T
he pressure externally was not greater than the pressure the Tallulah Falls School varsity track and field teams put on themselves. They knew this was set to be a special kind of year that could result in history. To that end, the teams never buckled in achieving what has never been done at TFS.
VARSITY TRACK
for state
All told, the boys brought home hardware in the way of a third-place finish at the GHSA 1A Private State Championships, with multiple athletes earning podium finishes. The girls also shaved off times and scores by historic margins in coming in 15th overall. The boys’ finish was the best in school history, as their Area 6-A Championship was also a first. “The goal from the get-go on the boys side was to bring home a state trophy, the first in school history,” says coach Scott Neal. “On the girls side, it was to set personal records, get in the State Sweet 16, move up on the famous TFS Legacy List, get on the podium, and prepare through experience and confidence a future on the upper podium with a trophy.” For the Indians, it was Grey Bourlet, Evan Prince and Simeon Respress who accumulated the highest point totals at state. Bourlet was the State Runner-Up in the pole vault and 110 meter hurdles. He finished third in the 300 meter hurdles. Respress was the State RunnerUp in the long jump, and placed sixth in the high jump. Meanwhile, Prince was forth in the 800 and 1600, and 10th in the 3200. The 4x800 Relay group was forth, and the 4x400 came in fifth. Walker Bailey also individually qualified
in the 800. Prince and Bourlet both won three area titles, as did the two relay groups. The Lady Indians, who finished fifth within the area, qualified in eight events at state. Macy Murdock paced the team with a fifth-place finish in the 300 meter hurdles and sixth in the 100 meter hurdles. Lucy Ladd was ninth the long jump, Lucy Alexander 10th in the 3200, and Julianne Shirley was 13th in the high jump. The 4x800 Relay team was sixth, while the 4x100 and 4x400 groups both finished seventh.
“The season will last in legacy with a thirdplace trophy, with school records (five on the boys side, two from the girls), with the first Area Championship trophy, with indelible relationships, with standards and expectations and principles of significance, and with a new level of confidence, preparation and thinking,” states Neal. “The boys pursued the trophy as a forever bearer of a new standard of performance; the girls pursued relentless bonds created by sacrificing for each other by running through intense discomfort for the deep satisfaction of coming through for each other.”
Front row L-R: Caroline Ball, Dani Prince, Zhigao Henrry Xiong, Jackson Shadburn, Joahua Asare Bediako, Jesse Reames, Dallas Loonubon, Tyler Brown, Walker Bailey, Jackson Whittle, Allie Phasavang, 2nd row L-R: Lucy Ladd, Jenna Chesser, Macy Murdock, Wally Agingu, Jaden Andrews, Gavin Atkinson, Sam Ketch, Nana Amankwah, Blair Moore, Shelby Brightwell, Kailyn Neal, Miranda Chapa, Cassidy Hayes, Molly Mitchell 3rd row L-R: Coach Tim Corbett, ATC Lauren Brown, Lois Ibeh, Yolanda Ssemakula, Captain Collin Kelly, Captain Evan Prince, George Ketch, Charlie Cody, Captain Grey Bourlet, Simeon Respress, Kale Corbett, Captain Lucy Alexander, Julianne Shirley, Coach Debbie Prince, Coach Scott Neal Not pictured: Alba Romanos Gracia
26 • ON CAMPUS MAGAZINE
