Several Bossier Parish athletes have qualified for the USATF Hershey National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships to be held July 23-29 in Greensboro, N.C.
The athletes qualified for the event at the Region 6 meet earlier this month at Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Benton rising senior Taylor Davis, competing for SPAR Track, won the regional 17-18 women’s high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 3 inches. She is the two-time defending Class 4A state champion in the event.
Benton Middle rising eighth-grader Jamie Willis, competing unattached, qualified with a fifth-place finish in the 13-14 girls long jump with a 15-2.25.
Willis is the reigning Bossier Parish middle school district champion in the long jump and 100-meter hurdles.
Former Haughton Middle School student Jiana Stewartburgess, competing for River Cities Track Club, finished second in the 13-14 girls 800 in 2:34.38. She also qualified as a member of the winning 4X100 and 4X400 relay teams.
Former Greenacres standout Brianna Taylor, another 2018 middle school district champion, qualified as a member of the RCTC’s runner-up 15-16 girls 4X400 relay team.
Airline rising sophomore Shandria Harvey and Parkway’s Jordan Dukes qualified as part of RCTC’s runner-up 17-18 girls 4X100 team.
Haughton product Kynan Hayes, a Grambling State signee, qualified as a member of RCTC’s runner-up 17-18 4X100 relay team.
Airline product Xavier Wilson qualified as a member of RCTC’s winning 17-18 boys 4X800 relay team. Wilson will be a freshman cross country runner at BPCC this fall.
The River Cities Track Club qualified a record 40 for the National Junior Olympic meet. The club, coached by Juan Plaza and Mychal Word, features athletes from across Northwest Louisiana. Shreveport-Bossier City athletes normally practice at Bossier High and Airline.
Here are the other qualifiers from River Cities. RC stands for regional champion.
Girls 7-8: Kendalyn Duncan (100 regional champ, 200 regional champ), Andrea Washington (400).
Girls 9-10: Keniyah Davis (4X100 RC), Zy’Mauri Canada (4X100 RC), LaBrasia Ross (4X100 RC), Aaliyah Brown (100, 200, 4X100 RC).
Girls 11-12: T’La Dewitt (100, 4×100), Zakhia Austin (4×100), Trinity Langham (4×100), Aniyah Jackson (4×100).
Girls 13:14: Ta’Nyia Nicole Flowers (100 RC, 200 RC, 4×100 RC, 4×400 RC), Aniyah Brown (4×100 RC), Marshayla Robison 4×100 RC, 4×400 RC); Laila Wells (4×400 RC).
Girls 15-16: Alexus Harris (400, 4×400); Portia Harris (400, 800 RC, 4×400); Kandace Law (4×400); Victoria Byrd (4X400), Victoria Byrd (4×400).
Boys 11-12: Ian White (80 hurdles), Malik Word (javelin, shot put), Devon Oliver (shot put).
Boys 13-14: Kendrick Law (100, 200).
Boys 15-16: Jonathan Kinsey (4×100), Ondray Miles (4×100), Travion Short (4×100), Christian Thomas (4×100), Trent Wells (800, 1500), Jonathan Plaza (Javelin RC).
Girls 17-18: Dreunna Washington (200, 4x100Kamrin Hooks (4×100).
Boys 17-18: Keyshawn Young (400, 800 RC, 4×100, 4×800 RC), LaDann Thomas 800, 4×800 RC), Ta’Cardrick Alexander (4X800 RC), Javion Canna (4×100, high jump), Zach Sumlin (4×100).
— Russell Hedges, rhedges@bossierpress.com
