A total of seven Barrow County athletes will make the trek to Albany this week to compete in the AAAA girls state track meet at Hugh Mill Stadium.
Dennia Ernest will represent Apalachee High School while Amanda Cope, Anna Dean, Laura Beth Brown, Brittany Witt, Delorean Itabiyi and DeIsha Treadwell will represent Winder-Barrow High School.
Ernest is making her second trip to Albany in the high jump. She finished fourth last spring.
“If you finish in the top eight at state, it’s an accomplishment,” said AHS track coach Matt Sorrells. “A top five finish for her this year would be great.”
While 5-4 would win the event in 2010, Sorrells said one competitor is a clear favorite having cleared 5-10.
“That’s a better mark than some guys in our region,” Sorrells said. “Dennia will enter at 5-0 since that’s what she did at region. She has the potential to jump 5-4. My goal for her is to have any placing. To finish in the top five would be great.”
The high jump competition is scheduled to begin Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
Witt is making her first trip to state in the high jump after finishing as Region 8-AAAA runner-up to Ernest during the recent competition hosted by Loganville High School.
WBHS coach Jennifer Blevins looked forward to seeing Witt compete in Albany.
“It is still impressive that Brittany has only been high jumping since two days before the region meet,” Blevins said. “She competed in the long jump last year. We know what height she needs to set a goal at and believe she can do it. If she does, then she can come home with a medal.”
Cope is the veteran for the WBHS Lady Bulldoggs when it comes to the state track meet. Cope will be competing for the third time in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs.
“Amanda has earned a spot on the podium in each event each year and has moved up a place,” Blevins said. “The competition is fast this year and earning another trip to the podium is the plan.”
Dean is making her first trip to Albany. She finished as runner-up to Cope in the 3,200-meter run at region as WBHS will represent 8-AAAA in Albany.
“A personal record would be wonderful for Anna,” Blevins said. “The meet is intimidating and can bring out the best and/or worst of an athlete. All we can hope for each of the girls is to get out there and do her best.”
Brown has been dedicating herself to improve her technique and clear additional height in the pole vault.
“That is what she needs to do,” her coach said. “ It is obvious that the more she improves during these final days, the better she will place.”
While making her first trip to state in the discus, a medal is certainly possible for Itabiyi, Blevins said.
“Coach (Jason) Austin has been working with her to increase her accuracy, refine her form and build her confidence toward good throws,” Blevins said. “Three good throws into the sector will give her three more throws in the finals. The good news is that a spot in finals will allow her to use the one best of her six throws to determine her place in finals due to the fact that the prelims throws carry over into finals. A trip to the podium is not out of the question for Delorean.”
Treadwell’s trip to state was almost as exciting for her coaches as it was for her as a long-time goal was reached.
“She has longed for a spot in the State track to run the 100-meter dash,” Blevins said. “This is her year to do it. She will have to pull out all her speed and strength and finish in the top four of her heat to advance to finals. She definitely needs to keep herself in front and keep pulling away in the last 10 meters to do so. If she makes it to finals, she is guaranteed a spot on the podium and one more night in Albany.”
The local athletes were making final preparations earlier this week for their competitions in Albany at the state meet.
