AC girls, Prep battle to five photofinishes at South State

Published 12:00 am Sunday, April 27, 2003

GALLMAN &045; There was something about photofinishes with Adams Christian and Jackson Prep.

The two girls’ squad had five of them Saturday at the Class AAA South State meet, but the Lady Rebels were able to hang on and place second in the team standings behind Prep with 65 to JP’s 112.

&uot;It was unbelievable,&uot; ACCS head coach Bill Richardson said. &uot;The girls don’t even speak to each other, but as this was going they were talking to each other, getting fired up and pushing each other. I hope it’s easier the next go-round, but I hope we win a few more. But it worked out even-steven. We took turns hitting the tape.&uot;

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Tiffany Collier was in a photofinish in the 300 hurdles, finishing second to a Prep runner in 47.3 seconds. The 800 relay team of Nikki Hankins, Brittany Gamberi, Anna McLemore and Collier were second in another photofinish in 1:49.6.

The same four won the 400 relay by a photofinish in 52.9 seconds, and Hankins was second on the fourth photofinish in 1:01.15 with a Prep girl winning it in 1:01.13. They had to go to the tape in the 200 as Hankins was second in 27.02 seconds.

Other results were Collier in first in the 100 in 12.9 seconds, Laura Guedon in third in the 1,600 in 6:20, Kim Robertson in first in the 800 in 2:36.

&uot;We just didn’t have the field events,&uot; Richardson said.

&uot;They got out with a huge lead in the field.&uot;

On the boys’ side, the Rebels had Hunter Cook qualify for the state meet with a third-place finish in the 110-meter hurdles in 17.5 seconds. Will Hinson struggled in the pole vault after missing on the first two tries at 13-0 and catching the bar on his third try with his arm after his body cleared it by a good 18 inches.

&uot;He came in too

high,&uot; Richardson said. &uot;He started at 13-0, and he probably should have started lower. He went for it, and it just didn’t work out for him today. I really feel for him. He’s certainly the class of vaulters in the state of Mississippi, and it’s not the end of the world. This is hard, but he’s got another opportunity.&uot;