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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

Isabella High School’s J.R. Sosa and Billingsley High School’s Ariyana Motley are this week’s athletes of the week after winning silver medals at the AHSAA Class 1A-3A State Championship Meet.

Sosa took the runners-up spot in the boy’s 2A javelin with a throw of 162 feet, five inches. The sophomore improved his state meet throw by over 14 feet from his 2023 effort of 148 feet, one inch that earned him a bronze medal.

In her first state championship meet, Billingsley freshman Ariyana Motley showed speed in the girl’s 1A 100-meter dash running a time of 13.18 in the prelims to advance to the finals. Motley improved her time in finals by almost two tenths to a 13.02 to win the silver medal.

 

Honorable mention: Billingsley girls 4×100 relay team (Zara Estrict, Caydin Hornady, Derrica Motley, Ariyana Motley)

The Bears’ female 4×100-meter relay team of Zara Estrict, Caydin Hornady, Derrica Motley and Ariyana Motley won a silver medal in the event at Cullman High School. The team qualified for the finals with a time of 52.79 to place third in the prelims. In the finals, the team ran a 52.45 to claim the silver medal. The team’s effort helped the Billingsley girl’s team to finish tied for ninth in the Class 1A team rankings at the state meet.

 

Honorable mention: Makinley Turner, Thorsby High School

Turner’s performance at the Class 2A Central Regional Softball Tournament in Montgomery on May 8-9 was the definition of a workhorse. Thorsby played 24 innings at the regional tournament, and the senior pitched them all. Turner’s combined stats in the circle for the tournament was 24 innings pitched, nine hits, one unearned run and an incredible 53 strikeouts.

She made her presence felt in the batter’s box as well for Thorsby recording a hit in all three games, but none bigger than her walk-off RBI double in the semifinals. She hit a three-run home run and piled up four RBIs in the tournament final.