Jacksonville girls first in Fayetteville

 FAYETTEVILLE - Jacksonville head coach Curt Dowdy had plenty of confidence in his girls' track and field team entering the Bill Carver Invitational Track Meet at Reid Ross Middle School.

His girls didn't let him down as the Cardinals cruised to a first place finish with a score of 107, 22 points ahead of second place Burlington Cummings. Winston-Salem Parkland was third.

"I feel good about it," Dowdy said. "I thought we had a chance to win it because we have top-notch athletes. It's something these kids are used to do. It wasn't anything new to them. I expected good things to happen. I'm that much confidence in them."

Marcia Higgins was a force on the field events, finishing first in the shot put and the discus. Her first-place finishes earned her Outstanding Field Event Performer of the Day.

Not to leave Higgins the only one going home with a plaque, Ryanna Henderson was first in the 800 and 1,600-meter races, which earned her Outstanding Track Performer on the Day.

"I feel they did deserve it," Dowdy said. "The ladies worked really hard. I'm really happy for them because they gave them some really nice plaques."

The relay teams came away with first place finishes as well. The 3,200, which had Brandy Swann, Nicole Davis, Kaitlyn Davis and Henderson were first with a time of 10 minutes, 21 seconds.

"You are talking about good kids who have been performing for a long time," Dowdy said. "That group I expect them to continue to do well."

The 1,600 relay team also came in first with a time of 4:07.

Brandy Swann was first in the 400-meter race.

For the other events results: Manika Gamble was third in the 100-meter hurdles; DaVonne Graham was fourth and Irene Lane was fifth. Kaitlyn Davis was third in 1600 and she was second in the 3200 event. Erin Putnam was fifth in the event also.

For the boys, Tarik Norman was fourth in the discus and Justis Johnson also was fourth in the triple jump.

BOYS

INDIVIDUAL: Discus: Tarik Norman (JHS) 134 fourth; Triple jump: Justis Johnson (JHS) 43-8 fourth,  

GIRLS

TEAM: Jakcksonville 107, Burlington Cummings 85, Winston-Salem Parkland 68.

INDIVIDUAL: Shot put: Marica Higgins (JHS) 35; Discus: Higgins (JHS) 97-1; 400 meters: Brandy Swann (JHS) 57.4, Irene Lane 1:03.6 fifth, DaVonne Graham (JHS) fourth 1:03.5; 100 hurdles: Manika Gamble Third (JHS) 15.6; 800 meters: Ryanna Henderson (JHS) 2:21; 1,600 meters: Henderson (JHS) 5:17, Kaitlyn Davis, (JHS) third 5:30; 3,200 meters: Davis (JHS) second 11:53, Erin Putnam (JHS) 12:40 fifth; 800 relay: Jacksonville 7th 1:49.9; 1,600 relay: Jacksonville 4:07; 3,200 relay: Jacksonville 10:21.