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Leemen, Lee Ladies take first place at tri-meet

Photo

Sandra Berry / For The News Virginian

R.E. Lee’s Kendra Scott throws the discus Wednesday in Staunton.

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By Robert Sisk

Published: April 17, 2008

STAUNTON — Robert E. Lee’s Chris Williams only needed half a turn to take his position up front.

The sophomore Leemen sprinter bolted by his teammate Alex Adkins and proceeded to take a five-second lead over the pack in the 400-meter dash on Wednesday. After hitting the final 100-meters Williams’ legs began to give way, slowing the runner.

“At the end it felt like my legs didn’t want to work no more,” Williams said.

Williams stayed up front, willing himself across the finish line, and picked up crucial points for his team. After the race a cramping Williams said it wasn’t his best, even though he broke his school’s record with a 49.7 second run.

“I felt good, the first 200,” Williams said. “Tried to kick it around the curve, and I guess my legs died out at the end, and I just pushed it and tried to keep my form.”

Robert E. Lee swept its home tri-meet on Wednesday with Waynesboro and Rockbridge, earning 81 points in the boys events and 115 in the girls. The Waynesboro boys finished second with 53 points and Rockbridge finished with 18. The Wildcats took second in the girls events with 21 points and Waynesboro finished third with 11.

Earlier in the meet Williams and his teammate Rajah Jenkins battled in the 100-meter dash. The two were neck-and-neck until the last 15-meters when Jenkins gained a .25 second lead. Jenkins finished with a 10.84 second run — the best run by a Lee sprinter in 12 years. Williams finished with a 11.1 second run. Jenkins would battle with Waynesboro jumpers Will Walter and Tim Brown for most of the day in the triple and long jump. Jenkins took an early lead in the Long jump with a 21-foot, 5-inch jump. Walter and Brown were unable to make up the distance with Walter finishing second and Brown third.

The two Little Giants struck back in the triple jump with Brown (44-foot, 4¼-inch) taking first and Walter (43-foot, 3-inch) second. Jenkins finished in third with a 41-foot, 1½-inch jump.

The Little Giants also had first place finishes in the shot put and discus. Chaz Crews out threw his teammate Jacob Lipscomb in the shot put but Lipscomb returned the favor in the discus with a 110-foot, 5½-inch throw. Crews finished second in the discus with a 104-foot, 9-inch throw.

In the boys 1600-meter the Leemen took first, second and fourth with Andrew Lightner winning the gold. Lightner said that he’s still not where he wants to be but is on his way.

“I felt that I had a pretty good time,” Lightner said. “I was happy with it. I practice here every day so I’m used to it and that probably helps. I did a lot better than I expected; my goal is to get into the 4:30s and so far I’m on my way.”

Waynesboro long-distance runner Edward Ennis almost lost his first-place finish in the 800-meter run when Rockbridge’s Michael Kelly passed him on the backstretch. Ennis found some extra energy coming off the final turn to trade the lead again and come away with a 2:17 run.

“The first lap felt really good,” Ennis said. “Then I tightened up in the second and he passed me. I stretched out my stride and passed him.”

The Lee Ladies won all but three events (3200-meter run, shot put and the discus) on Wednesday.

Up-and-comer Karrisa Jenkins soared past the competition in the triple jump picking up a 32-foot, 5½-inch jump, beating second place LeAnne Brooks from Waynesboro by more than 3-inches. Karrisa Jenkins also won the long jump with a 15-foot, 1½-inch jump.

Also taking home first-place finishes for the Lee Ladies were Brianne Williams (18.9 seconds, 100-meter hurdles), Destiny Simmons (12.9 seconds 100-meter dash), Elizabeth Goodloe (6:05, 1600-meter run), Keoshia Crawford (300-meter hurdles, 59.46) and Trenley Anderson (800-meter, 2:45. The Lee Ladies 3200-meter and 4x400-meter relay teams also took first-place points.

For the boys, Lee’s Corey Curry (110-meter hurdles, 17.7), Malcolm Kier (300-meter hurdles, 42.43) and Dillon Sowers (3200-meter run, 12:15) had first place finishes.