File photo by Dennis CarterKendell Williams, Kell
Kendell Williams closed out her brilliant prep track career in a blaze of glory over the weekend.
The
Kell (Marietta, Ga.) senior won three state championships during the Class 5A meet in Albany, Ga., to finish her career with 11 titles. Some of the records she broke belonged to her.
On Saturday the versatile star won the 100-meter hurdles in a state-record 13.23 seconds, erasing the standard of 13.29 which she had established during Friday's trials. It also is the fastest time in the nation this spring.
Williams told the Marietta Daily Journal, "I was really surprised by that time. I had a personal record in the prelims, so I didn't think I could get it down that low again. I had an ice bath (Friday night) and didn't come in expecting (the time) to be that good. It's an amazing (personal record). I can't believe it."
On Friday she set a 5A state record in the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 9 3/4 inches, bettering a record she had set earlier at 20 feet, 3/4 of an inch. She also captured the high jump at 5-8.
Williams scored 31 points, which tied for high in all classes, and helped her team to finish second in 5A.
The University of Georgia signee summed up her career when she said, "It all feels great. I always perform well here. I thought my junior year was great, but this whole weekend just went so well. It was a good way to go out."*
*In Arizona, Devon Allen led
Brophy College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) to the Division I boys state title by winning three individual events. He captured the 110-meter hurdles in 13.59 seconds, the 300-meter hurdles in 36.74 and the 200-meter dash in 20.98.
The Division I distance races all went to workhorse
Bernie Montoya of
Cibola (Yuma, Ariz.), who won the 800 in a state-record 1:50.19, the 1600 in 4:05.89 and the 3200 in 8:56.60. The Arizona State University signee closed his outstanding career with eight state titles.
For the eighth consecutive year, the Division I girls title went to
Chandler (Ariz.), which was led by junior star
Ky Westbrook. She won the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and the shot put, but was most proud of her state-record clocking of 23.39 seconds in the 200.
*Superstar distance runner Edward Cheserek of
St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.) was upset in the mile during the 46th Loucks Games in White Plains, N.Y. Ben Malone of
Pascack Valley (Hillsdale, N.J.) overtook the legendary Cheserek in the final 400 meters to set a meet record of 4:09.73. Cheserek was second in 4:11.19. The record of 4:10.5 had stood since 1979.