Indoor Track Teams In Good Hands

MADISON- The indoor track programs at both Bob Jones and James Clemens High Schools are solid and robust with some of the top athletes at each school taking part in what looks to be a banner season in Madison.

Leading the Bob Jones boys program is junior Shafi Muhammad who is ranked No. 1 in the state in the 800-meter while James Clemens girls are being led by two multi-talented athletes in Ashlee Osaji and Shataeya Ligon. Osaji is ranked No. 1 in the long jump and No. 3 in the triple jump and is part of the top ranked 4X200 relay squad, which includes Uriah James, Aajiah Watkins and Vada Samuels. Ligon is rated tops in the triple jump and No. 2 in both the long jump and 60-meter hurdles.

“We are having an awesome indoor track season so far where our girls team is really dominating the sprints, jumps and scoring the much needed points in distance runs and field events,” said Drew James head coach of James Clemens. “Our athletes put in their best summer of practice and recorded their best fall conditioning program.”

Bob Jones head track coach, Brad Jefferson has seen his program excel in different areas led by Muhammad. Jefferson said of his prize athlete, “Shafi is a coach’s dream, great kid, great family, great attitude and definitely a team player. He comes to practice every day ready to work. We are really looking for him to do something big in both the 400 and 800-meter events.”

In the recent Magic City Invitational in Birmingham, Muhammad took first place in the 800-meter with a time of 1-minute, 59.32-seconds. His placing against the best of the best from across the state put him as the No. 1 ranked runner. To add to Muhammad’s notoriety, his twin brother Hanif runs the 60, 100, 200 and 400-meter sprints and has done extremely well early in the track season.

For the James Clemens boys’ roster, David Batista is No. 2 in the triple jump, Collier Robinson is second ranked in the high jump while the relay team of Nolan Smith, Xavier McKnight, Miguel Cortez and Simeon Dorsey is ranked second in the state in the 4X200.

“Plus, our Liberty Middle School boys squad has been almost unstoppable and ranked No. 1,” said James. The Lions are led by Braxton Williams who carries a No. 1 ranking into the New Year in the high jump. The Liberty girls are being led by Xanyah Edwards who placed second in the 60-meter run with a time of 8.56-seconds.

“We’ve really set ourselves up for possible great things at the Indoor State Meet and this could finally be the year the Jets defeat Hoover and claim a state title after finishing runner-up a season ago,” added James.

The indoor track season will conclude with the State Meet on Feb. 3 and the two major programs from Madison seem to be good hands.