Track moves forward in sectionals

The Bartlett track team has been having a great season. Their five qualified runners participated in their first day of sectionals on May 7, and they have two more days of sectionals on May 18, and 20. The five qualifiers must make it into the top four in their event to qualify for the state competition.

The team has worked hard to improve their speed and to drop their times this season. According to head coach Mitch McDaniel the boys reached their peak at the right time.

Sophomore and first-time runner Chance Keeley has improved since the start of the year and now he clocks a time of 4:43 on the mile run. Also, sophomore Ryan Wilcox beat his personal record of five minutes on the mile run with a time of 4:53.

Also this year was the Harding Relay when seniors Willie Matthews, Jeremy Merriweather, and Gerren Harrison beat the triple jump relay record of 120 by five points, making the new record 125.

Even in track, a sport that revolves around each person individually, the seniors have been able to help the underclassmen improve.

“The seniors we have now have shown leadership through event training and competitions,” McDaniel said. “They have shown the underclassmen what it takes to compete at the highest [level].”

Support comes from all directions as the team moves forward towards the state competition.

Sports Briefs

Willie Matthews does it again!

Senior offensive tailback Willie Matthews has, in the words of coach Bobby Armbruster, “done something that most football players never do.” This week Matthews has won the Player of the Week, sponsored by First Citizens National Bank, for the second time!

The first time Matthews received this award was for his performance in the game against the Houston Mustangs, when he rushed 311 yards, carried the ball 24 yards, and scored two touchdowns.

Now Matthews has outdone himself. In the game against Raleigh-Egypt on Oct. 2, he rushed 277 yards, carried the ball 42 times, and scored four touchdowns. His contributions helped to lead the varsity team to their 30-14 victory, bringing their record to 2-4.

Bartlett marching band revs up for competition

The Bartlett marching band, led by director Dwight Dodd, has once again gained outstanding awards in the midst of the marching band season. In the district marching festival on Sept. 26, the band received a B+, and the guard, the percussion, and drum major Katherine Pugh all received A’s.

The band also participated in another competition on the same day. At Liberty Technical High School in Jackson, the band received third place in class at the West Tennessee Marching Festival. In addition, the guard placed third in the Lower Division, and percussion placed second in the Lower Division.

With these accomplishments under their belt, the band will attend the McDonald’s Invitational in Paragould, Arkansas, on Oct. 10. The next week, Oct. 17, the band will compete in the West Tennessee Small Band Championships at Trenton-Peabody High School in Trenton, Tennessee.

Carrie Conner prepares for state championships

At the peak of her high school athletics career, senior Carrie Conner has broken alumna Arielle Montague’s former record. Montague ran three miles in 22:37, and Conner has beaten that record with a time of 22:04.

A 33-second difference may not seem like much time, but to a runner, half a minute can be the difference between qualifying for state and staying at home and cheering for the team from the home front. Being one of the top ten runners in the region is pretty much the only qualification for a cross-country runner going to state, so every girl is competing against each other for a spot.

With the honor of being the sixth-fastest runner in the region, Conner is guaranteed a place for the state championships, but she wishes her team good luck and hopes that they will also be able to attend state.