By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
W.S. Neal track coach Buck Quarles has one thing going for him this spring.
At least this year he knows going into the season he will be coaching the program. That was not the case last year when he was given the reins of the program just days before the season started when preceding coach Shane Smothers left the school.
Another plus for W.S. Neal is an increase in participation.
The Lady Blue Eagles return senior Jolesia Likely, who netted the girls their only Class 3A state meet points last year with a fifth place finish in the triple jump.
W.S. Neal will have freshmen Rachel Davis and Tiffany Walton and eighth graders Lateesha Day, Imani Lancaster for the sprints. Junior Tierra Andrews is slated for the middle distance, primarily the 800 meters, while junior Erica Cardwell will handle the throwing events (shot put, discus and javelin).
W.S. Neal's boys are coming off a seventh place finish at the state meet last year.
The Blue Eagles have their top performer back from that team, senior thrower Joe Bailey, who won the 3A state discus championship. Bailey also finished fourth in the shot put competition.
Seniors Josh Bailey, Allen Dunn, Cal Daniel and sophomore Jonathan Benjamin will help anchor the shot put and discus with Joe Bailey. Dunn and freshman Coty Nelson will handle the javelin.
Josh Bailey and seniors Cody Green and Sherman Sanders are slated for the high jump.
Junior Jonathan Alexander is W.S. Neal's top performer back in the long jump and triple jump after respective sixth and seventh place marks at last year's state meet. Eighth grader Jeremy Alexander may also get a look for those events.
W.S. Neal's sprinters have some experience with Jonathan Alexander and senior Mario Daniel. They also have a lot of youth with freshmen Nate Sheffield, Bob Elliott, Nelson, Kenny Kiser and Maurice Samuel and eighth graders Jeremy Nicholson and Jason Bailey. Green is also expected to run sprints.
The Blue Eagles are loaded with inexperienced middle distance runners.
Others who are projected for middle distance include seniors Sanders and Josh Bailey, juniors Donald Peacock, Xavier Singleton and Justin Howard, sophomores Chris Payne, Danny Warrick and Benjamin Salter, freshman Clay Wiggins and eighth grader Kevin Johnson.
The distance will include senior Daniel Fowler and eighth grader Kevin Johnson.
The hurdles will include Nelson for the 110 highs and Sanders for the 300 intermediate.
W.S. Neal track schedule
Mar. 21 Jay Away
Mar. 23 T.R. Miller Away
Apr. 4 Jay Away
Apr. 6 T.R. Miller Away
Apr. 11 Milton Away
Apr. 18 T.R. Miller Away
Apr. 27 Sectional at St. Paul's