Archie, Tyus, others excel at state
Published 6:35 pm Monday, May 11, 2009
The state track and field meets on May 7-9 were memorable ones for local teams as Billingsley’s boys finished second as a team and a Thorsby athlete claimed what is believed to be the school’s first event championship.
And Sade Archie wasn’t content with making school history with a time of 12.58 in the Class 2A girls 100-meter dash. Archie added a second title in the 200-meter dash with a time of 27.23.
Both were convincing wins, Thorsby coach Ken Copen said.
“I don’t think she realizes what she’s accomplished,” Copen said. “To win one is great. To win both is super. But to do that at the same meet as a 9th grader is special.
“We’re just so proud of her.”
Thorsby sophomore Marcus Bray also performed well at the meet at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex, finishing third in the triple jump and fourth in the long jump.
Bray decided before the season he wanted to compete in the triple jump, and he and Copen, who admits he has little experience with the event, learned technique by watching clips on YouTube.
Bray’s previous best was 38, but he recorded a 41.08 effort in the finals.
Billingsley had five first-place finishes, and the boys team came up just short of a state championship.
“We were about two kids short of winning that whole shebang,” Billingsley coach J.T. Lawrence said. “I’m really proud of our kids for doing as well as they did.”
Jay Tyus won state championships in three events: the Class 1A boys 110-meter hurdles (16.60), the 300-meter hurdles (43.37) and the (6 feet).
Jamar Hopson finished first in the boys discus (122.02), and Lori Davis, a freshman, won the girls javelin throw (95.07).
Chilton County’s Andy Cannon competed in the boys Class 5A 200-meter dash and finished eighth with a 23.27.
Isabella’s best finish was Blake Lawley’s shot put effort (41.1), which was good enough for fourth place in the state.