Sports

Rams’ relay team shines at nationals

• Albany State’s Rodney Coley and the school’s men’s 4x100 relay team do well at the NCAA Div. II meet.

Derek Barichello

WALNUT, Calif. — Rodney Coley had the biggest day at the NCAA Division II National Outdoor Track & Field Championships for Albany State as both the men’s and women’s team competed on Saturday.

The Rams sprinter finished fourth in the 100 meters with a time of 10.34 seconds, third in the 200 with a time of 20.88 and ran with the Rams 4x100 relay team that finished second in the nation with a time of 39.98 seconds.

His effort, along with a sixth place finish in the 200 from Garrion Martin (21.05 seconds), who was ranked No. 1 in the 100 heading into the championships, led the Rams, who sat in eighth place with 22 points heading into the 4 x 400 relay that was ran after press time.

“Coley jumped in there and fought for us,” Albany State boys track & field coach Marvin Oliver said. “We were hoping Garrion would live up to his billing as No.1. He got off to a bad start and he wasn’t prepared for the weather change here.”

Succeeding at national meets is nothing new, however, for Coley, who starred at Americus High School. He even finished second in the national indoor 60 meters earlier this year.

“I’m very competitive and have been that way for a very long time,” Coley told The Herald last week. “Just being in that atmosphere with a bunch of other talented athletes lets me know it’s time to compete.”

Along with the men’s team, the Lady Rams are tied for 18th place with 14 points as they prepared to run the 4x400 relay.

Sprinter Estella Moore finished sixth in the 100 with a time of 11.62 seconds and clocked in at 24.1 seconds for eighth place in the 200. Also contributing to the team, Roxie Griffin finished fourth in the 400 with a time of 54.67 seconds, while Tamika Kinchen finished ninth in the 800 with a time of 2:19.40.

“We didn’t fare as well as anticipated,” Albany State women’s track & field coach Kenneth Taylor said.

“But it was all right, considering. Our relay team had a few exchange problems. But we were happy with Moore’s performance.”

Saturday ended a season in which the Lady Rams won another SIAC championship, and men’s team captured its first-ever South Region championship at Atlanta’s Morehouse College, which won the conference title meet earlier this spring.

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