By By Chandler Myers
There must be something put in the water at Escambia Academy, which fuels its athletes to championships in track.
The Cougars boys and girls track teams both clinched AISA Class 2A state championships last Thursday in Selma at the AISA State Track Meet.
For the Cougar boys this is the third straight state title that the team has won, while the girls picked up their first championship in several years, according to head track coach Heath Gibson.
Overall, the Cougar boys finished the meet third in the entire AISA, while the girls finished the meet in fourth.
Gibson said he is proud of both teams for the effort given at the meet.
The boys team was led by senior Alan Ash who won and set new state records in the one and two mile runs.
Ash broke a 12-year-old record in the one mile with a time of 4:34:86. The two-mile record sat at 10:21 for 25 years until Ash raced through the finish line at 10:09.
Ash said he was thrilled to set the new records. He added its something that he has wanted for a long time.
With Ash graduating, the Gibson will be looking to replace his star long distance runner.
The coach said it will be tough to replace a runner with talent like Ash.
Aside from Ash’s first place finishes, the Cougar had several participants place throughout the meet.
The boys 4×100 relay team composed of Seth Lassiter, Jon Dean, Kawetta Coon and Jake Taylor placed third with a time 47.02 seconds.
The boys 4×200 relay team that featured Jeff Price, Jon Dean, Kawetta Coon and Jake Taylor finished third with a time of 1:39.
In the 4×400, the team of Ash, Price, Coon and Taylor finished fourth with a time of 3:55, while the 4×800 team of Austin and Cameron McGhee, Cedo Coon and Wade Matthews finished fifth with a time of 10:29.
Individually, Lassiter placed fifth in the two-mile with a time of 10:25.
On the girls’ side of the event, Amber Huskey finished first in the shot put with a throw of 29’ 7”.
Andrea Nall finished first in the 800m with a time of 2:29:47 and third in the two-mile with a time of 13:12. Nall also finished fourth in the long jump with a distance of 15’ 7?”.
Malori McGhee placed second in the long jump with a jump of 15’ 9?”, and she finished third in the 300m hurdles with a time of 53.5 seconds.
The Lady Cougars 4×100 relay team composed of Samantha Lee, McGhee, Nikki Bryan and Sara Beth Davis finished in fifth place with a time of 56.93 seconds.
In the 4×200 relay the time of KayLeigh Miller, McGhee, Bryan and Davis finished fifth with a time of 2:02.