ECA, Selma, Keith battle it out in large meet

Published 11:18 pm Friday, April 14, 2017

It was a busy day at Memorial Stadium Friday as dozens of schools from around the state participated in the Water Under the Bridge Track Meet, which was co-hosted by Selma High School and Elmore County High.

Selma, Keith, Ellwood Christian and R.C. Hatch were the local schools that participated and athletes from each school placed highly in several events.

Ellwood Christian’s Rashni Walker was one of the day’s biggest winners.

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Rashni, a seventh grader, competed at the middle school and high school levels, but she was competitive regardless of who she was racing.

Rashni finished first in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing in a time of 16.29 seconds, but she was just getting started. She also finished first in the middle school long jump, with a total of 15 feet, 2.75 inches.

“When other kids are running, if you aren’t running then you’re behind,” said Ellwood track coach Jeff Walker, who also coaches the Walker Track Club team in Selma. “Competing year-round, really helps us when it comes to outdoor season.”

Rashni also finished second in the middle school 100-meter dash and third in the middle school 300-meter hurdles. Ellwood’s Malachi Walker was second in the middle school boys 400-meter dash and second in the middle school boys triple jump.

Selma’s Keashia Collins was third in the high school girls 400-meter dash with a time of 1 minute, 3.01 seconds, and DeWayne Harris was third in the high school high jump with a total of 5 feet, 8 inches.

Several other Saints had impressive finishes as well.

Johnathan Pressley finished eighth in the high school boys 400-meter dash — two spots behind Keith’s Eric Smiley — and also came home seventh in the boys 200-meter dash. Selma’s Jondarius Evans finished eighth in both the boys 1600-meter dash and in the 800-meter run. Keloni Rudolph was sixth in the girls’ high school discus throw.

Selma’s 4×100 girls high school relay team came in fourth and the boys 4×100 high school  relay team was seventh. The Selma boys also finished ninth in the 4×800 relay.

Keith’s Smiley finished third in the boys high school 800-meter relay, just a few seconds behind Stanhope Elmore’s Logan Swindle. Keith coach Clifton Reeves said the Bears judge their performance based on how they fare against some of the bigger schools. Keith is classified as 2A, but schools of all sizes competed Friday.

“We gauge it by some of the biggest schools that have better facilities and everything they need to be in better shape, bigger conditioning,” Reeves said. “If you are hanging up in the top echelon with those guys, then you are pretty good.”

R.C. Hatch’s Kedrick Johnson finished second in the middle school boys’ discus throw. Temon Hogan was third in the boys 110-meter dash.

Results were still being updated as of the Times-Journal’s press deadline on Friday evening.