The W.S. Neal Eagle track team competed at the McGill-Toolen track meet Saturday and Eagle head coach Rebecca Massie came back excited about what her team accomplished.
Two of the biggest highlights for the Eagles and Massie were from Gary Likely and Josiah Nettles.
Likely placed eighth in the triple jump with a jump of 40-2 ½ scoring a point for the Eagles. Nettles broke a W.S. Neal record in the 200-meter run with a time of 23.61.
Dana Smith set the former record in 2008.
Other good things for the Eagles were the personal bests set by many of the individual Eagle athletes.
Eagle athletes with personal best included: Khadijah Barton in the 100-meter, Kijana Mitchell in the 100 and 200-meter, Traa Stallworth in the 100 and 200-meter, D.J. Edwards in the 100-meter, Likely in the 400-meter, Rickem Samuel in the 400-meter, Will Minchew in the 800-meter and the mile run, Donald Hardyman in the two-mile run, Nettles in the 110-meter hurdles, and Justin Tompkins in the shot put and discus.
“More than total points and final times in track and field, personal gains are the true indicators of success,” Massie said. “If an athlete can go out and run faster, throw harder, and jump farther than the time before, something is gained. Hard work always leads to success. We have taken on some very tough competition this year, forcing us out of our element and pushing the athletes like they haven’t been pushed before.”
With that, Massie says there are still things her team can work on.
“We have made careless, unnecessary mistakes in the relay,” Massie said. “These things cost us points. Practicing hard every day and pushing oneself to the limit takes a great deal of inner discipline. As a team, we are still learning what it takes to compete with the best.”