Published: May 07, 2008 11:13 pm            

Cats, Bruins ready for stiff test

NW's Woodason has eye on second vault title

Scott Thompson is taking a star-studded contingent of 10 athletes to the Class 4A state track and field meet that starts today in Jefferson, but he’s not the least bit shy about putting the Catamounts’ challenge in perspective.

“They’ll have to run the races of their lives,” Thompson said Wednesday, “but it’s going to be interesting. It’s really exciting to take this many kids down there. Last year we had six or seven.”

Thompson in no way is diminishing what his squad has accomplished this year, including the Region 7-4A championship, but the qualifying times and distances the Cats will be competing against are quite impressive.

Take the Catamounts’ Cameron Hudson and Daniel Grass, for instance.

Hudson qualified for the long jump (21 feet), 100-meter dash (11.31 seconds), 110 hurdles (14.84) and as a member of the 400-meter relay team (44.58).

A look at the best times in those events show what an uphill battle the Cats, and Northwest Whitfield’s Bruins, face at the state level.

• Long jump — Phillip Adams, Woodland, 23-7 1/2.

• 100-meter dash — Dangelo Cherry, Mt. Zion, 10.24.

• 110-meter hurdles — Neiko Lipscomb, Tucker, 14.04.

• 400-meter relay — Washington, 41.25.

Grass qualified in the 400-meter run (49.83), the 800 (2:02.22), the 400 relay and the 1,600 relay (3:27.78).

The best times in those events going into the meet at Memorial Stadium:

• 400 meters — Dantwan Spreads, Dutchtown, 48.02.

• 800 meters — Nolan Schnepf, Tucker, 1:56.83.

• 1,600-meter relay — Cedar Grove, 3:15.62.

“Class 4A probably is the top division in track,” Thompson said. “There are always a lot of great times and distances. It just seems to always be that way. Everybody is going down there to run their personal bests, everybody is going to be ready to compete, and our guys have to do the same thing.”

Northwest senior Nate Woodason appears to have the best shot of any local athlete to pull off a victory. Woodason won the region pole vault title with a 7-4A record of 15-0 and that’s the best qualifying height among state qualifiers.

The next closest competitor to Woodason, who won the vault title as a sophomore and finished second last year despite battling a leg injury all season, is Nikita Kirilov’s vault of 14-0. Kirilov is from St. Pius X.

“We think Nate has a real good shot at winning,” Bruins coach Jason Jackson said. “Last year he had the injury but this year he’s as healthy as he can be. Hopefully, he can come out with another title.”

The other Dalton qualifiers are Chas Thomason in the high jump (6-2), Ethan Bennett (400 and 1,600 relays), Garrett Hamby (400 relay), Jake McIntosh (shot put, 48-2), Justin Weaver (400 and 1,600 relays), Kareem Hawkins (300 hurdles, 41.04), Mitch Snyder (800, 2:07.22), and Ahmed Farag (400 relay).

“This is a good group,” Thompson said, “a group that will be missed next year because it’s going to be hard to replace them. They all deserve this shot at state.”

The Bruins are taking eight qualifiers, including Cameron Griffin who’ll be competing in the 300 hurdles (40.3), 110 hurdles (15.08), triple jump (41-1 1/4) and as a member of the 1,600 relay (3:28.99).

Other Bruins to be in Jefferson are Dean Haynes in the triple jump (43-0 1/2), long jump (20-8 1/4) and 1,600 relay, Chris Bigg (high jump, 6-2), David Jarjoura (200, 22.95), Jake Bridges (pole vault, 13-0), Jeffrey Griffin (1,600 relay) and Keonce Lovelace (1,600 relay).

“We’re going down there to compete against the state’s best,” Jackson said. “We’re hoping to have our best times and best efforts. A lot of these guys have been to state before and I don’t think they’re gun-shy, scared or intimidated. I do think there’s a feeling of anxiousness because they want to compete so hard.”

        

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