High School Track and Field: Eagles Eyeing Back-to-Back State Championships

Thursday, May 9th, begins the three-day championship run in Valhalla Stadium at Berry College. The event will conclude on Saturday. 

All but one of the 13 Eagles athletes who qualified will compete, including Isaac Teasley, who’s listed for the triple jump, 400- and 200-meter races, and 400- and 1600-meter relays. 

“Isaac Teasley is as good of a track athlete as there is in Class A,” Riverside coach Tim Cummings said. “Isaac is seeded second in the state in the 200- and 400-meter race, so if he can win both of those events, it gives us a chance to win.”

Star senior Orlando Stevens, who qualified for the 400-meter relay, will not participate due to a broken leg he suffered at the Region 8-A championship. 

“We’re in the hunt, but we’re not the big time favorite like we were before he got hurt,” Cummings said. “The bad thing is we’re missing 30 points (with the loss of Stevens), and this meet was close anyway with Landmark and Athens Academy. We have a chance, but we have to have some kids step up and do a little better than they did at region.”

Cummings believes the loss of Stevens will seriously affect his team’s vie for the championship, but the Eagles depth spells otherwise, with 18 chances to score.

Riverside will be represented in 11 different events, including seven track events and four field events. Skinkwang Moon could split or beat the two Landmark pole vaulters, Cummings said, while Philemon Nwosu could win the 110- and 300-meter hurdles.

“We don’t really have room for error,” Cummings said. “But we’ve worked hard and our kids have a great attitude. They are very determined. They want to do this for Orlando.”

 

 

 

Stephen Aleandre - 100-meter, 400-meter relay

Shad Dabney - 100-meter, 400 relay

Khalid Duke - Long jump, triple jump, 400 relay

Lamar Gordon - Discus

Jermaine Harris -  High jump, 400 meter, 400 relay, 1600 relay

Wookdong Harry Kim - Discus

Cooper Lindsay - 800 -meter

Michael Medichie - 400 relay, 1600 relay

Aveni Miguel - 400 relay, 1600 relay

Philemon Nwosu - 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles

Skinkwang Moon - Pole vault

Orlando Stevens-   400 relay (out with injury)

Isaac Teasley - Triple jump, 400, 200, 400 relay, 1600 relay