Published: May 14, 2008 11:50 pm         

Eagles to begin state title hunt Friday

Friday and Saturday could prove to be exciting for the Woodrow Wilson girls track team. For the first time in a while, the Eagles could be contenders in Class AAA at the state track meet at Laidley Field in Charleston.

“We’ve done pretty good this year,” Eagles girls coach Shirley Brown said. “We came in second in our region and won the 4x100, 4x200, 4x400 and the 4x800 relays.

“They’ve worked hard and I think it’s going to pay off for them when we go down there Friday and Saturday.”

The Woodrow girls will be among the contenders for first place in the 400-meter relay and the 800-meter relay at the state meet.

“Our 4x100 and 4x200 teams have pretty good shots,” Brown said. “Actually, our 100-meter dash qualifier, Moriah Njoku, ran a 12.8 (second) and the top is like 12.5. When you’re at the state meet, anything can go. You just don’t know.”

Adrienne Stover, Woodrow’s lone senior qualifier, sophomores Njoku and Kayla Bryant and junior Shakiyla Singleton make up the 400-meter relay squad.

“They’ve really done a tremendous job,” Brown said. “They’ve really worked well together. They’ve worked on getting their handoffs and I really feel like we stand a good chance of winning that 4x100.

“They’re real focused. I think that’s what it’s going to take, is really being focused on what they need to do.”

Stover, Njoku and Bryant are joined by sophomore Aubry Trostle on the 800-meter relay, while Stover, Njoku, sophomore Rachaell Swartz and junior Shakela Tunstalle make up the 1600 relay team.

Swartz is teamed with three freshmen, Michelle Oye, Chloe McCoy and Haley Davis, on the 3200 relay.

Swartz will also compete in the 800 and 1600, while Bryant runs the 200.

With a roster full of underclassmen, Brown is looking forward to the next couple of track seasons at Woodrow.

“I’m looking to really fare well at the state track meet next year,” she said. “As a matter of fact, I think we could put it together and possibly win it next year.”

One area the Eagles appear to be strengthening is the field events.

“In the past years when I helped coach (Devell) Williams and then having it myself, we haven’t really had much in the field events like high jump and so forth.” Brown said. “All three of our girls placed in the long jump (at the regional).”

Stover, Oye and Trostle contend in the long jump, sophomore Jessica Osborne challenges in the high jump and junior Lakiah Edwin qualified in the shot put.

Among the rest of the area Class AAA girls contenders are Nicholas County’s Alexis Shearer in the 100-meter high hurdles and Greenbrier East’s Lauren Asbury and Ali Curry. Asbury will be a factor in the 100 hurdles, while Curry could place in either the high jump or the long jump.

Woodrow’s Marquel Ali and East’s John Gadomski are the main contenders for titles in the Class AAA boys. Ali will defend his 100- and 200-meter titles, while Gadomski is a favorite in the 110 high hurdles.

— E-mail:

rjett@register-herald.com