James Clemens sweeps the field at State Qualifier track meet
Leila Elliott runs in the 100M dash at the Section 4 track meet on Saturday April 26.
(RECORD PHOTO/LINDSAY VAUGHT)
MADISON- Serving as the host was just the beginning for James Clemens as the Jets track teams dominated 10 other 6A teams in the Section 4 State Qualifying Track meet held Friday and Saturday April 25 and 26. Both the girls and boys team finished first. The Jets qualified an athlete to state in every event.
The final standings illustrated just how far the Jets programs have come. Last year the girl’s team was third and the boy’s team finished ninth in section.
Early on the Jets girls 4 x 100 relay team served notice by coming from behind and winning the days first track event. Leila Elliot ran the first leg, Zada Campbell and eighth grader Uriah James the middle legs, but Kayla Williams ran down a runner from Lee who had the lead and the Jets won by a tenth of a second.
Not to be outdone, the boy’s team then routed the field as Anthony Boden led off followed by Deondre Douglas, Christian James, and Anthony Burks. Bob Jones appeared to have the lead but Burks ran a blazing 11 second final leg as he passed Miles Strickland and sent Bob Jones to a fifth place finish, barely qualifying the Patriot team for state.
The sprint races were next and James Clemens senior and UAB-signee Leila Elliot took center stage. Elliot had qualified second in the 100 meter dash and first in the 200 meter.
Elliot finished second in the 100M. She was edged out by the top qualifier, Antoinette Jordan of Austin. Later in the day she finished third in the 200-meter dash, again to Jordan and Taylor Jones of Lee. Milan McGruder of Bob Jones finished fourth.
Drew Bell, James Clemens track coach said that Elliot has been hurt for the last four track meets. “She is recovering from a severe hamstring injury and still placed in the top three in each sprint event.” he said.
He held her and several other runners out of the Metro Meet last week to prepare for this event.
Elliot said she expected to win at both section and the state meet.
“I never thought I would have achieved this much and get this far, it’s been a great experience. I want to win a state title and bring home a championship ring,” Elliot said.
Last year she burst on the scene at the sectional meet then held at Bob Jones. She won the 100 meter dash surprising onlookers as she beat several senior runners who had signed scholarships. Now she is the hunted; a senior who has already signed with UAB.
Over the last year “the training has been a lot better,” Elliot said. “It’s all thanks to Coach Gaddy, he is our sprint coach. We do a lot of speed and burst exercises.”
Elliot said she is better in the individual events. “I enjoy running on the relay team but I’m better going by myself just giving it my all,” she said.
Bell said that Elliot has embraced the leadership role on the team and improved herself through a lot of hard work.
“She has always been good but she used to have confidence issues in the big meets and we have worked through that mentally. She has got really comfortable on the big stage. She has really benefitted from the weight program led by Coach Gaddy, driving them. We have got every resource we need. We have invested in speed suits with the rubber bands and the new Olympic style starting blocks for training for better starts.”
James Clemens girl’s relay team
In final standings, the JC girl’s team far outpaced the second place team, Bob Jones. Huntsville, Hewitt Trussville, Lee and Austin rounded out the top finishers. The boy’s team far outscored the second place team, Hewitt-Trussville. Huntsville and Albertville then Bob Jones rounded out the top six.
The Jets picked up valuable points in many of the field events. Kayla Williams placed in the long and triple jump. Freshmen Jennifer Reis placed in pole vault. Katrina Avery won first in high jump. Shalay Gholston was second in shot put. Devonte Vincent and Miles Whitlow placed second and third in the high jump. Chandler Smith won the javelin throw.
Josh Burks finished fifth and Deondre Douglaas sixth in the 100 M dash. Auburn football signee Oxford’s Racean Thomas finished eighth. In the 200 M dash Jarek Taylor of Bob Jones qualified for state with a fourth place finish. Burks just missed qualifying, he was sixth.
Eighth grader Uriah James scored big for the Jets with a win in the girls 400 M dash. Aaron Anderson and Anthony Bolden qualified with third and fourth place finishes in the men’s 400 M.
Bob Jones and James Clemens claimed the top four places in the girl’s 100 M Hurdles. Anna Gierow won and Emika Miyamoto was third for Bob Jones and Dekonte Gistarb and Anna Seeley were second and fourth. Austin Caudle (JC) won the boy’s 110 M hurdles.
Coaches Bell and Gaddy both use to be track and field coaches at Bob Jones. The AHSAA State Track Championship will be held May 2 & 3 in Gulf Shores.
