The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net WILL this be the year that the St Augustine's College Big Red Machine's dominance of the Bahamas Association of Independent Secondary Schools' inter-school track and field championships comes to an end? The Big Red Machine are gearing up for their 24th straight title at the end of the three-day meet that is slated to begin today at Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium. And while SAC's head coach William 'Knucklehead' Johnson is confident of another victory, Gary Markham, head coach of their toughest rivals Queen's College Comets, has refused to make any comments due to a directive that he received from the BAISS. The championships are scheduled to begin 9am today and wrap up on Friday. "We feel that we have the team to do it once the kids go in there and do what they have to do," said Johnson. "If they perform to the best of their ability, we can do it again." Johnson, however, acknowledged that he expects the Comets to provide another tough challenge for the Big Red Machine. "QC has a very strong team. They are especially strong in the junior boys and intermediate girls and boys," he said. "But we're pretty strong in those areas too. So I think this will be a very exciting meet." The Comets, according to Johnson, should be very strong on the track, which should make the championship an interesting one to watch. "For many years, people say we are not strong in senior boys but the senior boys always find a way to win," he said. "So weakness and strength is relative to what everybody has. We feel good about our chances." Although the Comets should pose the biggest threat, Johnson said they are not counting out schools such as the St John's College Giants in the boys and Aquinas College Aces in the girls. Other schools to watch are the St Andrew's Hurricanes, Kingsway Academy Saints, Nassau Christian Academy Crusaders, St Anne's Bluewaves, Westminster Diplomats, Temple Christian Suns, Bahamas Academy Saints, Charles W Saunders Cougars and Jordan Prince Williams Falcons. The championships will feature competition in the bantamweight, junior, intermediate and senior divisions for both boys and girls. All of the events contested in the regular meets will take place over the three days. Athletes will have the opportunity to qualify for the Carifta Games, scheduled for Hamilton, Bermuda, over the Easter holiday weekend, the Junior Central American and Caribbean Championships in San Salvador on July 1 and the IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain, July 10-15.