FAYETTEVILLE — In its season-opener at Reid Ross High’s Tiger Relay Invitational, a few familiar faces from last year’s Richmond Senior girls track team joined some new additions to create a successful showing.
The Lady Raiders took first place in two events en route to finishing second overall out of the 20-plus teams that competed.
Despite having to replace two members from last season’s record-breaking 4×200-meter relay squad, this year’s quartet of Monasia Kearns, Bree Wall, Andrea Ellerbe and Isis Covington was still able to take first place with a time of 149.93 seconds.
“I think they performed really well…the handoffs were perfect and the exchanging of the baton was precise,” said Richmond coach Reggie Miller after the race. “The girls did their job and they all ran hard.”
The two new additions to the relay team are Isis Covington and Andrea Ellerbe, who both received high praise from Miller, having coached them during indoor track season in the winter.
He issued a special challenge to them and the team’s other newcomers ahead of the event.
“I said to them, ‘You want to make a name for yourself? Go to an invitational and win, then people will know who you are,’” said Miller.
Rayana Shubert earned Richmond’s other first-place finish on the day, posting a score of 106 feet, 5 inches in the discus finals.
The Lady Raiders also enjoyed a host of second-and-third place finishes, highlighted by state-qualifier Jakerra Covington. Covington took second in the high jump with a score of 4-10. She went on to place third in the long jump by posting 17 feet.
In the triple jump, Richmond’s Alexis Swiney finished third with a 33-5.25, while teammate Kibreanna Stewart was close behind with a 32-9.
The group’s other top finishes came during the 4×100 throw relay, where Richmond took second, and the 4×100 relay team of Wall, Covington, Swiney and Kearns that placed third.
Other notable Lady Raiders performers were Jayʼda Williams and Jamaya Bryant, who finished in the top 10 during the hurdles events.
Williams had her best effort in the 300 hurdles, finishing sixth with a time of 56.75. Bryant placed just behind her with a 56.84. In the 100 hurdles, Williams took ninth and Bryant finished 10th.
Richmond’s overall team score of 75.5 points was second only to Sandhills Athletic Conference rival Pinecrest, who took first with a score of 108.
The Lady Raiders will be back on the track Thursday to make their conference debut at Scotland.
RSHS girls soccer suffers first loss
FAYETTEVILLE — The Richmond Senior girls soccer team dropped its first contest of the season on Saturday, losing a 5-1 decision to Gray’s Creek during the “Kickin’ it with The Crew” event hosted by Terry Sanford High.
Richmond (1-1-1) striker Kaitlyn Huff accounted for the team’s lone goal on the day, marking her second of the season.
The Lady Raiders return to Sandhills Athletic Conference play on Tuesday when they host last season’s top team Pinecrest.
