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West Florence tracksters off and running this spring
By David Shelton
Senior Writer
Florence – With the state track and field championships just around the corner, the athletes at West Florence High are working hard to compete at the regional and lower state level.
The Knights have competed in region meets and a few invitationals that will prepare them for the tough competition at the lower state and state level.
One of the top hopefuls for a state gold medal in May is sprinter Lauren Ellis, who recently announced that she will be attending Stanford University next fall.
Ellis is performing well early on in the track season. She has the team’s top time in the 100 meter dash at 12.67 seconds and has posted a time of 25.65 in the 200 meter dash.
Also competing well in the sprints is India Brown, who has clocked a time of 12.74 in the 100 and a time of 25.24 in the 200 meter dash. Ellis and Brown are the top runners in the 400 as well. Ellis has posted a 59.45 in the event while Brown has a season best of 1:04.22.
Meaghan Cooke is the top hurdler on the girl’s team. Cooke has run an 18.44 in the 100 meter hurdles and a 1:09.24 in the 400 hurdles.
Lindsay Strickland has run a 21.24 in the 100 hurdles. Both athletes compete in the high jump as well with Cooke having cleared 5-2 this spring. Strickland has the team’s top triple jump this spring.
Hannah Muzzillo, Kristen Brown and Katie Howell are three of the top distance performers. Muzzillo has the top time in the 1600 meter run and Brown has the top time in the 3200. Muzzillo also has the top time in the 800 with Brown and Howell also running.
In the jumps, Aujauna Scudder is tops in the long jump this spring with Jessica Downs also competing well. Scudder and Downs also work in the sprints and in the relay events.
J’shauna Lewis is the top thrower in the discus with Shay Foxworth competing well also. Each has throw the discus over 70 feet this spring. Both also are the top shot putters, each with throws of more than 27 feet.
On the boy’s team, the top sprinters this spring include Dwayne Gunn (11.44 in the 100 and 24.67 in the 200), Eddie Frye (11.94 in the 100 and 24.24 in the 200), and Raekwon Rouse, who has the top time in the 200 at 23.92 and is tops in the 400 with a time of 54.34. Charles Short and Ridge Cockfield have also worked in the 400.
Justin Gilbert and Alex Pettigrew leads the team in the 800 meter run. Gilbert also has the team’s best time in the 1600 (5:10.97) while Matthew Andrews has the top time in the 3200 meter run (11:30.54).
In the hurdles, Marquan Goodman is tops in the 110 high hurdles while Dorian Gerald is the top 400 meter hurdler.
Kasio Young and Lachel Durant are the top triple jumpers, each covering more than 38 feet this spring. Young is also the top long jumper and top high jumper and holds out hopes of qualifying for the state meet in all three jumps.
Deonte Kinder and Braden Davis are performing as the top throwers. Kinder has thrown the discus 118 feet while Davis has topped 109 feet.
Keenan Brown is the top performer in the shot put, along with Tishombi Giles.
Working in the pole vault are Matthew Reaves and Luke Manning. Reaves has cleared 12 feet in the vault this spring.
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