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Record-setting year for SEMS track
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South Effingham Middle School’s track teams celebrated a record year. Front row, left to right, are Virginia Perry, Sydney Hale, Paul Beecher and Cameron Sewell; back row are Megan Keyes, Whitney Parrish, Alexis Mercer, Josh Mercer, Brandon Archer, Jonathan Foster and Coach Jeff Faith. - photo by Photo submitted

More than 45 boys and girls participated in track and field this year for South Effingham Middle School. The teams got together at the Living Faith Church of God to reflect on this past season and reward the top performers. Under the direction of Coach Jeff Faith, the 2007 team re-wrote many school records, sometimes more than once.

For the girls’ team, the academic award went to Sydney Hale. On the track side, the most outstanding distance runner award went to Virginia Perry and the most outstanding sprinter award went to Alexis Mercer. The most outstanding field person award went to Megan Keyes. The coaches award went to Whitney Parrish.

Mercer set a record in the 400 meter run with a time of 1:06. Parrish set a new mark in the long jump at 12-10.

On the boys’ team, the academic award went to Paul Beecher. Cameron Sewell was named the most outstanding distance runner and Josh Mercer was the most outstanding sprinter. Brandon Archer was awarded the most outstanding field event award and Jonathan Foster was given the coaches award.

Josh Mercer set new school records in both the 100 meter and 200 meter dash with times of 11.72 and 24.51 respectively. Josh Winston set a new mark in the 800 run with a time of 2:31.5. The 4x100 relay team of Jordan Waters, Kyle Lankhorst, Shae Hudson and Josh Mercer set a new mark with a time of 50.4. In the 4x400 relay, the team of Mercer, Waters, Hudson and Andrew set a record with a time of 4:11.

In field events, Archer set two school records. In the high jump he jumped 5-9 and in the discus he threw 103-4. Foster set a new mark in the triple jump with a jump of 30-9.