By By ROBERT BLANKENSHIP - Managing Editor
A number of athletes from both T.R. Miller High School and W.S. Neal High School qualified to participate in the 3A state track meet after their performances in the sectional meet last week.
T.R. Miller took overall first place in both the boys' and girls' competition which featured seven schools. The boys earned a total of 172 points while the girls finished with 141.
The W.S. Neal boys' and girls' teams each finished in fourth place. The boys finished with a total of 96 points while the girls finished with 43.
Boys to compete at state
Among the top finishers for the boys was Antonio Gomez. Gomez finished with th best time in the 110 hurdle at 14.99. He also placed first in the 300 with a time of 42.08.
Miller's Demetrius Preyer placed first in the discus event, throwing for a total distance of 118 feet, seven inches.
Tye Walker also took a first place slot for the Tigers. He won the javelin with a distance of 135 feet, six inches.
T.R. Miller's Michael Jones took first place in the 100 meter with a time of 10.73.
Rodney Lane took first for the Tigers in the 400 meter with a time of 52.30.
Antawn Gomez also earned a first place for Miller, winning the tall jump with a distance of 43'.
T.R. Miller also earned several first place finishes in team events. The Tigers took first place in the 4×100 relay with a time of 43.95. They also took first in the 4×400 with a final time of 3:40.
W.S. Neal's Antonio Gross earned two first place finishes for the Blue Eagles. He finished first in the long jump with a distance of 20 feet, 7.5 inches and in the 200 meter with a time of 22.24.
The top three athletes from each event automatically qualify to compete in the state meet at Troy University on May 2 and 3. The athletes who earned a right to compete at the state level are as followed.
From T.R. Miller: Michael Jones - 100 meter; Rodney Lane - 400 meter; Neal Cheatham - 400 meter, high jump; Antawn Gomez - 400 meter, long jump; Antonio Gomez - 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, high jump; Skylar Fountain - 110-meter hurdles, Dewaun Johnson - 300-meter hurdles; Demetrius Preyer - shot put, discus; Tye Walker - javelin and Kevin McCall - javelin.
From W.S. Neal: Alfonso Gross - 100-meter, 200-meter, long jump; Marcus Folmar, 200-meter; Nick Benjamin, 300-meter hurdles, triple jump; Chris Johnson, shot put and Kendrall Williams, discus.
T.R. Miller relay teams qualified in the 400-meter, 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter.
W.S. Neal's relay team qualified in the 400-meter.
Athletes who placed in the four through seven slots are considered wild cards and may be chosen to participate in the state competition.
Girls to compete at state
Among the top finishers for the girls was T.R. Miller's Brittnee Malloyd who finished first in the long jump with a total distance of 15 feet, 8.5 inches and in the shot put with a distance of 32.4.
Lady Tiger Joy McCorvey took first place in the 100-meter with a time of 12.56 and finished first in the 200-meter with a time of 25.94.
T.R. Miller's Jasmine Sanford earned a first place finish in the tall jump with a distance of 35 feet.
Shay Lane took the top spot in the high jump for the Tigers with a total distance of 4 feet, 10 inches. She also finished first in the 400-meter with a time of 1:05.
Lady Tiger relay teams also finished first in the 4×100 with a time of 50.98 and the 4×400 with a time of 4:55.
Girls qualifying for a spot in the state track meet are as followed.
From T.R. Miller: Joy McCorvey - 100-meter, 200-meter; Jasmine Sanford - 100-meter, 200-meter, triple jump; Shay Lane - 400-meter, long jump, high jump; Brittnee Malloyd - long jump, triple jump, shot put; Candace Smith - shot put and discus.
T.R. Miller also qualified in the 400-meter relay and the 1,600-meter relay.
From W.S. Neal: Tierra Andrews - 1,600-meter and Misha Brown - shot put.
W.S. Neal also qualified in the 400-meter relay with a time of 54.71.
Athletes who placed in the four through seven slots are considered wild cards and may be chosen to participate in the state competition.