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Track and field hits new heights at Bryan County
Girls' head coach Jessica McBride praises her new group of freshmen and sophomores, including standout distance runner Abbigail Stucker.
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When she talks about the future of the Bryan County girls’ track program, Coach Jessica McBride’s voice goes up an octave–and with good reason.

The Redskins girls’ team is having what in all probability is its best season ever, as evidenced by the number of qualifiers it had for this weekend’s state track meet which runs Thursday through Saturday at Rome.

Freshman distance runner Abbigail Stucker led the way as she qualified in four events at last Saturday’s sectional meet at East Laurens:  fifth in the 800 meters, fourth in the 1600 and fourth in the 3200 along with being a member of the 4 x 400 relay team which finished eighth. The top eight finishers in the 20-team field advanced to the state meet.

“It’s been an excellent season,” said McBride, who is in her second year as head coach and serving as an assistant for three. “We have a strong group of freshmen and sophomores.

“Obviously our freshmen are out here for the first time but we have some sophomores who were not on the team last year who are making a difference. Briana Crawford, who plays basketball, is one of them. She’s made a huge difference.”

While Stucker punched her ticket to the state meet by running a total of 6,000 meters–or nearly four miles–on the day she wasn’t the only story for the Bryan County girls.

“She’s amazing as is Lexi Lane, another freshman, along with Ni’Jalah Walker who is also a freshman,” McBride said. “Those three are our fighting freshmen along with McKinely Walker, a sophomore who was with us last year. We’re excited about what the future holds.”

Lane finished sixth in the 800 and while Walker finished ninth in the 800, she’ll be going to Rome as a member of the sixth-place 4 x 800 relay team which included Lane, sophomore Jada Haggray and senior Lauren Caldwell who also qualified in the pole vault as did freshman Braelynn Shuman.

In addition to Stucker, the 4 x 400 team included Walker, Lane and Crawford.

Freshman Emily Johnson showed why she is considered a rising star not only as a softball player but on the track, too, as she finished second in the discus with a toss of 110 feet and claimed eighth in the triple jump.

Crawford finished fifth in the 300-meter hurdles, Walker was eighth in the 200 and junior Ashanti Brown was seventh in the long jump.

On the boys’ side Ethan Trombly, who has signed to run track at Presbyterian College, also qualified for four events. Trombly finished eighth in both the 800 and 1600 meters. He was also on the third-place 4 x 800 along with Will Summerford, Lyric Daniels and Riley Shuman and seventh-place 4 x 400 team.  which included Shuman, Rodney Johnson and Ryan Harrington.

Pole vaulters Harrington and Jayden Lee tied for second while Austin Clemons was fourth in both the discus and shot put.


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