CLEVELAND, Tenn. — With only three seniors on the roster, not even coach Benny Monroe knew what to expect from the Ooltewah boys’ track and field team during Tuesday’s Class AAA state qualifying meet at Walker Valley. But after several underclassmen turned in their best times of the season, and eight athletes qualified in 11 events, Monroe admitted the foundation is set for a solid future.
“We had some kids who were real question marks before today that really showed out,” said Monroe, who already announced his retirement following the season. “I really didn’t expect to get that many kids qualified for next week. They should be pretty good for a while.”
Walker Valley senior Gabby Cader was one of the day’s top overall finishers, winning the girls’ 400-meter run, the long jump, the triple jump and the pentathlon and finishing second in the 100-meter hurdles.
The top four finishers in each of Tuesday’s events automatically qualify for next week’s Spring Fling in Murfreesboro, and several area teams were helped by freshmen.
Soddy-Daisy’s 4×800 girls’ relay team was in third place when freshman Summer Lanter took the baton to begin the final leg. She rallied to take the lead on the final lap but was eventually overcome in the final 50 meters as the team qualified second.
“I tried to start my kick a little early, and that didn’t leave me with much at the end,” Lanter said. “But we were just going for a top-four finish today to make sure we qualified, so we got that done.”
Lanter also ran the first leg of the 4×400 relay, which finished first, and she qualified second individually in the 400.
One of the bigger surprises for Ooltewah was the boys’ 4×400 relay team, which qualified despite its top sprinter, senior Eric Green, having to pull out with a hamstring injury. Freshman Adam Hubert filled in, joining fellow freshman Hunter McClain, sophomore T.J. Warren and junior Randall Freeman in helping the team qualify.
“I didn’t think there was any way we would make it without Eric,” Monroe said. “But all those kids really stepped up. That injury kept Eric from qualifying in the 400 because he just couldn’t accelerate like he can, and I’m not sure how well he can compete in the long jump next week if he hasn’t healed. It’s too bad because he had a good shot in both events.”
Ooltewah’s girls’ team also got a lift from a freshman as Michelle Bradley won the 1600-meter run and qualified third in the 800, making her one of six Lady Owls runners to qualify.