Sports

Wilson eyes title

• With the fastest qualifying time in the 100 meters, Monroe’s Kenza Wilson is thinking state championship.

Derek Barichello

ALBANY — Monroe’s Kenza Wilson likes to ham it up.

Whenever the Lady Tornadoes sprinter is not breezing by her opponents, she’s playing a joke to give her team a laugh.

“I’ll do a goofy run or something,” Wilson said. “I just like to keep everyone in good spirits.”

But Wilson does not need jokes to give her team smiles.

The Region 1-AAA 100 and 200 meters champion will enter today’s GHSA AAA State Meet at Meet at Hugh Mills Stadium with the fastest time in the 100 with 11.68 seconds and second-best in the 200 with 23.93 seconds. The 100 and 200 finals will be held on Saturday.

“It’s very difficult to be successful at state,” Monroe girls and boys track coach Octavia Jones said. “But she gives us our best chance to win an event.”

Lakeisha Jackson gives Monroe – which won the AAA title in 2001, 2002, 2003 and finished runner-up in 2004 — the second-best chance.

Jackson won her second region in the 100 hurdles and enters Thursday’s preliminaries with a time of 15.46 seconds – good for third in her qualifying heat. The top time is held by Santerri Baker from Druid Hills with 14.54 seconds.

“I’m hyped,” said Jackson, who will also compete in the long jump. “I feel like I could win. If I get second, it will be a good race. If I get third, I’ll be disappointed.”

Joining Wilson and Jackson competing at Hugh Mills is the 4x100 relay team, the 4x400 relay team, along with Sekelia Anthony in the 1,600, 3,200 and pole vault as well as Jasmine Harris in the shot put.

But Jones does not expect a run at a fourth state title of the decade.

“We’re going to compete hard and uphold the Monroe tradition,” Jones said. “But we don’t have that kind of team this year.”

Wilson, who gives Monroe the best chance to win an event, will make her second trip to the state meet.

She made her first trip in her freshman season and finished among the bottom.

That experience served as the motivating factor for all the hard work she has put in to return among the favorites in both of her races.

“She made it her goal to not be embarrassed again,” Jones said. “Now she’s poised and focused to make an impact.”

And the team comedian Wilson hopes with a state title she will be the one with the last laugh.

“If I get off the blocks well and keep my form,” Wilson said. “I believe I have a good shot.”

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