Atlee senior pole vautlers Cameron Overstreet and Chris Pillow were forced to play a long waiting game during the AAA State Track & Field Championships Saturday at Sports Backers Stadium, but it was a game that they were used to.

  Because of their stature in the world of pole vaulting, neither Overstreet or Pillow took to the runway until their respective competitions were winding to a close. For Pillow that meant nearly an eight hour wait from when the girls pole vault began on Saturday morning. And even though he competed against the state’s best, Pillow had virtually locked up the championship without making a single run.

  Pillow had yet to reach his cut-in point when the final two competitors, Lake Braddock’s Sean Daugherty and Landstown’s Mark Gabele failed to clear a height over 13-06. For Pillow to win the title, all he had to do was clear a height nearly two feet under his average- no problem.

  “It’s just like every other meet,” Pillow said. “There really wasn’t any pressure, but it’s cool to take the title though.”

  Pillow continued vaulting in search of a new record but the effort was made difficult do to a steady cross wind. By the time he finished, every other event in the state meet had run its course and most of the spectators had emptied from the stands. Ironically, Pillow did not even know at what height he finished, but that too was nothing out of the ordinary. “I really don’t know,” he said afterward. “That’s a thing that me and my coach (Kyle Bishop) do. He doesn’t tell me the height. He tells me just jump it so it doesn’t get in my head.”

  Overstreet’s win did not come nearly as easily on the girls side. As has happened throughout the post season, Overstreet was pushed by Henrico’s Stephanie Oleson. But it was Oleson’s win over Overstreet in the Capital District meet that provided the inspiration to take her to a state title. “I was definitely a little down but I have a little book that I used to motivate myself,” Overstreet said. “I wrote that basically that was the bottom and the only way to go is up.”

  Up and over is where Overstreet went, tying the state record of 12-06 set last year by Patrick Henry’s Lizzie Powell and taking the win.

  “It feels awesome to finish my senior year season like this,” Overstreet said. “It’s sad being over but it was a really great way to end it and I feel really happy.”

  Overstreet and Pillow were not the only ones to cap their Atlee careers in notable fashion. Raider pole vault coach Kyle Bishop caps his time at Atlee with twin state titles. “It’s a good day,” Bishop said. “I can’t complain about that.”

  In all, Bishop coached seven vaulters in the state championships including Atlee’s Kate Bishop, Matt Thompson, Scott Elwood, Trey Rydel and Menchville’s Melissa Wilson who took a third place finish.

  “It’s not a business for me, it’s a passion,” Bishop said.

  That passion helped propel the Atlee boys to a state title. Pillow’s win gave Atlee 10 more points to push them past First Colonial in one of the tightest state championship meets in history, 41-35.5, to claim the team trophy. The championship is the second state title for an Atlee boys team, after the Indoor track squad claimed the state title earlier this year.

  Lee-Davis finished 12th with 18 points.

  Only 21 points separated the top 10 finishers at the outdoor boys meet and there were only 31 points between first and 30th.

  In comparison, the Western Branch girls took the state title over Lake Braddock 112-31. The Atlee girls finished in a three-way tie for 10th while Lee-Davis was 16th and Patrick Henry 22nd.

  Pillow and Overstreet were the only individuals from Hanover County to claim state titles but Atlee’s Brandon Hunt, Michael Atkinson, Griffin Carmichael and Marques Atkinson took the state title in the 4x800 relay with a record setting time of 7:42.93.

  The Raiders got a huge boost towards the championship in the final race of the day when David Segovia, the Atkinsons and Matt Combs took second place in the 4x400 relay despite being seeded 11th among competitors.

  Marques Atkinson also took third place in the 400 while twin Michael claimed fourth in the 800. Teammate Kodi Page took a seventh place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 45-07.75.

  Other local athletes earning all-state honors included Lee-Davis Caleb Wyatt, who finished fifth in the long jump with a leap of 21-07.50. Teammate Wes Tuck matched Wyatt’s mark with a fifth place finish shot put throw of 55-03.50.

  Michael Panton claimed eighth place in the pole vault for the Confederates by clearing 13-00. Dusty Crayton, Robbie Longest, Cody Snyder and Ben White earned all state honors with an eighth place finish in the 4x800 relay. Snyder also finished fourth in the 1600. Teammate Tyrell Eaton took a sixth place finish in the 300 hurdles.

  Hanover’s Marzae Brooks earned all-state honors with an eighth place throw of 147-10 in the discus.

  Patrick Henry’s Patrick Woodford claimed a fifth place finish in the 3200.

  In girls competition, Lee-Davis’ Montasia Golden took third in the triple jump, clearing 38-07 while Atlee’ Kala Page finished fifth at 37-10.25. Page also finished sixth in the high jump clearing 5-04.

  Golden added a third place finish in the 100 hurdles.

  Hanover’s Molly Breidenbaugh and Anna Gordon both earned all-state honors in the 3200. Breidenbaugh finished seventh and Gordon eighth.

  Patrick Henry’s Kayla Penn, Jessica Shelton, Brooke Perdue and Shyra Molton claimed a sixth place finish in the 4x100 relay. Molton also took a third place finish in the 200.

Patriot Alicia Terry finished fifth in the 300 hurdles.