Lady Cougar track team defeats Clover

The York Comprehensive High School girls’ track team opened the season with a convincing win over Clover.

“Outstanding individual performances included a blazing 12.7 second 100-meter run by Jenna Dasilva and an equally impressive 400-meter victory by ninth-grader Natalee Graham,” said head coach David Griffin after the March 12 match.

“They were backed up by an outstanding 4-by-100 meter relay team that included Alasia Smith, Jenna Dasilva and Sierra Lipscomb and anchored by Neesha Brown,” he said. “We also had a strong 4-by-400 performance.”

Leah Fuda, Katy Day and Sidney Lueth swept the pole vault event as Takayla Stewart, Shakania McClurkin and Melissa Rodenhauser finished first, second and third, respectively, in the long jump and triple jump.

Other point contributors were Kaitlyn Bolick in the 3,200- meter run and Mariah Craig in the 800-meter run.

“It was an outstanding effort by our kids,” said Griffin.

Dasilva was all smiles after winning the 100-meter run.

“I feel really great,” she said. “I’ve been competing with this school for quite a while now. The key to continued improvement is definitely commitment. You have to put a lot into it.”

Graham was equally excited about winning the 400-meter run in her first appearance in the event.

“I’ve always been the last leg in the 4-by-100,” she said. “I was ahead after the first curve and tried to keep up the pace. The key is to keep working and don’t slow down.”

This story was originally published March 16, 2015 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Lady Cougar track team defeats Clover."