Fearsome foursomes fuel Cosby's girls track team

Cosby High shines brightest in races requiring eight legs.

Coach Bryan Still’s Titans have passed the relay baton all the way to the summit of Central Region girls’ track and field.

Cosby won region indoor and outdoor titles last year largely on the effort of its four-girl relays.

“I love the relays – they’re the most fun and exciting,” said junior Jayden Metzger. “Because when you win, you have someone to celebrate with.

“We’re so close; my best friend is the track team.”

Metzger, defending regional champion in the open 500 meters, runs on both the 4-by-400 and 4-by-800 relays for the current Titans.

Both quartets have state-championship potential, based on comparative times around Virginia.

“Jayden can run about any distance,” says Still. “She’s one of the most competitive young ladies I’ve ever coached.”

Cosby also shines in the 4-by-200, with sophomore Alexandria Moseley a megastar on the rise.

At the Christopher Newport Invitational, Moseley helped Cosby break the tape in a blistering 1:46.8 – some five seconds faster than the Dominion District record.

Still tempered that, somewhat, explaining that CNU’s 200-meter track has a much than the tight 145-meter Ashe Center.

Moseley ran with Molly Novak, Gina D’Orazio and De’Nisha Smith (defending region 300-meter hurdles champ) at CNU.

“Alex is my workhorse,” said Still. “She matches work ethic with talent and is the heart and soul of the team.”

Novak is another premier athlete, individually; the sophomore was second in the long jump and fourth in the 300 at CNU.

Moseley, who won multiple events and set numerous records at Bailey Bridge Middle School, also takes a turns on the Titans’ promising 4-by-400.

She predicts her best event, long term, will be the open 400.

Cosby won the 4-by-400 at CNU in 4:00.8 and was second (to Atlee) in the 4-by-800 in 10:01. Those are both state-worthy clockings.

The Titans' 4-by-400 foursome was De’Nisha Smith, Metzger, Novak and Moseley.

The 4-by-800 lineup was Alaina Redd, Elena Wirz and Kate Birnbaum and Cary Beth Reynolds.

The Titans become turbocharged in the 4-by-800 at region and state level when Megan Moye, the state’s premier distance runner, joins the lineup.

At CNU, the dynamic Moseley won the triple jump and was fourth at 55 meters.

She has the bloodlines for success. Her parents are former Clover Hill High track standouts Dominique and Roxanne (Briggs) Moseley.

“Track is my home away from home,” said Moseley. “It’s my life … it was God’s gift to me.”

The Titans plan to improve their times Jan. 27-28 on the extremely fast, banked track at Virginia Tech.

Then comes districts (Feb. 8) and regions (Feb. 17-18) at Ashe Center, and states Feb. 24-25 at Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton.

“We’ve done well on the state level before and we expect to again,” said Still.

Still was a standout relays runner himself at Huguenot before going on to play football at Virginia Tech and in the NFL.

In 1991, he ran on the Falcons’ 4-by-100 that took second at States, and indoors on a 4-by-200 quartet that was third in Virginia.

“Relays are a testament to a lot of talent and hard work,” said Still. “They’ve become a tradition at Cosby.”