine through twelve. It is one of the top boarding schools in the United States and one of the only all-boys, all-boarding schools in the country.
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Woodberry Forest admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, and national or ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs. The school is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students.