Athletics News
Season Preview: Track & Field
2023 was tremendous for Tallulah Falls Track & Field. The Lady Indians were 10th at state with their 4x400 Relay team setting a school record time and winning a State Championship in the process. The Indians came in 25th at state behind Sam Ketch’s 3rd-place discus throw.
Now, with all sights set on 2024, Ketch and ¾ of the girls’ championship relay team headline the returning talent. For the Lady Indians, senior captains Julianne Shirley, Molly Mitchell, and Dani Prince, all of whom were on the title-winning relay, will set the standard for the underclassmen. Junior Jace Ibemere is also back after competing at state as well.
This girls squad does lose State Champion Sofia Rueda, but has the talent and intangibles to make more history this time around.
“The girls posses experience, passion, leadership, and the vision of what a team should be, and the process to perform at our best at the right times,” says coach Scott Neal.
“We expect to strengthen our culture of GREAT, develop newcomers and inexperienced team members to prepare for success both in season and out of season, to work smart, and to collaborate vigilantly to make the team GREAT beyond our wildest imagination.”
State competitors Nana Amankwah, Walker Bailey, and Tyler Brown all graduated on the boys’ side, but the Indians are anchored by senior captain and recent Davidson College signee Ketch (thrower), seniors next-level hopeful Makhi Edgecomb (thrower), CJ Augustine (hurdles), and Blair Moore (relays), as well as juniors Nnamdi Ezunu (sprints, relays), Ade Akisanya (thrower), Christian Lloyd (jumps), and freshmen Ryan Anderson (mid distance), Teagan Penlan (distance), and Gavin Simmons (distance).
The strength of the Indians’ squad, according to Neal, are three strong throwers who lead in preparation and performance - Ketch, Edgecomb, and Akisanya. The talented freshman group is competitive also.
“The boys expectations are for our experienced veterans to teach a strong, young group what our GREAT culture entails, how to contribute to the significance of a season, and to perform at our best when it counts.”
The season opens January 27 in and indoor meet in Birmingham, AL, with the first full meet slated for March 2 in the Jerry Arnold Challenge at Mill Creek High School.