The Mathews High School track team is gearing up for today’s Tidewater District meet, and head coach Tony Forrest believes his Blue Devil athletes are peaking just in time for the big event.
The meet begins at 3:30 this afternoon at West Point High School. Forrest has high hopes for the boys’ team winning the tournament outright.
“I’ve seen some signs the last couple of weeks that it’s starting to come together,” Forrest said.
In addition to having an eye on taking home the district trophy, Forrest is also looking to have several athletes qualify for the upcoming regional and state tournaments.
The boys’ team has been strong this year, led by senior Elijah Willis, who runs the 100 and 200 meter events, as well as being a member of the 4×100 relay team that advanced to last year’s state meet. Senior Jarius Monroe and sophomores Javon Johnson and Antonio Smith make up the rest of the 4×100 team. Willis also competes in the long jump and triple jump in field events.
In addition to competing in sprint events, Monroe will also throw the discus in today’s district meet. Other seniors on the boys’ team include Joseph Wolski and Caleb Carson.
The girls’ team has some strong athletes as well, but Forrest said that he just doesn’t have the numbers to compete as a squad. Seniors on the girls’ team include Rileigh Betz, Lauren Bland and Kennedy Maultsby. Forrest said he expects Maultsby to qualify for state in shot put; she cracked the 30’ mark this year.
“I’m really happy with my eighth graders,” Forrest said. “All of them have potential.”
He pointed to Cameron
Stearns, who is already a standout on the MHS cross country team. He is Forrest’s best distance runner, completing the mile in less than five minutes. And Forrest expects he’s only going to get faster. “I think he’s really going to be something special.” Other standouts from that class include Jamari Henderson (who has done a 37’ triple jump) and Jamir Forrest and, for the girls, Jada Ashberry.
Forrest said that the MHS track team operates at a handicap since it doesn’t have the proper facilities to host a meet. As a result, he views most of his team’s regular season meets as “glorified practices,” he said, giving his athletes a chance to compete in the proper setting.
Assisting Forrest in his coaching duties is C.J. Kelly, a former standout MHS athlete himself, who coached the boys’ squad last year. Desmond Smith also provides coaching assistance when he can.
Following today’s Tidewater District meet, Mathews has one more regular season meet, next Thursday, May 17, at Charles City. After that, athletes will go on to represent Mathews at the VHSL Class 1A Region A Championship on May 24 at Sussex and then the Group 1/2 State Outdoor Track and Field Championships on June 1 and 2 at East Rockingham High School in Elkton.