Track teams honored for strong seasons
Published 6:00 pm Friday, May 20, 2011
BAINBRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL Bearcats and Lady Cats senior track team performers display their senior plaques and awards. From left, seated Brandon Handsford, Rohan Gaines, Joseph Ausgood, Shawn Samuels and Josalyn Barthel; standing, Delonte Martistee, Jamar Venisee-Cosby, Dewayne Gurley and Steven Crowell. Senior plaque recipients not pictured are Octavius Scott, Romero Fields, Tanisha Warren and Kiana Ferguson.
The Bainbridge High School boys and girls track teams were honored Tuesday night at the Jones-Wheat Elementary School cafeteria.
Coach Larry Cosby’s boys team won their 13th straight region championship and finished a strong eighth at the State Class AAAA meet. Coach Tandria Phillips’ girls team finished a strong second at the Region 1AAAA Meet and sent several athletes to the state meet.
The top Bearcats sprinter award went to senior Shawn Samuels, who won the Region 1AAAA championships in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in times of 10.97 seconds and 22.19 seconds, respectively.
Samuels also anchored the Bearcats 4-by-100-meter relay team that finished second in the region. On the team with him were Octavious Scott, Brandon Handsford and Rohan Gaines.
The top field events performer award went to senior Delonte Maristee, who won the region triple jump championship with a leap of 46 feet, 10 inches. He was crowned state champion in the triple jump with a leap of 47 feet, 2.5 inches.
BEARCATS TRACK award winners are honored for their outstanding season. From left front, top field events performer Delonte Martistee, top distance runner Joseph Ausgood, top sprinter Shawn Samuels, and academic award winner Steven Crowell; back, coaches award winner Rhyan Edwards and most improved performers Donterius Jackson and Dylan Thomas.
Senior Joseph Ausgood won the top distance runner award. He won the 800-meter run championship at both the Lowndes County Invitational and the Westover Invitational in Albany. He also won the 400-meter run at the Westover meet and anchored the Bearcats’ 4-by-400 meter relay team.
The Coach’s award for strong dedication and hard work went to Rhyan Edwards, who was second in the 400-meter dash at the Lowndes County Meet, in a time of 50.91 seconds, and also finished third in the region in the event. Edwards was also on the 4-by-400 meter relay team that placed well all season. Also on the team were Samuels, Ausgood and Octavius Scott.
Most improved performer awards went to Donterius Jackson, who finished second and qualified for state in the 110-meter hurdles at the Region 1AAAA Meet and to Dylan Thomas, who finished fourth in the 800-meter run in a time of two minutes, 8.28 seconds at the second annual Larry Clark Invitational Meet.
Thomas ran the first leg on the Bearcats’ No. 2 4-by-400-meter relay team that finished fifth in a time of 3:37.78 at the Lowndes County Meet. On the team with him were Remora Fields, Alton Miller and Terry Reynolds.
Earning the academic award for having the highest cumulative grade point average on the team was senior shot put and discus performer Steven Crowell.
Crowell placed second in the region in the shot put with a heave of 50 feet, seven inches. He placed sixth in the event at the state meet.
Girls awards
LADY CATS TRACK award winners are honored for their outstanding Bainbridge High School track accomplishments. From left, seated: top sprinter Khadeeijah Cooper, top track and field performer Diamond Bouie, coaches award winner Ashley Mango and academic award winner Jasmine Belin; back, most improved performer Raven Burney, left, and top field events performer Khadeedra Sparrow.
The Lady Cats’ top track and field award went to Diamond Bouie who won the region championship in the high jump with a leap of five feet, two inches and finished second in the 100-meter hurdles at the region meet with a time of 15.87 seconds.
Khadeeijah Cooper won the Lady Cats’ top sprinter award. She ran the first leg on the girls’ region champion 4-by-400 meter relay team that finished in a time of four minutes, 8.13 seconds. On the team with her were Ashley Mango, who received the Coach’s award for her hard work and dedication; Raven Burney, who received the most improved performer award; and Bouie.
Burney, a freshman, won the region championship in the long jump with a leap of 16 feet, eight inches. She also placed eighth in the state
Receiving the academic award for having the highest cumulative grade point average on the Lady Cats team was won by Jasmine Belin. She finished second in the region in the triple jump with a leap of 34 feet, five inches.
The top field event performer award went to Khadeedra Sparrow. At the first Georgia-Florida Border Challenge Track Meet at Chiles High School in Tallahassee, she finished second in the discus with a throw of 95 feet, 5 inches and third in the shot put with a heave of 31 feet, 6 inches. At the region meet, Sparrow finished second in the region in the shot put and fifth in the discus.
Bearcats receiving senior plaques were Shawn Samuels, Joseph Ausgood, Octavius Scott, Steven Crowell, Delonte Martistee, Dewayne Gurley, Rohan Gaines, Brandon Handsford, Romero Fields and Jamar Venisee-Cosby.
Gurley placed seventh in the state in the discus with a throw of 152 feet, six inches.
Lady Cats receiving senior plaques were Tanisha Warren, Josalyn Barthel and Kiana Ferguson.
