West has two to qualify for regionals

Although far different than Whoopi Goldberg’s version, this “Sister Act” also played to rave reviews.

Cherell and Shanae Frink commanded the spotlight as West Brunswick hosted New Hanover and Laney in a track and field meet on March 27.

Cherell, a senior, recorded a win-place-show in her three events, while her little sister Shanae, a sophomore, qualified for regionals in the long jump and finished runner-up in the triple jump.

“Cherell has been our best scorer all year,” West track coach Yogi Hickman said. “She’s strong, and she’s versatile.”

Cherell won the 100-meter hurdles in 19.38 seconds, finished second in the shot put with 28 feet and came in third in the discus at 72’8”.

Shanae finished third in the long jump, but her distance was long enough to send her to the regional championships.

“She’s our first girl to qualify for regionals,” Hickman said.

The distance to qualify for regionals in the long jump is 15’9, Hickman said, and Shanae beat that by 3 inches.

The only other Trojan track-and-field athlete to qualify for regionals so far this spring is Bradley Bell in the 100 meters.

Girls’ team scores last Thursday were New Hanover 77, Laney 48 and West Brunswick 19. New Hanover also dominated the boys’ competition with 90 points ahead of Laney’s 59 and West’s 22.

On the boys’ side, West’s individual standouts at the meet were Ted King (winner in the shot put), Dylan Bowman (third in the shot put), Gary Winston (second in the discus), Bell (fourth in the 200-meter dash) and Isaiah Williams (fourth in the 400-meter dash).

The first event of the day—the girls’ 100-meter hurdles—drew gasps from the crowd as New Hanover’s Kendra Holst tripped over an early hurdle and fell.

She jumped back up and finished fourth in the race in 21.94 seconds, behind Cherell Frink’s 19.38, West’s Amanda Page at 20.57 and Laney’s Jordan at 20.88.

The hurdlers faced a 16-mph wind with gusts up to 24 mph, making the event even more difficult and dangerous.

“I just tried to push against the wind, because we have to get up and over the hurdles while still trying to stay low,” Cherell Frink said.

Her 28 feet in the shot put was only 2’1” behind the New Hanover winner’s 30’1,” and she posted a 72’8” discus throw in only her second time competing in that event.

“Cherell’s been putting in the extra work,” said West assistant track and field coach John Bryant. “I’ve been impressed with her. She’s showing true leadership and dedication.”

West Brunswick’s boys finished third and fourth in the 100-yard dash with Quan Bates in 11.52 seconds and Mark Cajuste in 11.72.

“Their times were real good considering the wind,” Hickman said. “Quan is a ninth-grader who’s been improving. He’s an explosive athlete with a lot of potential in several sports.”

Bowman, a sophomore, had 39’1” in the shot put.

“He’s improved 5 feet in one week,” Hickman said. “We’re expecting Bowman and Winston to qualify in the discus. Ted and Dylan can definitely qualify for regionals in the shot.”

A big disappointment for the Trojan boys was dropping the baton and being disqualified in the 4X100.

“We should have won,” Bates said. “I just didn’t get it.”

Hickman said it was an exchange between two freshmen, but the coach was still disappointed because the team had spent so much time practicing exchanges.

Brian Murdough is the lone distance runner on West’s track team.

“I usually run the cross country route instead of laps so I have something to look at,” said Murdough, who didn’t place in the top four in the 1600. “I normally run it faster, but yesterday I ran 4 miles, and that didn’t agree with me.”

He said he wouldn’t do that again the day before a meet.

“We’re trying to find a spot for Brian,” Hickman said. “We think he’s going to be an 800 guy or a mile guy. The New Hanover schools have so many distance guys.”

Hickman said of the team scores, “We just don’t have the numbers to compete in a conference with the big schools.”

But he can celebrate individual achievement.

Hickson is a former head football coach now in his third year as track coach at West.

“These folks who are staying with us—they’re getting better,” he said. “The thing about track is you can measure your improvement. In a lot of ways, that’s easier than it is in football.”

Girls’ competition

100-meter hurdles: C. Frink (WB) 19.38, Page (WB) 20.57, Jordan (L) 20.88, Holst (NH) 21.94.

100-meter dash: McCoy (NH) 12.5, Johnson (L), 13.23, Phillips (L) 13.43, Locke (NH) 13.6.

200-meter dash: White (NH) 25.85, Locke (NH) 26.6, Johnson (L) 26.61, Oliver (L) 27.3.

400-meter dash: White (NH) 1:01, Johnson (L) 1:16, Parker (L) 1:20.

800-meter run: Sciakes (NH) 2:39, Peverall (L) 2:49, Biggs (L) 3:06, Inman (NH) 3:18.

1-mile run: Peverall (L) 6:22, Basset (NH) 6:28, Hutchins (NH) 6:43, Biggs (L) 6:54.

2-mile run: Bossut (NH) 14:55, Spears (L) 15:15.

300-meter hurdles: Graves (NH) 54.81, Peters (NH) 54.82, Hodges (NH) 54.92, Moore (L) 56.3.

Shot put: Smith (NH) 30’1”, C. Frink (WB) 28’, Garris (NH) 27’, Cottino (L) 26’10”.

Discus: Cuttino (L) 83’6”, Parker (L) 73’1”, C. Frink (WB) 72’8”, Wiley (WB) 65’1”.

Long jump: McCoy (NH) 16’9”, Locke (NH) 16’8”, S. Frink (WB) 16’, Waite (NH) 14’10”.

Triple jump: McCoy (NH) 35’4”, S. Frink (WB) 31’4”, White (NH) 27’4”.

High jump: Truesdale (L) 4’7”.

4X100 relay: L 54.25, WB 56.08.

4X200 relay: NH 1.49.

4X400 relay: NH 4:47.

4X800 relay: NH (no time listed).

Boys competition

110-meter hurdles: Brown (NH) 16.02, Miller (L) 16.79, Hudson (L) 20.99, Hans (L) 21.39.

100-meter dash: Wallace (NH) 11.41, Brown (NH) 11.43, Bates (WB) 11.52, Cajuste (WB) 11.72.

200-meter dash: Jones (NH) 22.67, Smith (NH) 22.89, Simpson (L) 23.00, Bell (WB) 23.35.

400-meter dash: Smith (NH) 52.38, Jordan (L) 53.00, Clarkman (L) 55.1, Williams (WB) 58.26.

800-meter run: McCarthy (NH) 2:19, Courtney (L) 2:21, Strother (L) 2:25,Trotman (L) 2:42.

1-mile run: McCarthy (NH) 4:59, Black (L) 5:09, Strother (L) 5:14, Courtney (L) 5:19.

2-mile run: Black (L) 11:27, Hoagland (NH) 11:44, Roldan (NH) 11:50, Vaughn (NH) 12:07.

300-meter hurdles: Miller (L) 44.65, Brown (NH) 44.66, Greene (NH) 54.42.

Shot put: King (WB) 40’8”, Anthony (L) 39’11.5”, Bowman (WB) 39’1”, Everett (NH) 37’5”.

Discus: Gaines (NH) 118’10”, Winston (WB) 118’1”, Everrette (H) 107’9”, Bowman (WB) 106’9”.

Long jump: Franks (L) 21’5”, Jones (NH) 19’10”, Simpson (L) 19’6”, Williams 18’7”.

Triple jump: Salaam (NH) 41’8”, Jackson (WB) 39’5”, Cech (NH) 37’9”, Williams (NH) 37’5”.

High jump: Joey (L) 5’10”, Darious (L) 5’8”, Jones (NH) 5’6”, Williams (NH) 5’5.5”.

4X100 relay: NH 46.92, L 49.0.

4X200 relay: NH 1:36.9, WB 1:42.07.

4X400 relay: NH 3.54, L 3.55, WB 4:15.

4X800 relay: NH (no time listed).

SARAH SUE INGRAM is interim sports editor of the Beacon. Reach her at 754-6890 or sports@brunswickbeacon.com.