Mustang year in review

The West Jones Lady Mustangs had a good year as they ended their season on a positive note at the state track meet in Pearl on May 4. The Mustangs only had five girls to make it to the state meet and did well.

Kristin Bridges, the state’s No. 2 sprinter, had a productive year with only two losses this year. Both came to the No. 1 sprinter in the state and last year’s Gatorade Athlete of the Year, Ridgeland’s Bianca Knight. Bridges and Knight were even with 50 meters left in the race when Knight pulled away to win the 100-meter dash.

Later Knight said, “If it had not been for Bridges, she would have broken the state record,” with a time of 10.28. Bridges finished third in the 200-meter dash after a review of her and the Gentry runner finished even at the line. Bridges was honored with one more award by her school as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007.

Marisa Hawthorne had a productive year. The eighth-grader came in fourth place in the triple jump with a leap of 35 feet, 9 inches. She also finished seventh in the 200-meter dash.

The 4x400-meter relay team of Bridges, Hawthorne, Kenyatta Flowers and Leslie Howard finished in eighth place. The team is looking forward to next year with all runners returning for a run at the state title.