Sports

Twin engines

• Twin sisters Moneka and Moneque English will lead Region 1-AAA champ Westover into the GHSA girls state track and field meet that begins today at Hugh Mills.

Derek Barichello

ALBANY — Westover track twin sisters Moneka and Moneque English are identical right down to their shoes.

They look alike, they act alike, they even run alike.

And beginning today at the GHSA state track and field meet and running through Saturday at Hugh Mills Stadium, both of them will compete in the same events for the Region 1-AAA champion Lady Patriots.

As hard as it is to distinguish the duo who will run the 400 meters, 800 and 4x400 relay on the track this weekend, it is just as hard off it.

From the black, oval-framed glasses down to the red and white Nikes, they look like walking mirrors.

So if you cannot tell one from the other, don’t worry.

“We’re used to it,” Moneka said.

The English sisters are also used to winning.

Moneka won the region title in the 400 and 800, while Moneque finished runner-up to her sister and both won the 4x400 relay together.

“Sometimes I win, sometimes she wins,” Moneque said. “We don’t get upset over it. We just push each other and either way we’re happy because our team gets the same points.”

Westover boys and girls track coach Harley Calhoun feels the English twins, along with 300 hurdler Ashley Johnson, give his Lady Patriots the best chance to score.

Heading into the preliminaries in the 400, Moneka has a time of 1:00.55 and Moneque 1:01.07, well behind top-seeded Jawanda King from Therrell with a time of 55.96.

In the 800, Moneka enters with a time of 2:33.36 and Moneque 2:33.25 behind Jovelle Patterson from North Atlanta with a time of 2:20.16.

But throw away the stopwatch, Calhoun knows by now anything is possible when the English sisters race.

“They have a heart you don’t see in many people,” Calhoun said. “They work so hard and they give it their all.”

Meanwhile, Johnson enters with a seventh best time of 46.8, more than two seconds behind top-seeded Santerri Baker from Druid Hills.

"She brings a lot of energy to the team," Calhoun said. "She competed in five events for us this year - the long jump, triple jump, 300 hurdles, 4x100 and 4x400 — and she has never complained."

In addition to Johnson, region champ Megan Golinski will compete in the pole vault, Katori Upshaw in the discus, Sachi Daughety in the 3,200, while Clennysha Jones is seeded 16th in the triple jump and tied for 10th in the high jump, along with the 4 x 100 relay team.

“I hope we finish in the top 20,” Calhoun said. “We still have a young team, with only two seniors, so it’ll be a good experience.”

Leading that youth movement is Johnson.

The freshman hurdler won the region in the 300 hurdles and is looking forward to her first trip ever to state.

She’s even received a little advice from Moneque and Moneka, who both make their second trip to state.

“They told me to have fun and stay focused,” Johnson said. “They are always encouraging and telling everyone on the team to do the right thing.”

That kind of leadership does not surprise Calhoun, proving the English twins are alike in more ways than one.

“They’re always thinking of how they can help out the team or other people,” Calhoun said. “They’re an inspiration. I know there will be some tears shed when they graduate (both are juniors).”

However, if you want to know the difference.

"(Moneque) has bigger feet," Moneka said, laughing.

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