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After placing fourth at AAA state, Fauquier thrower Kyle Fortney sees his future taking shape
Kyle Fortney is in track and field purgatory.
He's stuck on deck, anxious for his next attempt, but aware he won’t be called up to throw the discus again for months.
Along with 10 Fauquier Falcon teammates, Fortney’s outdoor season ended this weekend with the AAA state meet at Todd Stadium in Newport News. It ended just as the junior felt he was reaching new heights as a thrower, or more accurately, new lengths.
Fortney placed a career-best fourth in the state discus to score all five of Fauquier’s points at the Friday and Saturday meet. The Fauquier boys finished 35th in the team standings behind winner Western Branch (62 points), while the Falcons did not score in the girls competition, which Landstown won (73).
Fortney’s best throw flew 155 feet, 6 inches, and two others went more than 154 feet. Add that consistency to his personal-record throw of 160-7 last weekend at the Northwest Region meet, and Fortney appears poised to break the school-record mark of 166. He won’t accomplish that in 2009, though.
“It’s kind of frustrating because I got so close now, but then I have to stop, and I don’t get to compete until next year,” said Fortney, whose best throw prior to regionals was 150 at the Cedar Run District meet. “My goal since freshman year is to break the school record.”
Billy Dores' record of 166 has stood at Fauquier since 1984.
Fortney also hopes to win a state championship in the discus next season, when Fauquier drops down a classification to AA. Omar Omokodian of Briar Woods won the AA state title this season with a throw of 167, but runner-up Logan Thomas of Brookville was the only other competitor to throw over 152.
So Fortney will likely fare well against the AA field in 2010.
“The state qualifying mark this year for AA was 139, and I’m hoping to hit that first meet next year,” said Fortney, who finished the 2008 season with a 141-1 throw at state, which placed him 14th. “I want to be state champion. There’s no better way to go out senior season.”
Fortney isn’t the only Fauquier underclassman excited about the possibilities next season will bring.
Sophomore distance runner Emma Helsel and junior pole vaulter Alex Pinelli were particularly encouraged after this weekend's state meet. With seven of Fauquier’s 11 state qualifiers expected to return next season, Falcons coach Quentin Jones was optimistic, as well.
“My big concern right now is I’m losing 20-some [seniors],” Jones said. “But the core nucleus we have coming back is going to be very strong, very competitive...
See the Wednesday print edition of the Fauquier Times-Democrat for the complete story.
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