Lady Eagle Track Ready To Make Noise In 2009

The Magnolia Blue Eagles Girls’ Track Team lost three outstanding athletes to graduation last year: Carly Fox, Shae Benson and do-it-all Renee Shepherd. These three ladies scored a lot of points for the Eagles during their four seasons at Magnolia and will be hard to replace.
Sarah Bohrer takes over the helm, left vacant by David Blair, while Meredith Tusic will assume the assistant coaches duties.
According to Bohrer, the Eagles have a solid group of athletes that is working very hard and is dedicated to improving and developing what God-given talent they have and compete to the best of their abilities.
But, seniors April Melott, Lindsay Riggs and exchange student Shirin Ashirliyeva have outstanding athletic abilities themselves. Melott is a fine runner herself and will compete in all the middle distance races, including the 4×4 and 4×8. Meanwhile, first timers Riggs and Ashirliyeva will compete in the field events.
A huge junior class is headed by Brittany Leek and Morgan Dawson, who will do relays, sprints and 800 meter events. The class will have to grow up fast and there is a lot enthusiasm in that effort, according to Bohrer, who hopes it will rub off on all the other team members. Dawson and Leek’s level of stardom will be hard to match, but the rest of the group is determined to follow.
The other juniors include Bethany Butcher, Alli Childers, Sarah Mueller, Lindsay Cain, Brianna Leek and Ashley Villers.
Childers and Mueller both earned a spot in the state track tournament last year. Muellar threw the discus, while Childers made her mark in the high jump. Cain also tosses the shot and discus, while first timer Villers will be called to run the hurdle events.
A nice group of talented sophomores includes Courtney Starkey, Tara Tharp, Holly McDonald, Emily Amos, Robin Daugherty, Kari Forrester, Carson Kelly, Emily Patterson and Audrianna Taylor.
McDonald, Melott, Starkey and Brittany Leek are the team’s work horses and are expected to compete in the maximum of events.
The Blue Eagle strength will be depth. But, this season, Magnolia also will have speed. “I am really excited about this group of girls,” said Bohrer. “We are going to be more competitive this year in most events.”
The remainder of the team includes freshmen Jennifer Emch, Anna Haught, Tiphany Trail and Kayla Robinson.
Amy Klug and Stephanie Baxter will handle all the statistics.
With Melott and Riggs as the source of inspiration for all their teammates, the Eagles should fly to the top as the season progresses. Bohrer and Tusic are fearless and will have a solid group of tracksters ready to bring pride to the Eagles in women’s track.
The Eagles go to Williamstown March 28 to compete in the Ryan Jobes Invitational, then head to Tyler Consolidated March 31 in the opener of the WTTL beginning at 4:30 p.m.