Gray, Powell came up big when it counted

By DENNY DYROFF

When it came to racking up major point totals at big track and field meets this season, Coatesville’s Kaleena Gray dominated in throwing events while West Chester Rustin’s Nicole Powell set the pace in the sprints.
Both girls posted double-medal performances at the District 1 Class AAA Championships and both repeated the feat a week later at the PIAA Class AAA Championships. As a result, Gray and Powell have been named co-winners of the 2008 Daily Local News Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year award.
Powell was the silver medalist in the 400-meter run at the PIAA championship meet. She also placed sixth in the 200-meter dash and teamed with Kayla Lee, Mariah Powell and Sharnice White on the Knights’ 4x100 relay that placed seventh. At the district meet, Powell placed third in the 200 and fifth in the 400, along with running a leg on Rustin’s sixth-place 4x100.
Gray pushed her state-meet medal count to six when she captured the bronze medal in shot put and the fifth-place medal in discus at the 2008 PIAA Class AAA Championships. At this year’s District 1 meet, the powerful senior went double-silver with second-place finishes in both discus and shot put.
Unfortunately, the state meet marked the end of Powell’s competitive track career.
“I’m going to attend Spelman College in Atlanta and they don’t have a varsity track team,” said Powell, who wants to be an English major prior to attending law school. “So my last race was at state. I’m going to miss it, but track was not my main concern in selecting a college.
“For me, the highlight of this season wasn’t any one race. It was the establishment of our team at Rustin and the way we came together as a team – especially in our meet against Unionville. My best event was probably the 400. I just tried to perfect things with the 400 all season.”
Gray is also heading to south to attend college. Next month, she will begin working on a degree in kinesiology at Norfolk State University. And she will be one of the Spartans’ top field event prospects.
“This was a good season,” said Gray. “I set a lot of records at different meets and I tied my sister Tayvon’s school record in shot put. I owe a lot to coach (Tom) Ingram. He was more like a dad than a coach – both with track and with school. He was a great help.
“I’m going to study kinesiology because I want to be a sports trainer – especially for throwers. And I want to come back here and be a coach with the track team.”
To contact staff writer Denny Dyroff, send an e-mail to ddyroff@dailylocal.com.