Runnin’ Rabbs dart to state

By Tim Emmons
temmons@casscountynow.com

The state track scene would be in disarray if Atlanta’s name wasn’t etched across someone’s track uniform in attendance.
This year the Runnin’ Rabbs’ track program has dominated from beginning to end in most cases, and as you progress the competition gets more challenging.
The state of Texas is large and puts forth tons of talented athletes year in and year out, but getting to state is no cake walk; yet Atlanta has consistently sent teams or individuals to the big show.
Nearly 20 Atlanta track stars bolted out of area into the regional round, and after the weekend regional bout held at Texas A&M at Commerce a few of those stars punched their tickets to state.
It’s not easy to remember the last time Atlanta didn’t send a relay team to state, according to Head Coach Nick Miller. This year is the first in 12 years in which two regional championship relay teams got that opportunity.
“We placed third as a team overall and earned regional championships in two relays (the 4x100m and 4x400m) for the first time since 2004,” Miller said.
Miller was also proud of the way some of the boys’ team members gave it all they had.
“We had Keyuntea Kinney and Hunter Roberts both fight hard and place in their open events; and sophomore Austin Brown made the finals in the 400m,” Miller remarked. “On the boys’ side we finished third with 46 points which is our best team finish since 2013.”
Kinney went on to finish fifth in the shot put with a mark of 48 feet, 9 inches; Roberts placed fourth in the 300m hurdles with a time of 40.44; Carson Lambert placed ninth in the pole vault at 11 feet, 6 inches; Brown placed seventh in the 400m dash at 52.16; Dyllan Hunt placed 13th in the 800m run at 2:08.57 and Tristan Allen placed 10th in the high jump at 5 feet, 10 inches.
The 4x100m and 4x200m relay teams comprised of Trin Taylor, Tyrell Phillips, Kelton Young and Jeremy Smith both finished first and earned regional championship honors to go along with their state berth.
The 4x100m team finished at 41.96, which is one of their faster times of the year, and the 4x200m team finished at 1:27.54 which trumped their time at district and area.
For the ladies TeShuna Sheppard is making a return trip to state in the triple jump after she finished first with a mark of 40 feet, 9 inches.
In the long jump Alyssa Simmons placed fourth with a leap of 17 feet, 7 1/2 inches and Sheveonia Smith finished 12th at 16 feet, 5 inches.
In the 800m run Ella Brax and Hannah Wicks placed 11-12 with times of 2:34.72 and 2:35.59 respectively; Smith finished third in the 400m dash at 58.85; and Aniya King and Simmons placed 4-5 in the 100m dash at 12.54 and 12.66 respectively.
Miller comes from a background of championship tradition and pride as he was on the state championship track team back in the day, and his excitement about the growth of the program plus the fact that the Rabbs are going back to state was almost more than he could manage.
“I am very proud of these athletes,” Miller said. “They showed determination and perseverance through the obstacles that arose at the regional meet. Most of the meet was run on Saturday, which meant that all prelims and finals for both individual races and relays were all run that day.”
“That is a tough day with everything crammed in there together. We talked as a team on Friday when this decision was made and were determined to not let that affect us, nor our performance,” Miller remarked. “The athletes showed up and took care of business. They worked hard and competed hard, I can’t ask for more than that.”
“On the girls side, TeShuna had an amazing jump that blew away the competition, Alyssa Simmons placed fourth in the long Jump and along with her teammate Aniya King placed fifth in the 100m while Aniya placed fourth,” Miller added. “These are all great accomplishments and I could not be happier with our athlete’s performances. We will be taking the 4x100m and 4x200m relays to Austin along with TeShuna in the triple jump. We can’t wait to get down there to state and compete.”