Local athletes held their own against a glistening cast of out-of-towners at the ninth Southern Track Classic.

There were eight individual champions and one relay winner from the Central Region.

Midlothian athletes took both 2-mile runs. Sophomore Kathleen Lautzenheiser was first among girls in 10:53.9, and senior Jason Witt won the boys race in 9:10.4.

J.R. Tucker junior Jasia Richardson captured the triple jump (39-4½) but sprained an ankle. Her status for the upcoming district, region and state meets is in doubt.

Richardson is the reigning state indoor triple jump queen.

Both discus champs were local. Christianna Moss of Patrick Henry went 133-8, best among girls, and Meadowbrook's Michael Williams took the boys title at 170-11.

Manchester's Justin Simmons won the shot (54-6) and Atlee's Emma DeJarnette captured the pole vault (11-3) under windy conditions.

Michael Quash of Douglas Freeman won the 110 high hurdles in 14.3.

The Deep Run foursome of Joanna Hassell, Ashley Orr, Jay'vonne Bowman and Misha-Lee Brady needed just 48.37 seconds to win the 400 relay.

Cosby provided much of the excitement in the dashes. Titan sophomore Mitchell Shifflett was second to another 10thgrader, Dejor Simmons of Green Run (Virginia Beach).

With the wind at his their backs, Simmons ran 10.55 to Shifflett's 10.66. The meet record of 10.53 was set by Kentuckian Casey Combest in 1999.

Simmons and Shifflett, as anchor legs, also went head to head in the 400 relay. Simmons' squad prevailed, 14.28 to 41.42.

Michael Hammond of Midlothian made a strong effort but finished second to Blacksburg's Pete Dorrell in the mile. Dorrell finished in 4:14.4, to Hammond's 4:19.2.