Red Bank’s Dandy stars

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Although she fell short of her goal of breaking the state record, Red Bank senior Amber Dandy claimed her second state championship in the Class A/AA long jump Thursday.

Dandy’s jump of 18 feet, 2.25 inches was nearly a foot farther than the next-closest competitor.

“I really wanted that record,” Dandy said. “I got so close last year and I thought I would get it for sure, but it was still a great day.”

Dandy also helped Red Bank’s 4x100 relay team to a second-place finish and finished second in the 100 meters, behind Howard’s LaQuisha Jackson, whose 11.78 seconds also came up short of the state record 11.46 Jackson set last year.

Howard’s inexperience in the 4x100 and 4x200 left those relay teams without state titles for the first time in three years. Jackson also pulled out of the 200 meters because of dehydration. The Lady Hustlin’ Tigers finished fourth in the team standings, and Red Bank was sixth.

Cleveland freshman Qetuwrah Abdullah-Muhammad won the Class AAA long jump in a school record 18 feet, 9 inches, breaking the mark of 17 feet, 11 inches set by her mother. Abdullah-Muhammad also finished fourth in the 100-meter dash.

“When I looked up in the stands, I just smiled at my mom because I knew I had gotten the record,” Abdullah-Muhammad said. “It’s a little intimidating being here because of the size of the crowd and you know everybody else here has more experience than me, but I’m proud of what I was able to do.”

Notre Dame’s 4x800 relay finished second, taking more than 15 seconds off the Lady Irish’s personal-best time.

“I think all of us took several seconds off our best from this year,” Alex Mullin said. “I think the competition here really pushed us to do that.”