It was a tremendous track and field season for the athletes in the St. Louis metropolitan area. To salute these great performers, the American presents its annaul All-Area Track and Field Team for boys and girls. Our Male Track Athletes of the Year are senior Artavious Kizer of East St. Louis and Clyde Young of Cahokia. Kizer won the 400-meter dash and anchored the Flyers to a state record in the 4×400-meter relay at the IHSA Class AA state meet in Charleston. Kizer was also one of the state’s top performers in the 110-meter high hurdles, where he had a fabulous year-long rivalry with Young in the event. Young was also a top performer in the long jump and a mainstay on the Comanches’ star-studded sprint relay teams. He was one of the leaders in Cahokia’s repeat state-championship performance.
The Female Athlete of the Year is the incomparable Alishea Usery of McCluer South-Berkeley, who set three new individual state records in winning her third consecutive 100-, 200-, and 400-meter dash titles at the Missouri Class 3 state championships in Jefferson City. She also anchored MSB’s 4×400-meter relay team to a new state record. Usery also led the Bulldogs to the Class 3 team title, making them the 2007 Girls Team of the Year. The Boys Team of the Year is the Cahokia Comanches, who won their second consecutive IHSA Class AA state title.
Here are the members of the 2007 St. Louis American All-Area Track and Field Team:
Boys First Team
100-meter dash: Gerren Hendricks (Hazelwood Central)
200-meter dash: Earnest Winters (Cahokia)
400-meter dash: Artavious Kizer (East St. Louis)
800-meter run: Darwin Price (Normandy)
1,600-meter run: Darwin Price (Normandy)
3,200-meter run: Anthony Allen (Normandy)
110-meter high hurdles: Artavious Kizer (East St. Louis)
300-meter intermediate hurdles: Kraig Appleton (East St. Louis)
4×100-meter relay: McCluer North (Damonte Bell, Marvin Hill, Quatize Jackson, Norris Johnson)
4×200-meter relay: Hazelwood Central (Ahmad Vincent, Jeremy Thomas, Eric Rogers, Gerren Hendricks)
4×400-meter relay: East St. Louis (Artavious Kizer, Mario McCottrell, Evan Johnson, Javaughn Tabbs).
4×800-meter relay: East St. Louis (Mario McCottrell, Kentwan Carter, Dontavious Robinson, Nicholas Douglas).
Long Jump: Clyde Young (Cahokia)
Triple Jump: Terrance Hawkins (Wentzville Holt)
Shot Put: London Davis (Cahokia)
Discus: James Coleman (Marquette)
High Jump: Phillip Thomas (Alton)
Pole Vault: Kevin Griffin (East St. Louis)
Girls First Team
100-meter dash: Alishea Usery (McCluer South-Berkeley)
200-meter dash: Alishea Usery (McCluer South-Berkeley)
400-meter dash: Alishea Usery (McCluer South-Berkeley)
800-meter run: Britney Allen (East St. Louis)
1,600-meter run: Cydney Ross (Villa Duchesne)
100-meter high hurdles: Jere Richardson (Cahokia)
300-meter low hurdles: Danisha Bennett (Ladue)
4×100-meter relay: East St. Louis (Chare’ Wilson, Chelsey Robinson, Deara McNeal, Ronecia Nash).
4×200-meter relay: East St. Louis (Chare’ Wilson, Chelsey Robinson, Amber Haywood, Ronecia Nash).
4×400-meter relay: McCluer South-Berkeley (Ashley Usery, Kianna Ruff, Angel Williams, Alishea Usery)
4×800-meter relay: McCluer South-Berkeley (Ashley Usery, LaShaye Dodd, Angel Williams, Kianna Ruff)
Long Jump: Alana Gray (Hazelwood East)
Triple Jump: Ambrea Brimmage (East St. Louis)
Shot Put: Rickael Roach (Lutheran South)
Triple Jump: Rickael Roach (Lutheran South)
High Jump: Devonna Smith (Kirkwood)
Pole Vault: Aretha Moore (East St. Louis)
Boys Second Team
100: Michael Clark (Sumner)
200: Robert Delaria (Parkway West)
400: Darien Donald (Cahokia)
800: Quincy Shelton (Hazelwood Central)
1,600: Jared Green (Gateway Tech)
3,200: Charles Williams (Hazelwood East)
110 HH: Clyde Young (Cahokia)
300 IM: Kerwin Stricker (Washington)
4×100: Hazelwood Central
4×200: McCluer North
4×400: Cahokia
4×800: Normandy
Long Jump: Bryson Banks (MICDS)
Triple Jump: Bryson Banks (MICDS)
Shot Put: James Coleman (Marquette)
Discus: London Davis (Cahokia)
High Jump:
Pole Vault: Sterling Wheelis (Parkway West)
Girls Second Team
100: Ronecia Nash (East St. Louis)
200: Ronecia Nash (East St. Louis)
400: Paris Daniels (Normandy)
800: Cydney Ross (Villa Duchesne)
1,600: Alexandria Weathersby (Villa Duchesne)
110 HH: Jantelle McNeal (Hazelwood East)
300 LH: Tiera Jones (Hazelwood East)
4×100: University City
4×200: McCluer South-Berkeley
4×400: Hazelwood East
4×800: Edwardsville
Long Jump: Amber Haywood (East St. Louis)
Triple Jump: Gwen Berry (McCluer)
Shot Put: Jasmine Boyer (Fort Zumwalt West)
Discus: Jelani Kelly (Hazelwood Central)
High Jump:Briana Isom-Brummer (Villa Duchesne)
