Chris Whitaker
May 07, 2008 10:15 pm
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ELLAVILLE — Carmetrick Ross and Charvis Mann look to lead Schley County’s boys track and field team to its best finish in school history.
The two are participating in four events apiece as the Wildcats take seven boys to the Class A state meet that will be held today through Saturday in Jefferson.
Coach Tim Peavy said their expectations are to finish as high as third.
“We feel like we have an excellent chance of competing for a state championship,” he said. “We feel a top-three finish is an attainable goal. There are some great teams at the state meet and for us to have a shot at this accomplishment, we have to be focused and have our best performance to date.”
Schley County has won every meet but one this season and second at the Fort Valley Invitational behind a 5A school.
The Wildcats (16 events, 7 athletes) are one of seven teams that should be in the chase for the state title. Other teams include (events include multiple relay teams): Bremen (34 events, 14 athletes); Wilkinson County (32/13); Jenkins County (29/13); Athens Christian (17/10); Landmark Christian (24/9); and Our Lady of Mercy (14/7).
All seven teams finished in the top 10 last year with Athens Christian, Jenkins County, Our Lady of Mercy, Bremen and Dooly County rounding out the top five.
Ross and Mann have been neck-and-neck during the season, and Peavy said their competition has done nothing but helped the two.
“They understand what they have to do to give us a chance to contend,” he said. “Charvis is a senior and he realizes this is his last chance at doing something special. They both will compete in the triple jump, and we’re hoping for a 1-2 finish; they are pulling for each other to do well.
“The competition helps them because it drives them to out-jump each other, and when you have two athletes of their caliber competing in a healthy way, somebody else is going to get beat.”
Ross is also competing in the high jump and long jump while Mann will run the 110-high hurdles and the 300-intermediate hurdles; both will run on the 1,600-meter relay team.
Ross has the top qualifying mark in the triple jump (44-6) and is fourth in the long jump (21-8). Mann is seventh in the triple jump (42-5), fourth in the 110 hurdles (15.53) and seventh in the 300 hurdles (42.07).
Jontu Solomon will compete in the shot put and discus, Jim David McFather will participate in the 800-meter run, Deondrick Pina is in the 100-meter dash, and Courtland Edwards and alternate Jaymes Turner will be with the 1,600 relay team.
Peavy said there are a lot of factors that could make or break each of his athletes. Good starts, never slowing down and good running and throwing forms are essential, he said.
“It will be hot and there will be tremendous talent everywhere,” said Peavy. “They must stay focused and not be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the state meet. They have been there before with the exception for Deondrick, so I think that experience should give them an advantage over some more inexperienced teams.”
He said Schley County is somewhat under the radar, but that’s OK.
“They don’t know a lot about us, and that’s the way we like it,” said Peavy. “We will not be intimidated and our boys are eager to show the rest of Class A that we can compete with the elite teams in the state.”
Wildcats season-bests and top qualifying marks
Best Qualify (place) Top (at state)
Carmetrick Ross-long jump 22-1 21-8 (4th) 22-0
-triple jump 44-6 44-6 (1st) 44-6
-high jump 6-8 5-8 (t-13th) 6-4
Charvis Mann-triple jump 42-5 42-5 (7th) 44-6
-110 hurdles 15.23 15.53 (4th) 14.78
-300 hurdles 41.35 42.07 (7th) 40.37
Jontu Solomon-discus 131-0 124-1 (9th) 148-5
-shot put 46-0 45-7.5 (7th) 55-2.25
Deondrick Pina-100 dash 10.98 11.51 (16th) 10.87
Jim David McFather-800 run 2:04.65 2:04.65 (6th) 1:57.32
1,600 relay team 3:36 3:39.01 (11th) 3:29.9
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