The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

CLEVELAND Eneas successfully defended their title, winning their 5th New Providence Primary Schools Sports Association Track and Field Championships by a landslide.

Leading from day one of the three-day meet at the original Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium last week, Cleveland Eneas compiled a total of 338.50 points to out-distance their nearest rivals Yellow Elder, who got 202.

Sadie Curtis held on for third place with 197, Sybil Strachan got fourth with 161.50 and Columbus Primary rounded out the top five in the 23-school field with 156. “This one was bitter sweet,” said Cleveland Eneas’ head coach Mariska Stubbs-Thompson. “I really went through a lot this year, so it was crucial that we won.

“My collegiate chose me as Teacher of the Year and that required me to be away from my students for a quite a bit, so I wasn’t able to put in as much time as I would like too. But I still got the job done.”

Despite being the recipient of such a prestigious honor at Cleveland Eneas, Stubbs-Thompson said she had her team preparing since November and their hard work paid off.

They added the title to the previous ones won in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016.

“We are a balanced team, starting from the little ones at seven and up to the 13-and-under. We were really balanced,” Stubbs-Thompson stated.

“But we had some awesome quarter-milers (400 metre runners). They really stuck in there for me. My quarter-milers did it for me. It was balanced on the track and on the field.”

While the celebrations for Stubbs-Thompson won’t be held until the 2017/18 school year, she’s not certain when Cleveland Eneas will honor their students for their performances.

Among some of their outstanding performers were Shawnette Florent (1:07.97) and Shorneka Williams (1:09.85) for gold and silver in the girls A 400m; Synia Lockhart (14.56) for gold ion the girls C 100m and Chris Sands (12.70) for gold in the boys A+ 100m.

On the field, Diamond Newbold (25.08m) got gold in the girls other ball throw C; Lawrence Monestine (33.74m) in the boys other ball throw C and Tiana Ferguson (6.31m) for gold in the girls shot put A+.

Cedricka Rolle, in her first year as coach of Yellow Elder, said she was pleased with way her team performed to trail Cleveland Eneas.

“I am very pleased with the team. They have been working very hard all year, getting prepared for one or two meets” she said. “This was the first meet.

“The second meet is the National Primary Schools Track and Field Championships, so the performances here was a good indicator of what we will do once we come up against the kids from the other schools on the national level.”

Rolle said they are serving notice to Cleveland Eneas that they are coming for them.

“We tried to beat them in this meet. We put up a good fight,” she stressed. “But somewhere along the way they just kind of ran away from us. But we still have another meet to buck up to them and there’s always next year.”

Yellow Elder, known for their prowess in volleyball, got some top performances from Ashley Whylly, winner of the Girls 100m A+ in 13.63; Ashley Eleusma (30.22) and Rashay Curtis (30.82) for gold and silver in the girls 200m C; Logan Lightbourne, gold in the boys 400m A in 1:01.56; Jasmine Mackey, gold in the girls 1200m B in 4:22.56; Neveah Mackey, gold in the girls 400m D in 1:30.50; Rashay Curtis, gold in the girls 800m C in 3:03.41 and Logan Lightbourne, gold in the boys 800m A in 2:33.00.

Some of the others winners in the meet were:

Anthia Gray of Albury Sayles in the girls 400m A+ in 1:12.94; Sheka Knowles of Sadie Curtis in the girls 100m A in 12.79 and Tyneisha Thompson of Stephen Dillet in the girls 100m B in 13.53 and the 200m in 28.23.

Tyrone Neely of Uriah McPhee in the boys 400m A+ in 1:06.82; Carlos Brown in the boys 100m A in 12.19; Darrius Pratt of CW Sawyer in the boys 100m B in 12.69 and the 200m in 27.03; Milton Higgs of Sadie Curtis in the boys 400m B in 1:06.91; Johnathon Higgs of CW Sawyer in the boys 100m C in 13.62 and the 200m in 29.16 as well as Jonathan Williams of Gerald Cash in the boys 75m D in 11.19.