A trio of Winder-Barrow High School track athletes went out in style last Thursday in Jefferson.
Jamonte Riden, Kendall Isler and Quintin Long each earned top 10 finishes in their respective events and helped cap a successful spring for Bulldogg track.
Riden was ninth in the long jump but just made it to the event on time in order to compete. Riden arrived just as the event was starting (he and his teammates got lost trying to get into the stadium) and was moved into the second heat.
Riden then jumped 21-10 to advance to the finals before finishing ninth. The personal best for Riden is 23-5 and that mark would have almost won state as Cedar Shoals’ Jamorio Calhoun took the event with a jump of 23-5.25.
“Competing at state is very different,” Riden said. “I know my stomach has been churning all day. I do my best not to get nervous but this is a big event. It’s something to compete in front of this many people. It’s tough to block it all out.”
A calculation error almost kept Riden from the finals, but WBHS coach Jennifer Blevins informed the officials the Bulldogg senior had in fact qualified.
“I am so glad that I was keeping track of all of the jumpers’ marks,” Blevins said. “After prelims, I had Jamonte as the ninth best jumper. When they called out the nine jumpers who were going to finals, I could not hear, so I sent Jamonte to find out if he made it.
“He came back and told me he didn’t. I asked to talk to the official and compared my data to his. It turns out that the officials had informed a jumper who actually jumped less than Jamonte that he was in the finals and had overlooked Jamonte’s jump. The official took the blame for his mistake, was very professional and thanked me for catching the error. Taking the time to keep up with the jumps allowed Jamonte a chance to jump in the finals. Although, he did not improve his distance, he was given the chance he deserved. Part of coaching is being an advocate for the kids and having their backs. This was the second time, in two meets that by me taking the time to keep track of the competitors, that a mistake was found that gave one of our kids an advantage.”
A similar incident happened at sections with Isler.
“I am going to have to put a team together for the big meets next year, so that we can make sure that the performance data is accurate,” Blevins said.
Isler, who was competing in his first year of track, finished tied for fifth in the high jump. He tied South Forsyth’s Anthony Riddle. Woodland’s Brandon Thompson also cleared 6-2 but needed fewer attempts to clear the mark which allowed him to take the fourth place medal.
“I really think I could have done better,” Isler said. “It’s all about technique. I guess I was thinking about it too much and couldn’t clear that last mark.”
“I could not be more proud of Kendall and his accomplishments this year with the high jump,” Blevins said. “His fifth place finish is an amazing accomplishment for an athlete that has only been high jumping for about three and a half months. Again, for three and a half months of high jumping and winning every meet but state, I find that just incredible. He wanted better out of himself at the state meet, but he went out there and did what he could. There is nothing better that we can ask of him. His jumps at 6-2 had plenty of clearance, but he just couldn’t get his legs over it. That is when more experience combined with more time to fine tune technique was needed.”
Long was also fifth in the discus. He had the best throw at the first round which paired the contestants from 18 to nine. Long, who was the Region 8-AAAA discus champion, threw 147-2 in the first round. He then had marks of 145-11 and 130-6 in his final throws.
“Quintin has always been a great athlete to watch compete,” Blevins said. “I don’t think that I have ever been so nervous to watch a competitor compete as I was watching him. He was ready for the meet and had to just keep his far tosses in bounds. The discus is such an unpredictable event and you never know what a competitor will throw. Quintin’s last throw in the prelims sent him into the finals with the farthest distance. While waiting for his turn in the finals, he stayed in a zone and walked through his form. He stayed proud of himself and ended his season flexing on the podium while hamming it up for a picture. Quintin’s leadership, work ethic, good sportsmanship and talent will be greatly missed.”
WBHS track coach Jason Austin said Long had plenty of reason to be satisified with his senior season.
“Quintin did a great job,” Austin said. “He scratched on his first throw and had a mediocre second throw. Going into his third attempt, he was not yet qualified for the finals. In one throw, he went from not being qualified for the finals to being in first place going into the finals with a throw of 147-2. In the finals, his first throw — had it been in bounds — would probably have won the whole meet. I am really proud of the way Quintin competed this whole season. He worked really hard to improve his technique and improve himself in the discus throw. It has been a pleasure to work with Quintin for the last three years.”
Thursday’s state competition concluded the season for the WBHS track athletes.
“All three have grown as athletes and as young men over the years,” WBHS coach Michael Lofton said. “They truly represent what the ‘GG’ stands for. Each of these young men were competing against the state’s best of the best in their events. All of them made the final rounds securing themselves a top 10 finish in the state. I couldn’t be prouder of their efforts. It has been a pleasure working with them.”
