The most consistent sport for the Long County Blue Tide is their track and field team. The 2022 version of the team was no different, as several members earned medals and qualified for sectionals at the region competition at Pierce County High School this week.
On Wednesday, April 27, the field events and a portion of the running events took place. The Tide had 10 members of the team place in the top three of their events and qualify for the sectionals.
Patrick Wilson has been dominant in the boys’ shot put this season, breaking several school records. He fell short of breaking his own school record of 50’ 4”, but still won the gold medal with a throw of 49’.
Mason Cook placed second in the long jump at 19’10”, while Tay Brown placed second on the high jump, falling 4 inches short of his school record 6’4”.
Jada Freeman and France Smith placed second and third in the girls’ high jump with jumps of 5’4” and 5’2”, respectively.
The only running events the Tide qualified in were the boys 3200 meter and 4x800 meter relay. Shawn Young placed second in the long run, while the relay team of Young, Craig Harris, Dillian Morse, and Anthony Ferrie placed third. Thursday, April 28, was no different for the Tide, as several more individuals and relay teams qualified for the next portion of the postseason.
Overall, the boys’ team placed third in the region, the biggest achievement of the day for the Tide. Ferrie also placed first in the boys’ 800 meter race. .
Tony Phillips placed second in the boys’ 100 meter, while Tamiya Copeland placed second in the girls’ 800 meter. Three relay teams qualified for the sectionals as well.
The boys’ 4x200 meter team, consisting of Christian Glenn, Brown, Cook and Phillips, placed second. The boys’ 4x400 meter team, consisting of Jessie Magley, Josh Foddrill, Ferrie and Glenn, placed third.
The girls’ 4x100 meter team, consisting of Smith, Freeman, KeOsha McKeever and Trinity Santiago, placed second.
Three other individuals placed fourth in their events to qualify for sectionals: Davion Henderson in the boys’ 300 meter hurdles, Brown in the boys’ 200 meter race, and Santiago in the girls’ 100 meter hurdles.
The Tide will now prepare for the sectionals in hopes to qualify for the state meet. The sectionals take place on Saturday, May 7, at East Jackson High School in Commerce.