Blackman's Elder, Riverdale's Johnson headline DNJ All-Area Track and Field teams
Cecil Joyce
Blackman's Micaleous Elder proved he had speed to burn during football season, and he carried it over into the track and field season.
Across town, Riverdale's Ar'Nazsia Johnson picked up where she left off from a breakout freshman campaign.
Elder and Johnson have been named The Daily News Journal's All-Area Track and Field athletes of the year for 2019.
Elder, a senior, captured a Large Class state championship as part of the Blaze 4x100 relay team while finishing second in the 100-meter dash and third in the 200-meter dash at the state meet.
Johnson, a sophomore, captured the subsectional and sectional championships in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash. She medaled in both events at the Large Class state meet, finishing fourth in the 100 and seventh in the 200.
The 2019 all-area track teams include:
Boys
First team
Canaan Anderson
Siegel, Jr.
Event: 1600 meters
Why chosen: Medaled at the Large Class state meet, finishing sixth (4:22.85).
Christian Brown
Stewarts Creek, Jr.
Event: Pole vault
Why chosen: Finished 12th at the Large Class state meet with a best of 11 feet.
Greg Bush
La Vergne, So.
Event: 300 hurdles
Why chosen: Won the Large Class subsectional meet (42.13).
Ahmad Collins
Blackman, Jr.
Event: 110 hurdles
Why chosen: Won the Large Class subsectional 3 meet with a time of 16.26.
Eli Cramer
Riverdale, Jr.
Event: 3200 meters
Why chosen: Medaled at Large Class state meet, finishing eighth (9:48.19).
Micaleous Elder
Blackman, Sr.
Event: 100 meters, 200 meters
Why chosen: Finished second at the Large Class state meet in the 100 (10.86) and third in the 200 (21.69).
Antonio Malone
Blackman, Jr.
Event: Shot put, discus
Why chosen: Finished 10th in the shot put at the Large Class state meet at 44-4.75 and took seventh in the discus at 154-1.
Emilio Martin
Blackman, Jr.
Event: High jump
Why chosen: Captured his second Large Class state title, leaping a state-best 6-8.
Andrew Nau
Stewarts Creek, Sr.
Event: 800 meters
Why chosen: Finished 13th at the Large Class state meet (2:02.33)
Kobie Poston
La Vergne, Sr.
Event: Triple jump
Why chosen: Medaled at the Large Class state meet, finishing seventh with a best of 42-6.5.
Baylor Segree
La Vergne, Sr.
Event: 400 meters
Why chosen: Medaled at Large Class state meet, finishing sixth (49.34).
Woodi Washington
Oakland, Sr.
Event: Long jump
Why chosen: Won the Large Class subsectional with a best of 21-02.
Relays
Blackman 4x100
Quincy Elder, Micaleous Elder, Todd Lark, Adonis Otey
Why chosen: Captured the Large Class state championship (41.61) after winning the subsectional and sectional.
Riverdale 4x200
Jaylan Simmons, Jacob Morris, Jalen Dowell, Samari Hill
Why chosen: Finished 12th at the Large Class state meet after taking second in the sectional and subsectional.
Riverdale 4x400
Tevin Woods, Elijah Manpig, Matthew Williams, Brandon Gibbs
Why chosen: Placed 16th in the Large Class state meet after taking third in the sectional and first in the subsectional.
Central Magnet 4x800
Nathan Cordel, Fuji Anday, Carson Sheumaker, Eddie Smith.
Why chosen: Finished 11th at the Large Class state meet after taking second in the sectional and first in the subsectional.
Second team
Pole vault: Brandon Pittard, Riverdale, Jr.
Long jump: Jaylan Simmons, Riverdale, Sr.
Triple jump: Curtis Riggins, Riverdale, Jr.
High jump: Curtis Riggins, Riverdale, Jr.
Shot put: Randy Cousin, Blackman, Jr.
Discus: Myles Hicks, Riverdale, Sr.
110 hurdles: Nicholas Shelton, Stewarts Creek, Sr.
100 meters: Baylor Segree, La Vergne, Sr.
1600 meters: Ransom Lester, Oakland, Jr.
400 meters: Brandon Gibbs, Riverdale, So.
300 hurdles: Tylan Beard, Stewarts Creek, Jr.
800 meters: Nathan Cardel, Central Magnet, Jr.
200 meters: Baylor Segree, La Vergne, Sr.
3200 meters: Fuji Anday, Central Magnet, Jr.
4x100 relay: Stewarts Creek
4x200 relay: Oakland
4x400 relay: La Vergne
4x800 relay: Siegel
Boys Coach of the Year
Jonathan Sutton, Blackman
Why chosen: Guided the Blaze to a fifth-place finish out of 54 teams at the Large Class state meet during his first year with the squad.
Girls
First team
Kaile Alford
Oakland, So.
Event: 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles
Why chosen: Finished 11th in the Large Class state meet in the 100 (48.66) and 15th (17.39) in the 300.
Amira Doss
Stewarts Creek, So.
Event: Long jump
Why chosen: Finished 13th at the Large Class state meet at 15-11.75.
Kaylee Fuller
Riverdale, So.
Event: Pole vault
Why chosen: Finished 12th at the Large Class state meet with a best of 8-06.
Sydney Gibson
Providence Christian, Jr.
Event: Shot put
Why chosen: Captured the DII-A state title at 35-3.
Breja Hooks
Oakland, Sr.
Event: 1600 meters
Why chosen: Medaled at the Large Class state meet, finishing seventh (5:15.51).
Ar’Nazsia Johnson
Riverdale, So.
Event: 100 meters, 200 meters
Why chosen: Medaled in the 100 at the Large Class state meet, finishing fourth (12.31) while taking seventh in the 200 (25.42).
Marilyn McCarthy
Siegel, So.
Event: 3200 meters
Why chosen: Medaled at the Large Class state meet, finishing eighth (11:17.03).
N’Dia Metcalf
Riverdale, Jr.
Event: Triple jump
Why chosen: Won the Large Class subsectional meet at 32-9.25.
Samantha Ouellette
Central Magnet, Fr.
Event: 800 meters
Why chosen: Finished 11th at the Large Class state meet (2:26.89).
Zhordan Shannon
Stewarts Creek, So.
Event: High jump
Why chosen: Finished 13th at the Large Class state meet at 5 feet.
Jania Summers
Siegel, Sr.
Event: Discus
Why chosen: Medaled at the Large Class state meet, finishing eighth (108-5).
Ke’Asyia Ward
Stewarts Creek, Sr.
Event: 400 meters
Why chosen: Finished 14th at the Large Class state meet (1:00.46)
Relays
Blackman 4x100
Amani Sharif, Faith Anderson, Jaibriana Bryant, Joelle Patton
Why chosen: Finished eighth at the Large Class state meet (49.29) to earn a medal.
Riverdale 4x200
Jessalynn Miller, Taliyan Gibson, N'Dia Metcalf, Ar'Nazsia Johnson
Why chosen: Finished 14th at the Large Class state meet (1:47.82).
Oakland 4x400
Kynnedy Gilbert, Kaile Alford, Ashlyn Cook, Breja Hooks
Why chosen: Finished 13th at the Large Class state meet (4:12.96).
Oakland 4x800
Madeline Myers, McKenzie Louis, Ashlyn Cook, Maja Lakes
Why chosen: Finished 14th at the Large Class state meet (10:53.44)
Second team
Pole vault: Claire Perrigo, Stewarts Creek, Jr.
Long jump: N’Dia Metcalf, Riverdale, Jr.
Triple jump: Amira Doss, Stewarts Creek, So.
High jump: Shakira Waller, Riverdale, Jr.
Shot put: Hope Anderson, Blackman, So.
Discus: Mika McKinney, La Vergne, Sr.
100 hurdles: Karina Combs, Smyrna, Fr.
100 dash: Joelle Patton, Blackman, So.
1600 run: Samantha Ouellette, Central Magnet, Fr.
400 dash: Alexis Spivey, Smyrna, Jr.
300 hurdles: Mika McKinney, La Vergne, Sr.
800 run: Breja Hooks, Oakland, Sr.
200 dash: Joelle Patton, Blackman, Jr.
3200 run: Megan Roth, Blackman, Sr.
4x100 relay: La Vergne
4x200 relay: Blackman
4x400 relay: Stewarts Creek
4x800 relay: Siegel
Girls Coach of the Year
Rickey Field, Riverdale
Why chosen: Led the Lady Warriors to a 26th-place finish at the Large Class state meet after winning both the subsectional and sectional meets.