Sports

Off and running

• The girls GHSA State Track & Field meet kicks off Thursday at Hugh Mills as Chamblee superstar runner Emily Reese once again steals the show.

Paul Dehner Jr

ALBANY —Emily Reese spent the her senior track and field season running overseas in Scotland with some of the best athletes in the world before returning to Chamblee High just in time to qualify for the state meet.

Once again, running alone under the bright Hugh Mills Stadium lights on Thursday, she looked happy to be home.

The senior made it a four-year sweep in the Class AAA 3,200 meter run, lapping her competition with ease for the title.

Though her bright career is bound for more time with the US National program in the summer and Harvard in the fall, the grand stages she is bound for didn’t depreciate the excitement of her final GHSA state meet.

“It never really gets old winning state championships,” she said.

Reese ran away with the race from the opening moments, barreling forward to begin catching her competition shortly into her third of eight laps.

From there, her pace was unparalleled and stole the state title in 10:31.97. Her closest competitor finished more than 40 seconds later.

“My time wasn’t as good as it was last year,” she said. “But I felt like I ran strong.”

She will attempt to pull off a similar four-year sweep of the 1,600 meters today. Reese holds state records in both events.

“It’s a different experience every year,” Reese said. “Coming here last year, there really wasn’t any competition. This year there really wasn’t either, but it was different spending all of the season overseas and coming back for region.”

KEEPING UP

Monroe’s Sekelia Anthony and Westover’s Sachi Daugherty attempted to keep up with Reese in the 3,200, but like the rest of the field, moved to the right as she came through.

Neither Anthony or Daugherty placed in the top eight, though Anthony cut nearly nine seconds off her qualifying time.

KENZA IN CONTENTION

Perhaps the most impressive showing locally on Day 1 came from Monroe’s Kenza Wilson.

The Lady Tornadoes standout sprinter qualified for both the 100 and 200 meter finals.

Wilson’s time of 12.05 was sixth best of the eight athletes that will be in Saturday afternoon’s final. Wilson ran an 11.62 as her qualifying time and at the rate would be in contention for the title.

In the 200, her time of 24.62 was fourth best among qualifiers. The sprint was also above her qualifying time. A faster speed will put her among the leaders in that event, as well.

JACKSON JUMPS ON

Monroe’s Lakeisha Jackson ran a brisk 15.430 in the girls 100 meter intermediate hurdles to qualify for Saturday’s finals.

Jackson is fresh off her second region title and enters with high hopes. She expressed a desire to finish in the top two and took a step in the direction by shaving .06 seconds off her qualifying time.

The finals of her event will be held at approximately 2:10 p.m. on Saturday.

ENGLISH ON THE OUTSIDE

Twin sisters Moneque and Moneka English completed a long day of qualifying at Hugh Mills with uneven success.

In the 400 meters, both finished just outside of the top eight. Moneka ran in 1:00.55 while Moneque followed at 1:01.07.

Despite the disappointment of that event, Moneka did advance to the Saturday final of the 800 meters.

Her time qualified for fifth overall in the event.

CALHOUN CRUISING

The Calhoun County 400-meter relay team of Danielle Christopher, Gabrielle Christopher, Lakendra Sol and Porshia Westry came in seventh overall between the two heats of the Class A run.

They also advanced to Saturday’s finals.

Back to today's Sports>>