Three Gaffney track stars go for gold

Region discus champion Tiffany Posey will go for the gold this evening when she competes in the state meet at Spring Valley High School.

Posey is one of three Gaffney track team members who advanced to the state championship by finishing in the top eight at last weekend's state qualifier. Ninth graders Kennard Lipscomb and Joe Craig will represent the boys track team in Saturday's races.

Posey will compete in the discus throw today at 5:45 p.m. Lipscomb competes in the 800 meters Saturday at 11:15 a.m. Craig will run in the 200 meters at 11:45 a.m.

Posey and Lipscomb are making their second straight appearance at the state meet. While both placed fifth at the state last year, girls track coach Kevin Hammett said the track stars are among the favorites to win in their events.

At the state qualifier, Posey was the top qualifier in the discus.

Craig finished second in his heat in the 200 meters with a time of 2:21. Lipscomb finished in third place with a time of 1:59.

"Tiffany is the top seed going in. She will face stiff competition. The top four in the discus are all capable of winning," Hammett said. "It will be very interesting see what Kennard is going to do. I believe it's going to be a neck and neck finish in the 800 meters.

"Joe qualified for the state meet as a first-year track athlete. I think he is just starting to realize what an amazing accomplishment it is to go to the state," he said.

The Gaffney boys and girls track teams hope the individual success of this year's three state qualifiers is the springboard for a future run at a state championship. The Indian's boys and girls relay teams just missed finishing among the top eight state qualifiers.

The boys 4x400 meter relay team missed a spot in the state meet by one-tenth of a second while the girls relay team finished in tenth.

"We are a very young team with only three seniors. We have high expectations and look forward to bringing a bus load of kids to compete at the state track meet," Hammett said. "Our goal is to have kids competing in individual and relay events. This will allow us to earn points in the team standings for a chance to win the state championship in track."