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WEB EXTRA

Stories abound prior to state track meet

Individuals, teams eye championships

By JAMES JONES and DOUG BARBER
SUN HERALD

The storylines are many this weekend at Pearl High School as the high school track and field season reaches its climax.

• Will Pass Christian's Cory McGee sweep her three events, set new records and help the Lady Pirates win their first 3A state title in track?

• Will Our Lady Academy win its first state championship as well in Class 2A after winning its first South State title last Saturday?

• Can Gulfport's depth overcome Tupelo, Brandon and Starkville to win another 5A boys championship?

The Class 4A and 2A meet will be held today at 2 p.m. The Class 5A, 3A and 1A meets will be conducted Saturday at 10 a.m.

McGee, a Pass Christian sophomore, swept the 800 (2:15.78), the 1,600 (4:57.20) and the 3,200 (10:39.57) in last year's Class 4A meet. She is now competing in Class 3A. Sedna Robinson and Hillary Dedeaux won their events last week at South State as well.

"We qualified in 17 events and are sending 15 girls," Pass coach Kelly Causey said. "So some of the girls are doubling up.

"When you have someone like Cory - the elite athlete like she is - and a good group of girls like we have, you will do well. We have a shot. We have to make things happen."

Pass is coming off their second straight South State title after finishing third statewide last year.

Led by freshman Ashley Libys in the 100 and junior Sabrina Bradford in the 100-meter hurdles, OLA qualified enough performers to take a shot at a state title.

Gulfport dominated the boys state track meet for the better part of a decade under former coach Prince Jones, starting their run in 1987.

Present Gulfport boys coach Ricky Floyd expects his South State champions to face a tough field. The Admirals overcame no first-place finishes to outpoint Brandon 93-91.

"Tupelo and Starkville will be tough in the running and field events," Floyd said. "I don't know if we will have enough against them. We'll go up there and do the best we can. That's all I can ask from the players."

Two Moss Point seniors have a shot at landing individual titles in their final athletic event before graduating high school later this month.

Jeremy Liddell of Moss Point is among several athletes hoping to win a medal. He qualified in the 4A 100-meter dash for the third straight year.

"Every year I've been at Moss Point I qualified for state, but never won," Liddell said. "I want to win a medal in my last try. We've been blessed with speed at Moss Point."

Darrien Simpson figures winning the discus or shot put will offset not capturing a state title in football. The Tigers fell to Laurel 33-26 in the South State finals. Simpson excelled at the Division 7-4A, Region 4A and South State meets.