The Nansemond River High School track and field team had some notable finishes at the Dogwood Classic in Charlottesville last weekend.

The Warriors, also known as Team WAR, have been steady in their preparation. Last month they competed in the Bojangles Classic in South Carolina, where they competed well.

At the Dogwood Classic, team WAR came away with a couple of top finishes. Kori Carter put up a solid performance, as she took first in the 100-meter hurdles. The 4×100 relay team also took first. The Warriors approached the meet as another tune-up to see where they were in their process of being ready for the championship season in the latter part of May. The 4×100 was a focus of the Warriors in this particular meet, and it showed.

“For us, it’s about just continuing to get ready,” coach Marco McKoy said. “We know what our mission is and what we are getting ready for. I felt like our athletes enjoyed the experience and are focused.”

Right now, team WAR is dealing with a couple of injuries, so they haven’t performed as well as they had hoped at this point. However, McKoy feels good about the veteran presence that they can lean on as they prepare for the big meets on the schedule, including the Class 5 outdoor state meet.

“We haven’t been able to work on a couple of things because of injury, but we feel good about the experience we have,” McKoy said.

As the Warriors continue through the outdoor season, the emphasis has been on teaching the younger athletes. The seniors have accomplished so much, and McKoy feels it’s important for the experienced athletes to pass down the things they have learned. With little time left in the season, everything from practices and meets is vital.

“It’s all about buying in,” McKoy said. “Our younger athletes may have primary and secondary events, but our most tenured runners can do everything. So, we want to make sure we are focusing all around as opposed to maybe just one or two things.”