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Published: Tuesday, May. 01, 2012 / Updated: Monday, Apr. 30, 2012 10:52 AM

Indian Land track teams finish second in region, get ready for run at state

INDIAN LAND -- 

The Indian Land High School track teams finished with a strong second to Cheraw at the Region 4AA track and field championships held at ILHS last week.

Indian Land’s Rondreas Truesdale dominated the short distance competition with three first-place finishes. Joined by DeVante Benjamin, Scotty McCauley, and Trey Eaves, Truesdale led the 4x1 team to a time of 44.55 seconds, beating Andrew Jackson High School by .64 seconds.

In the 110 meter hurdles Truesdale beat Central High School’s KyJuan Crosby with a time of 15.24 seconds. He finished his triple performance with an 11.18 second finish in the 100-meter dash, edging out Anthony Stevens of Buford High School by .02 seconds.

“Rondreas gives his all during the meets,” said Indian Land coach Barry Hallums. Hallums said Truesdale is no stranger to the state competition. The senior has made it to the state meet every year since first competing in the eighth grade.

Truesdale plans to triple in the 4x1, 110 meter hurdles, and 100 meter dash at state.

James Gregory paced the Warriors’ long distance events. Gregory was the only sub-five minute finisher in the 1,600 with a time of 4:59.68. He was joined in the top four by teammates Colton Helms (5:07.41) and Leith Rawson (5:08.97).

Helms placed third in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:05.32 while Gregory earned two more first place finishes in the 800- and 3,200-meter run with times of 2:13.84 and 11:15.86.

Shayna Fairclough and Rebecca Jette finished first and second in the 100-meter hurdles. Fairclough clocked an 18.29 while Jette was close behind with a time 18.74 seconds.

Destiny Todd and Fairclough came in second to Central’s Javias Williams in the 400. Williams won the event with a 12.78 while Todd and Fairclough clocked a 13.30 and 13.52.

Indian Land’s star distance runner, Tianah Miller, earned two second-place finishes in the competition. The seventh grader came in after Cheraw’s Amanda Bruneio in the 1,600- and the 3,200-meter run with times of 6:14.03 and 13:56.20.

Coach D.J. Fitzpatrick credited Miller’s confidence as the key to her success on the track.

“She comes into every situation knowing she is just as good, if not better than anyone she competes against. That’s very impressive,” said Fitzpatrick. “She runs extra hard every time, so that’s all she needs to do at state.”

As the Indian Land High School track teams prepare for state, Fitzpatrick wants the runners to keep their minds off the competition.

“I try not to make the kids focus on a particular runner, because in the world of track and field, you have your good days and you have your bad days. I just encourage my kids to always have a great day,” said Fitzpatrick.

The state track meet will take place May 12 in Spring Valley.