Sports

Westover boys protect home court

• Westover captures the boys title at the Westover Relays, while Monroe finishes second place, however Monroe takes second in girls and Westover third.

Derek Barichello

ALBANY – Both the Westover boys and Monroe girls track teams sent a message Saturday in the fifth annual Albany Medical Associates Westover Relays at Hugh Mills Stadium.

They are the teams to beat in Region 1-AAA.

The Patriots finished the 14-team meet on top with 122 points, six ahead of city-rival Monroe, with Tift County coming in third at 72 points.

It was almost as close in the girls competition between Monroe and Westover, as three-time defending champ Carrolton won again with 163 points, while the Lady Tornadoes finished second with 99 and the Lady Patriots third with 88.

“It showed us we can be region champ,” Monroe runner Kenza Wilson said. “I’m proud but we are going to keep working hard, cause that’s what we want to be.”

The fact remains that every Relays winner has gone on to win their region tournament - which starts Thursday for the girls and April 24 for the boys – and judging from the confidence exuded when the first-place trophy was presented to Westover’s boys, it is easy to see why.

“Our boys got a taste of what it’s like to win a meet,” Westover boys and girls track coach Harley Calhoun said. “And I can tell you I’m not worried a bit about complacency, I think it just showed us what we can do when we have a good day and it’ll only make them work harder.”

One thing is apparent, with both Relays meets so close between Monroe and Westover, the region tournament should wind up a very competitive one.

“We’re hungry going into region,” Monroe boys and girls coach Octavia Jones said. “I felt a couple people didn’t perform like they could’ve. That’s why we lost by six points. I hope that makes those individuals work harder.”

Of the other area schools, Lee County’s boys finished fifth with 34 points, Dougherty seventh with 27, Mitchell County ninth with 21 and Albany 14^th with three, while Dougherty’s girls (14) finished sixth place, Albany seventh (8) and Mitchell County eighth (two).

GOIN’ GREEN

Greg Green was responsible for 26 of the Relay-winning Patriots’ points. He won the 200 meter run, finished second in the 100 and second in the long jump.

LEAVING A CLOUD OF DUST

Monroe’s Kenza Wilson is fast. Really fast. She won the 100 in 11.99 seconds and the 200 in 24.74 seconds.

FLYING BY LIKE A TORNADO

Both Monroe’s girls and boys excelled in the hurdles. Coming out on top in the 100 hurdles was Lakeisha Jackson, the 110 hurdles Chris Lovett and the 300 hurdles Montravious Williams. Sir’ Paul Jones finished second in the 300 hurdles.

TWIN SPEED

No, you were not seeing double. Westover twin sisters Moneka and Moneque English finished first and second in the 800 within three-tenths of a second of each other, then finished third and fourth in the 400 four-tenths of a second of each other.

MITCHELL COUNTY’S WOUMNM SOARS

Woumnm matched a Relays record with a jump of 6 feet-8 inches to finish first in the high jump, ahead of Dougherty’s Brian Bryant, who recorded a leap of 6-6.

DOUGHERTY PRIDE

Jamie Jones picked up Dougherty’s only individual title with a time of 50.41 seconds in the 400.

SKILES IN STYLE

Lee County’s Brandon Skiles picked up the Trojans’ lone win. He won the 3200 run, beating second-place Robert Smith of Monroe by 21 seconds.

DON’T PUT ALBANY DOWN

Samaria Robinson finished third in the shot put and was the only top-three Albany finisher, while Barry Diamond turned in a fifth-place performance in the 200.

TEARING UP THE FIELD

Monroe’s David Noel finished second in discus and third in shot put, while Derrick Tumblin finished fourth in discus.

Westover’s Jacob Metz recorded his first win in the pole vault.

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