![Phoenix gets in position to initiate the beginning of an intense game. “It's coming to the end of the season here, so [our goal] is to just focus on working harder,” senior lineman Ryan Abbondanza said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSC_0042-1200x800.jpg)
On Feb. 20, Rock Ridge hosted Tuscarora, Heritage, Woodgrove, Loudoun County, Loudoun Valley, Dominion, Parkview, and Broad Run High School students for the 2026 Region 4C Championships. Several Phoenix athletes performed well, resulting in state qualifications for five girls and six boys.
Many seniors stood out with their performances at the meet, like senior Khem Temoka, who had a dominant day on the track. Temoka placed first in the boys’ 500-meter dash with a time of 1:06:59 and followed it up by winning the boys’ 300-meter dash in 35.86 seconds. Temoka’s performance throughout his years on track has not only pushed him to be a better runner, but also a leader. “I started track in eighth grade, and I would say I did it for fun,” Temoka said. “And now, I can hardly believe I’m gone next year. I know a lot of people who look up to me, and I try to be a leader and show out to lead by example.”
In the girls 4×200 meter relay, Rock Ridge High School captured first place with a time limit of 1:45:27, setting. The boys’ 4×200 meter relay team also delivered a strong performance, placing third with a time of 1:35:00.
Several individual sprinters also earned podium finishes. In the girls’ 300-meter dash, sophomore Phoenix Pradia placed second with a personal record time of 42.58, while sophomore Leeona Walker followed closely behind in third at 43.47, and they both qualified for states. Leeona Walker also placed third in the girls’ 55-meter dash with a time of 7.70. Freshman Jada Peyton earned sixth in the 55-meter dash with a time of 7.98, and senior Kyra Young finished in seventh with a time of 7.99 seconds.
In the hurdles, senior Zoe Fyne-Okorie secured third place in the girls’ 55-meter hurdles with a time of 9.57, while sophomore Addison Copeland placed seventh in 10.71. Despite track functioning as an individual-based sport, Fyne-Okorie feels supported by her teammates. “I think a lot of the girls in my life, or all my teammates in general, are just really fun people to be around,” Fyne-Okorie said. “So I think being around them is really motivating, and it pushes me to become a better athlete.”
As the season comes to a close, athletes have reflected on the challenges they were able to overcome. “I had never done track before; I started last year, and it was really hard since everyone already had track experience and I didn’t,” Copeland said. “I had to uplift myself and realize that was an obstacle I had to get over, because it wasn’t my fault that I started so late. I just had to work on myself rather than focusing on others.”
Dedication is a concept that Phoenix track athletes value and prioritize in their careers. “[Over the years], I’ve learned what Coach B [activities director Bradley Burzumato], always likes to say: ‘What you get out of it depends on what you put into it,’” junior Daniela Rojas said. “Athletes strive to work harder, setting goals for themselves to improve.”
