East St. Louis Senior High’s Flyerettes added to the legacy of the “City of Champions” by winning the IHSA Class 3A state championship in girls track and field last weekend in Charleston, Ill.
It was the 16th state championship in the Hall of Fame career of legendary head coach Nino Fennoy.
The Flyerettes represented the city of East St. Louis quite well in outpointing Lincoln Way East (46-37) to capture their second girls state championship at O’Brien Stadium on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. East Side won the Class 3A title in 2008.
The Flyerettes did it as a team as they had only one individual winner. The lone individual winner was the dynamic Markita Rush, who won the 300-meter low hurdles. East Side was able to rack up points in other events. It included a second place finish in the shot put by the sensational Ashley Gaston, who has been a constant star in that event the last couple of years. He second-place finish helped seal the deal for coach Fennoy, who is a prize gem in our community.
East Side also got an excellent individual effort from three-sport star Joymesia Howard. She finished fourth in the high jump and sixth in the 100-meter high hurdles. She was also a standout on the relays. The Flyerettes finished second in the 4×200-meter relay and third in the 4×100 with the team of Howard, Rush, Daria Walker and Brandy Griffin running on both relays. The great teamwork displayed by the young ladies led to another championship trophy in the great tradition of East St. Louis athletics and another feather in the cap of Fennoy, who is one of the greatest high school track coaches in the country.
Coach Fennoy has helped so many youths in or community, yet doesn’t seek the attention like other coaches both past and present. He has done his thing first at East St. Louis Lincoln, and now East St. Louis Senior with hard work, dedication, consistency, and respect for his fellow coaches on his staff. Coach Fennoy understands that you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with, and not being insecure.
Coach Fennoy has been a bright spot on how to do things the right way when competing and interacting with both young people and younger coaches in our district. In addition, he is getting those young ladies in college as well.
I tip my hat to you coach with love, honor, and respect.
Scott’s Notes:
*The East St. Louis Middle Schools did there thing in Peoria this weekend as well with historic accomplishments from both girls and boys track and field teams from Wyvetter Younge Middle school.
Both the boys and girls track teams brought back two more state titles with the boys capturing the IESA eighth-grade Class AA crown while the girls captured the Girls seventh-grade Class AA championship.
The boys were led by Natereance Strong, who won the 100, 200 and placed second in the shot put. Dasha Thomas won the High Jump for the Lady Panthers. The Younge Panthers also captured the boys Class Class 3A eighth-grade championship in basketball while the seventh grade team advanced to the Elite Eight.
*East St. Louis Lincoln’s boys finished third in the eighth-grade Class AA meet while the girls finished fifth in the seventh-grade Class AA meet. The Mason/Clark girls also had a great day with a sixth-place finish in the eighth-grade Class AA meet.
(Go to IESA.ORG FOR ALL RESULTS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IHSA.ORG FOR HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS)
Congrats to all the teams on there accomplishments last week-end and good luck to coach Roscoe Whitfield at East St. Louis and coach Leroy Milsap of Cahokia this week-end when the big boys do there thing in Charleston.Â
