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Varner's District 5 dramatics earn him 3 golds


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Southern Fulton’s Chase Varner runs angry.

And his mean mug was showing in the final 100 meters of the boys 4x800 relay and the 800 on Wednesday at the District 5 track and field championships as Varner used his gold-medal kick to pass his opponent for a pair of first-place finishes.

In the boys 4x800 relay, Benji Voight started to close the gap between Southern Fulton and Everett to put Varner in good position for his two anchor laps.

Varner made his move to pass Nathaniel Maxwell of Everett about a quarter of the way through his second lap and pulled in front for the win in 8:34.85.

“I tried to push all anxiety I had aside and do what I had to do,” Varner said. “I knew that if I stuck with him on the first lap I could take him in the second, and I figured if I passed him on the straightaway he wasn’t going to be able to pass me on the turn.”

A few hours later, Varner, the No. 2 seed in the 800, passed No. 1 Cam Sherlock in the final 60 meters of the race for a win in 2:01.12.

“My coach says I run angry, and I don’t like to see people in front of me,” Varner said. “I know Cam has an amazing pace so I just tried to match that. At about 60 meters, I saw that I could take him.

Varner also won the boys 400 with a time of 52.31, followed by teammate Jeremiah Ashkettle who finished in 52.73. Southern Fulton also took second in the boys 4x400 relay in 3:37.69 with Varner at anchor.

“I’m very proud and humble,” Varner said. “But I’m tired.”

MORE: Olivia Mottern wins district gold in 1st year throwing

OTHER RESULTS: McConnellsburg's Josh Booth won a pair of gold medals in the hurdle events, winning the 300 hurdles in 39.43, and the 110 in 15.43. Booth also placed third in the 200 with a time of 24.05.

Zac Deshong of McConnellsburg claimed a third-place finish in the 300 hurdles in 41.61, and placed fourth in the 110 hurdles in 15.86.

Deshong and Booth teamed up on the winning 4x400 relay team, joined by Chance Hawbakeer and Philip Strait for a winning time of 3:31.31. Southern Fulton's team of Benji Voight, JAcob Murray, Jeremiah Ashkettle and Chase Varner placed second in 3:37.69.

Hawbaker placed second in the 100 dash with a time of 11:34, second in the 200 with a time of 23.46 and fifth in the high jump, clearing 5-10.

Southern Fulton's Gavin Wills won the pole vault, clearing 13 feet for an area's-best performance.