AMERICUS – The Americus-Sumter boys and girls track & field teams turned in impressive performances at the Americus-Sumter Tri-Meet on Thursday, April 5, at Alton Shell Stadium.

Teams from Dooly County, Randolph-Clay and Schley County were there to compete in the meet.

Both ASH boys coach Andre Slappy and ASH girls coach Shanicka Dyson were very pleased with how their athletes performed. “It was good to get back out after the last performance we had. We didn’t do so well,” Coach Slappy said. Slappy was referring to the Findley Relays up in Warner Robins. “The weather wasn’t conducive for sprinters,” Slappy said. “A lot of guys pulled up with slight hamstring injuries.” Slappy went on to say that his team looked pretty fluid in Thursday’s home meet. “We just wanted to get back at it…trying to prepare for the region meet,” Slappy said. The Region 1-AAAA Meet will be in two weeks at Kinnett Stadium on the campus of Shaw High School in Columbus.

In the Boys 100 meters, Americus-Sumter’s Keyvontay Nelson took first place in the event with a time of 10.68, breaking the school record in the event. The previous record of 10.86 was set back in 2009 by Keon Wiggins. “I felt good about, but I feel that I could have done better,” Nelson said. “My start wasn’t too good, but at the end of the day, it’s the little stuff that counts.” His teammate, Sage Finch, finished in second in the event with a time of 10.76. Nelson was also a part of the Americus-Sumter A team that won the Boys 4×100 meter relay in a time of 42.47. “Today we did good. We ran a good race,” Nelson said. “There’s a lot of good competition out here. It’s the little stuff that counts. My handoff was perfect. If your handoff isn’t perfect, the time is not going to be good. We’ve got the region meet coming up. We’ve got a lot to come back for. We’re going to try to win a state title.” The B team finished in second place with a time of 43.21.

In the Boys 300 meter hurdles, the race was made up of all ASH runners, which made for interesting competition within the team. Justin Smith came in first place with a time of 46.46, followed by Lemario Larry (47.80). Jaquavious Dowdell finished in third place with a time of 49.00, followed by Skyler Trussell (51.34) and Quantavious Brown (54.80). “It was a great run. It was just us, but it was good to have good competition,” Trussell said. “It was a little hotter than usual, but it’s something you just have to work with.” In the Boys 110 meter hurdles, Trussell finished in third place with a time of 19.41. His teammate, Tavaras Daniels, finished in second place with a time of 16.25. Ra’kwon Hardwick of Randolph-Clay won the event with a time of 16.03. In the boys 400 Meter Dash, Americus-Sumter’s Jaylin Mable won the event with a time of 51.90. His teammate, Braelin Green, finished in second with a time of 53.34. Schley County’s Noah Hammonds and Aaron Pinckard came in fourth and fifth place respectively. Hammonds finished with a time of 56.31 and Pinckard finished in fifth with a time of 56.40.

In the boys 200 Meter Dash, Travian Thomas of ASH took first with a time of 22.31, followed by Jackson Fulks of Schley County (22.44). Michael Douglas of ASH finished in third place with a time of 22.6.

In the Boys 4×400 Meter Relay event, the Americus A team won the event with a time of 3:45, followed by Schley County’s A team, who finished second in a time of 3:56. The ASH B team finished in fourth place with a time of 4:25.

As far as the ASH girls team was concerned, ASH head coach Shanicka Dyson was pleased with their performance. “I think the girls did great. They’ve definitely shown some improvement,” Dyson said. “They’ve dedicated and committed in the practices that we’ve had. Their times have obliterated all the times that we’ve had this season and in the past. I’m extremely proud of them today.”

One of those times obliterated came in the girls 400 Meter Dash. Americus-Sumter freshman Selliyah Owens broke the school record of 1:07.07 in the event with a time of 1:05.66. “I thought it was good. I worked on my speed. I thought it was a good race in that I broke the school record,” Owens said. The previous record was set by Alexus Mercer back in 2009. Owens’ teammate, Markayla Clark, finished in second place in the event with a time of 1:08.50.

In the Girls 100 Meter Dash, senior Damitria Clemmons of ASH broke the school record in the event with a time of 12.19. The previous record was held by Kendra Wilkerson in 2006.

Ayesha Williams and Kylah Williams, both of ASH, finished in third and fourth place respectively. Ayesha Williams’ time was 12.88 and Kylah Williams finished in a time of 13.06.

In previous meets, the ASH girls set the school record for the Sprint Medley Relay with a time of 2:03.99 at the all-girls International Relays in Warner Robins.

In the Girls 300 Meter Hurdles event, Najayla Williams finished in first place with a time of 51.40. In the 200 Meter Dash, two ASH runners, Andrienne Douglas and Kylah Williams finished in second and third place respectively. Douglas finished in a time of 27.16 and Williams finished in a time of 27.95.

In the Girls 4×100 Meter Relay, the Americus-Sumter A team finished in first place with a time of 51.60. In the 4×400 Meter Relay, the Americus-Sumter A team finished in first place with a time of 5:14.

The ASH girls team also did well in the field events. In the Girls High Jump, Lakyara Waters finished in second place with a height of 4’6 feet. Her teammate, Jamaya Young, finished in third place with a distance jump of 4’4. In the Long Jump, the Panthers’ Ayesha Williams won the competition with a distance jump of 15’6. There were only two competitors in the Girls Triple Jump, and they were both from ASH. Lakyra Waters won the event with a distance jump of 30’2 and her teammate, Najayla Williams, took second with a distance jump of 27’7.

Overall, it was an excellent performance for both the ASH girls and boy’s teams, as well as the boys athletes from Schley County. Scott Burgess, the Schley County Boys head coach, said he had only five athletes at the event due to the fact that the school is in the middle of Spring Break. Two ASH school records were broken at this meet. That bodes well for the Panthers and Lady Panthers for the Region 1-AAAA Meet at Columbus in two weeks.