ROCKINGHAM — Entering the 2020 girls’ track and field season, veteran head coach Reggie Miller is approaching things a little differently this spring.
Unlike the last couple of seasons, Miller is downsizing his team and will look to utilize the strengths of a core group of runners, throwers and jumpers on the Lady Raiders’ way to hopeful state qualifying and state championship performances.
More specifically, he’s relying on a strong senior class to try and replicate the program’s success.
This spring there are 38 athletes on the team, down 15 from last year. Miller said the idea was to keep the numbers “more manageable” for him and assistant coach James Tindell. He added that with the current roster, he believes the team “will still be successful.”
Wet weather has forced the Lady Raiders to practice indoors several times already this spring, but the team is utilizing indoor and outdoor sessions to gear up for its first meet this Saturday.
“We look pretty good being that we’ve had so much rain that’s caused us not to practice outside,” Miller explained. “We’ve had to work inside on the days that we had rain. The good thing is, most of the girls were on the indoor team and they were already well conditioned.
“We have our first meet on Saturday, and we will know how much improvement we have made from all the workouts and practice we had from our indoor season,” he added.
One of the top returners this season will be junior Jakerra Covington, who will compete in the long jump, high jump, open 100 and sprint relays. Last spring, she was the Midwest regional champion in the high jump and ran the 4×100 and 4×200 relays in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.
“I’m expecting her to have the same hard work ethic, commitment and motivation as last year,” Miller said of Covington. “She was first-team all-state in the 4×100 relay and first team all-region in 4×100 and 4×200 relay last season. She is getting recruited by all major colleges.”
Monasia Kearns will also be one to watch, as the senior will be competing in the open 100, open 200 and sprint relays. She also competed in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, and Miller said he’s impressed by the hard work, determination and commitment she brings to practice every day.
“She’s one of the hardest working girls I’ve ever coached,” Miller said. “Monasia has competed in three state championships. She was first team all-state in the 4×100 relay and first team all-region in 4×100 and 4×200 relay last season.”
Seniors Bree Wall and Kibreeauna Stewart also return to the team and will compete in a variety of events. Wall will do sprint relays and the open 400, and was a part of the 4×200 relay team that broke the 31 year old school record last spring.
Stewart will be doing all three jumping events (long, high and triple jump), as well as the 100-meter hurdles. Miller noted how she finished last season as the No. 2 competitor in the high jump, triple jump and 100 hurdles.
Other athletes Miller hopes to see contribute this spring are seniors Allexis Swiney (sprint relays, all jumping events), Sierra Ramsay (open 400 and 4×400 relay) and Airel Brown (distance races). Swiney was one place away from placing in the Midwest regionals last year in the triple jump.
“I think we are stronger with jumps first, then sprinting,” Miller said reflecting on his team. “Last year in the conference championship we scored 25 points in the jumps with four girls, and three of those girls return in Jakerra, Allexis and Kibreeauna.
“We are also strong in sprinting, in both the 4×100 and 4×200 relays,” he continued. “We replaced two girls from last year’s team, but I believe we will be okay.”
In terms of season objectives, Miller wants to see each of his athletes “improve every day, first in practice and then on meet days.”
“Our first goal is to improve and stay competitive in practice against each other,” he closed. “If we can do that, we can compete to win individual events, compete for the conference championship, then regionals and the state championship.”
Helping to do that is a “great group of seniors that has been with the program for the last four years.”
Richmond will put its practice to the test in its first meet of the season this Saturday at the Tiger Relay Savage 16 at Reid Ross High School in Fayetteville. Events will get underway at 9 a.m.
