Selbyville Middle School is producing some all-star talent in track-and-field. For the third consecutive year, the school’s boys’ team has gone undefeated and taken home the Middle School Classic trophy.
Coastal Point • Laura Walter
Although they were nervous and freezing before the competition, Selbyville Middle’s boys’ track team won their third Delaware Middle School Classic Invitational, led by eighth-grade medalists, from left: Tamaris Austin, Rolland Banks, Ben Lynch, James McDougal III, Damontae Purnell, Keith Chatterton and Gerald Foreman.
“It is quite an accomplishment to these kids,” said head coach Sally Craig, citing the students’ mixture of hard work and athletic talent. “Every year, they just set the goal the following year to do it again, and again. We have been very fortunate.”
This season, the team only had four track meets, but they won every one, even though rough weather canceled a meet and some practice time.
“They’d rather be racing against someone than practicing,” said Craig.
The season culminated at the Delaware Middle School Classic Invitational Track Meet, where nine teams annually compete at Cape Henlopen High School.
Winning by just 3 points, SMS strove to earn points at the chilly and nerve-wracking competition. Rolland Banks had two scratches before his award-winning triple jump. James McDougal had to work through some nerves before he leapt for second place in the long jump.
Three students have celebrated all three years of victory with the team: Keith Chatterton, Gerald Foreman and Damontae Purnell.
Craig also gave credit to her assistant coaches, John Frye, Nina Savage and John Zirckel.
“You either jump, run or throw. Everyone can do one of those,” Savage said. From there, coaches give students “confidence and make them realize technique is 80 percent of it. Everything else will fall into place.”
Now in her first year coaching SMS track, Savage was herself part of the Indians’ legacy, competing on an undefeated SMS team and twice a long jump state champion for Indian River High School in the 1980s.
“SMS has always had a good track team. My thing is to get it to carry over to high school,” said Savage, because from there, she said, “it’s easy to get a scholarship.”
From watching YouTube videos to watching their own coaches, track-and-fielders can begin in sixth grade to learn technique. With Craig’s leadership, Savage said the team worked hard and used their time wisely. She said she hopes the students continue in high school.
“They’re good kids,” Savage said, “and eager.”