Randle, Lady Tigers seek Class 1-B championships
, buddy@rustonleader.com
05-02-2008
Tiarra Randle and Simsboro High School’s 4-by-100 meter relay girls’ team have streaks on their mind in Baton Rouge today.That’s when the Lady Tigers’ talented sprinter and her cohorts seek to extend their winning ways at the annual Louisiana High School Athletic Association Class 1-B meet to be hosted by LSU.
Randle will be going after a third consecutive title in both the 200 and 400-meter dashes, plus a third straight Most Valuable Performer award.
If that isn’t enough, she also hopes to play a key role in the school’s 4-by-100 relay squad finishing No. 1 in the event for a fourth year in a row.
Randle will run the anchor leg on the unit that also features lead runnr Katega Critton, Khristal Holland and Silynda Coleman.
At last week’s regional 1-B meet held at Ruston High’s James Stadium, a 52.40 first place time was clocked by that team.
Randle was a three-event champ at the regionals with times of 12.43 for the 100-meter dash, 25.78 for the 200-meter dash and 1:01.84 for the 400-meter dash.
Coach Chris Campbell’s team barely missed out on capturing a regional title with a 90-point production that fell three points short of first place finisher Weston.
The Lady Tigers also won the 4-by-400 meter relay with the team of Gabrielle Rhodes, Coleman and Hollman clocking at 4:36.56 and the 4-by-200 at 1:53.56 with the same group.
“We qualified in eight events for the state meet and came close to having two more events qualified with two fourth place finishes in the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles,” Campbell said.
Other first place finishers for the Lady Tigers at regionals include Kemiya Clark in the high jump at 4-10 and Rhodes in the 800-meter run at 2:42.62.
Choudrant High’s boys will go into the state meet with momentum gained from capturing the regional 1-B title, their first since a back-to-back performance in 2005 and 2006.
Leading the Aggies will be long distance running ace John Grupe, the champion of three different events at regionals.
He was No. 1 in the 1,600-meter run at 4:55.43, the 800-meter run at 2:12 and the 3,200-meter run at 11:04.15.
Mitchel Jones gave the Aggies a first place in the pole vault at 12-6 and teammates Thad Heisler (pole vault, 9-0), Colby DiGiovanni (1,600-meter run, 5:10.81), Kyle Norred (300-meter intermediate hurdles, 45.37) and Dakota Hennen (3,200-meter run, 11:22.41) gave the squad runner-up awards.
Simsboro High was fourth at regionals with 79 points and was highlighted by a first place result from Gavin Mitchell in the 100-meter dash at 11.34 and a 45.37 winning time in the 4-by100 meter relay by the foursome of Antwon Baker, Bennie Robinson, Olaolu Ogunyemi and Mitchell.
“It’s hard to swallow the fact that we won’t be able to defend the 4-by-200 relay title because we’ve been state champs in it for the last three years,” Campbell said. “We’ve also and at least one athlete competing in the 200-meter dash since 2002 and won it in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. That stings that we won’t have one in it this year.”
But the Tigers will be going after a third straight championship in the 4-by-100 relay.
RHS HAS 16 AT STATE: Coach Dave Anderson will send a group of 16 qualifiers to Baton Rouge for Saturday’s Class 5-A meet.
Leading the way will be double-event participant Kunesha Calhoun, who won the regional 1-5A title in the shot put at 40-8 and also qualified in the discus at 107-11.
T.L. Oakley was a regional champ on the boys’ side for RHS, as he topped the discus field with a throw of 136-7.75.
The Bearcats got runner-up finishes at regionals from Jon’ Al White in the shot put (52-2), Ladarrion Outley in the 1,600-meter run (4:28.06) and Chris Clement in the javelin (167-4).
Reid Brasher (javelin, 167-0) and Baraka Murimi (300-meter hurdles, 42.30) were third place finishers.
Chantia Spivey had a 37.3.5 mark in the triple jump for the Lady Bearcats’ lone second place finishers at regionals.
Earning third places and quaification for the state meet were Alex Hermes (javelin, 125-6), Colleen Butler (pole vault, 11-0), Keiarra Walker (400-meter dash, 58.53), Kennedy Coates (3,200-meter run, 12:06.69) and the 4-by-200 meter relay team that went 1:44.84.
Other Top Stories
