A supreme effort by super freshman Markel Spencer helped the Washington boys’ team take second in a four-team meet on Wednesday while a shorthanded Pam Pack girls’ squad placed fourth.
South Central swept the meet as its boys team racked up 169 points and was trailed by Washington (57), Riverside (21) and D.H. Conley (13).
On the girls’ side, the Falcons tallied 109 points to take first and were followed by D.H. Conley and Riverside, who both scored 56 points, and Washington (25).
In the boys’ meet Spencer continued to build on his dynamic first season on the varsity level as he won the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.03, placed second in the 200-meter dash with a season-best time of 22.21 and placed third in the long jump with a leap of 19-feet, three-inches.
“Spencer has really been the guy on the team this year that’s been automatic every time out,” Washington coach Jon Blank said. “He’s been consistent, his times are right around each other each time.
“Today he ran an excellent time in the 200. He cut time today and he’s cut time in that event every time out. He just looked strong.”
The Pam Pack boys also took first in the 4×100 as Spencer, Devonte Corprew, Thomas Blount and Wante Smallwood finished the event in 44.63, and placed second in the 4×200, 4×400 and the 4×800.
Blank was happy with the results but wants to see more from his relay teams.
“We’ve got to get a little bit better in those relays,” Blank said. “I feel like we keep getting better in the 4×400, but we’re not going to be really strong at that until the end of the year because we are kind of young in it.
“In the 4×200 we just haven’t found the right combination for that yet. We’re consistently taking second in that race and I just can’t find the right group of guys for that one.”
The Pack also got a strong effort from Elijah Randle whose triple jump of 37-feet, 10-inches was tops. Also putting in a solid days work was Tarahje Burke who finished second in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 16.03.
In the field events, Stephon Moore and Jacquez Columbus placed first and second, respectively, in the shot put as more threw it 37 feet, nine inches and Columbus tossed it 36 feet, 11 inches.
“Stephon and Jacquez have both been pushing each other all year and they are usually near the top of the shot put,” Blank said. “We have been emphasizing getting to 40 (feet) and they have been close but haven’t gotten there yet. I feel like if we can get those guys to 40 they can compete well in the conference this year.”
Columbus also placed second in the discuss with a throw of 110-feet, 10-inches.
In the girls’ meet the combination of Janell Griffin, Yasmine Horton, Detisha Redmond and Andrea Peed was a dynamite one in the relays as they took first in the 4×100 (57.1) and second in the 4×200 (1.51.09).
“Those girls have a couple of goals in mind and that includes medaling at the state championship in those relays, especially the 4×100,” Blank said. “They keep improving and they keep getting better. We have a freshman on that team (Peed) and she keeps improving and if she gets to where she needs to be by the end of the year the other three girls are going to pull her up.”
For Riverside, the 1-A school was a bit of an underdog on Wednesday as it battle against three bigger 3-A schools but the Knights held their own as they managed to avoid last place on both the boys’ and the girls’ side.
The Knights set two school records, both of which came in the two-mile runs as Emery Manning finished in 14.43, while Adam Parker ran the event in 11.59 as each took first place. Riverside also got a first-place effort in the 800-meter run where Alex Hardison ran a 2:37 to win the event.
Overall, Knights coach Myra Register felt like her team stepped up to the challenge of competing against the bigger schools.
“I think we did real well. We made a lot of improvement and some of our distance runners set school records today,” Register said. “I thought we stood up real well against the larger schools. I think it pushed them a little bit.”