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Toast of the Coast: Girls track and field
When Courtney Kinlaw got a shot at the 400 meter hurdles, a state title followed - quickly
Josh HokeThe Sun News
Since Courtney Kinlaw began competing in track and field at Carolina Forest as an eighth-grader, she has always asked her coaches to insert her into the 400-meter hurdles.
Four and a half years into Kinlaw's prep career, Panthers coach Sandra Henson finally relented and decided this year to give the Toast of the Coast Girls Track Player of the Year the opportunity. The first time Kinlaw ran the 400-meter hurdles, she finished first with the same time that won the event at the Class AAA state meet in 2007.
She went on to win the event at the Horry County and Region VI-AAA meets _ she had a total of six first-place and two second-place finishes at those meets _ and then became the only area athlete to win an individual state title when she won the event at the state championships.
``At the beginning of the year, I think she was nervous about finding a school and doing the best in her events,'' Henson said. ``When she started running the 400 hurdles _ after years of begging me _ she found a new event. That really gave her the motivation to finish her senior year off. I never knew she could be a state champion in an event she just started.''
About the time Kinlaw found her groove on the track, she also found a school. She will attend Campbell on a scholarship, where she will likely compete in the 400-meter hurdles. She is also a standout sprinter, jumper and could probably compete in some middle distance events in college.
``It was shocking,'' Kinlaw said of winning the state title. ``I like trying new things. I was determined to give it my all even though it was a new event.''
THE REST OF THE TEAM
ALEXIS TAYLOR
School | Carvers Bay
Class | Sophomore
Specialty | Shot put
Notable | Finished fourth in the shot put at the Class A state meet with a throw of 32 feet, 9 inches.
SHANIQUE HUDSON
School | Myrtle Beach
Class | Senior
Specialty | High jump
Notable | Region VI-AAA champion finished third in the high jump at the Class AAA state meet, and had a season-high of 5 feet, 4 inches.
JENNIFER BOYER
School | North Myrtle Beach
Class | Sophomore
Specialty | Middle distance
Notable | Finished 16th in the 800 meters at the Class AAA state qualifying meet and won the event at the Horry County and Region VI-AAA meets.
HALEY HASELDEN
School | Aynor
Class | Eighth grade
Specialty | Long jump
Notable | Finished fifth in the long jump at the Class AA state meet and second at the Lower State championships.
TYESHIA ALLSTON
School | St. James
Class | Eighth grade
Specialty | Sprints/middle distance
Notable | Finished 10th in the 400 meters at the Class AAA state qualifying meet and second in the event in Region VI-AAA.
AMBER COLLINGTON
School | Georgetown
Class | Senior
Specialty | Hurdles
Notable | Finished ninth in the 110-meter hurdles at the Class AAA state qualifying meet, and won the event at the Region VI-AAA meet.
LAKEITHA ALSTON
School | Carolina Forest
Class | Junior
Specialty | Discus
Notable | Finished third in the discus at the Class AAA state meet, and won both the discus and shot put at the county and region meets.
EMILY SCHASSLER
School | Carolina Forest
Class | Eighth grade
Specialty | Distance
Notable | Finished 11th in the 1,600 meters and 12th in the 3,200 meters at the Class AAA state qualifying meet. Won both events at county and region meets.
PRISCILLA HART
School | Myrtle Beach
Class | Freshman
Specialty | Sprints
Notable | Finished third in the 200 meters and sixth in the 100 meters at the Class AAA state meet. Region VI-AAA champion in both events.
CHARLENE TISDALE
School | Waccamaw
Class | Junior
Specialty | Triple jump
Notable | Finished eighth in the triple jump at the Class AA state meet and third at the Lower State championships.
SHARI WRIGHT
School | Loris
Class | Senior
Specialty | Sprints
Notable | Finished fourth in the 100 meters at the Class AA state meet after placing second in the event at the Lower State championships.
CANDACE DEWBERRY
School | Aynor
Class | Sophomore
Specialty | Pole vault
Notable | Finished seventh in the pole vault at the Class AA state meet and fourth at the Lower State championships.