Despite Finish, School Records Fall and Personal Bests Set for Girls at State Track Meet
By Jeff Toquinto on May 19, 2012
While Bridgeport girls track coach Ryan Nicewarner would have liked to have seen his team finish higher at the conclusion of the two-day Class AAA state track meet at Charleston’s Laidley Field, he was far from disappointed in his team’s showing.
The Indians managed to place in one event – the long jump – and also managed more than once school record in action today. Those efforts helped lead to a 22ndplace finish on a pristine day in the state’s capital.
“It was a great weekend performance wise and weather wise. All around it was a good day and weekend,” said Nicewarner.
The top finish came from freshman Kayla Haywood. Haywood posted a superb mark in the long jump. She leaped 17 feet, 4.25 inches to 
come in third and put Bridgeport on the board with its only points of the day (6).
come in third and put Bridgeport on the board with its only points of the day (6).
“That was her best jump of the year. The best thing is seeing her consistently around that 17 foot mark. That’s where her hard work is paying off,” said Nicewarner. “There are big days ahead for her if she continues to work hard.”
Although the 4x400 team came in 11thplace, the group did manage to break a school record. The team of Morganne Phillips, Lindsey DeBerry, Jenna Alonge and Anna Kay Haddix posted a time of 4 minutes, 16.87 seconds. The school record in the 4x400 was set in 1990 and was topped by three and a half seconds
“That was a goal. We really wanted to break that record. The girls stepped it up and they were fresh. When you run so quickly in the other meets and here, where things are spread out, a lot of things are possible because we had fresh legs for all of our relays,” said Nicewarner.
As far as getting close to scoring points, the 4x800 team just missed as they came in seventh place. The team of Erika Voreh, Phillips, Haddix and DeBerry posted a time of 9 minutes, 57.06 seconds.
“We broke another school record here and we broke a few of them. The points don’t show, but we had a strong showing and this was one of those events. The AAA field is just so deep that it truly didn’t show up how well we did as far as the scoreboard,” Nicewarner said.
Phillips also came in 10thplace in the 3200 meter run. She finished with a time of 11 minutes, 57.55 seconds. Alonge, just a freshman and the holder of the school record in the 300 meter hurdles, came in 10thplace with a time of 48.55 seconds.
The 4x100 team managed an 11thplace finish. Haywood, Mia Cann, Yanapoli Fofanah and Katie Reid finished the event with a time of 52.64 seconds. Another relay team, the 4x400, also came in 11th, which is the aforementioned school record.
“That was their best time of the year. We were pleased with how they did,” said Nicewarner.
The shuttle hurdle relay team came in 12thplace on the afternoon. The team of Fofanah, Alonge, Kayla Kesselman and Rachel Hall finished with a time of 1 minute, 10.74 seconds.
“That was close to the regional time, but they still did well in their respective sections,” said Nicewarner.
Editor's Note: Photo of Kayla Haywood by Ben Queen of www.benqueenphotography.com.
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