No track, no problem for the Hurricanes

The first time Flomaton's 2022 track and field team set foot on a track this year was Saturday at the Covington County Invitational and the boys' team left Andalusia with a third place finish among 20 teams.

Karl Smith started the track and field team at Flomaton High School in 2019 and Saturday's third place finish was the highest in school history. He noted the girls also finished eighth overall.

Flomaton doesn't have track and field facilities but Coach Smith said he's got girls and boys willing to put in the work to make the team.

"We do all our practices at the school, whether it's on the football field or in the parking lot, but everything is done on campus." Smith said.

Smith said this year's team had never practiced on a regulation track but got to Andalusia early to get acclimated and do some practice on a track. Smith said he was excited about how his team performed.

"It wasn't my doing by far," he said. "I've got a great crop of kids. They took my coaching and teaching into consideration and bought in."

Gulf Shores won Saturday's boys' meet in Andalusia with 170 points, followed by St. Luke's Episcopal with 83 and Flomaton finished third with 74 points. The rest of the schools included Houston Academy with 64 points, Reeltown with 59, Red Level with 49, W.S. Neal with 44, Jackson with 38, Opp with 27, and Thomasville with 23 to round out the top 10.

Although Smith doesn't take a lot of credit for the success, Flomaton High School Principal George Brown said Smith puts in a lot of effort.

"We have no track facilities and that stands out," Brown said. "Basketball players have a basketball court, football players have a football field, baseball and softball teams have fields and he doesn't have those resources."

"Imagine what they could do with those facilities," Brown added.

"Karl's put a lot into it," Brown added. "He's got a large number of students and they all work hard. He does a great job getting them interested track and field and then does a good job training them with limited resources."

Individually for the Flomaton girls, Jalia Lassiter finished third in the 200 meter dash. Lassiter, Brianna Stuckey, Georgia Silbernagel and Danielle Schreiner teamed together to place second in the 4x100 meter relay.

For the Flomaton boys, Jackson Fillmore finished first in the 300 meter hurdles and Ivan Glenn finished second. Glenn also finished second in the long jump and second in the triple jump. Cooper Turner finished third in the 1,600 meter run and Colby Lisenby finished second in the 3,200 meter run.

Flomaton's 4x100 meter relay team of Deontay Averette, Jaxon Fillmore, Ryder Spence and Akayle Dixon finished second.

Flomaton's track and field team will be back in Andalusia on March 11, will compete in Brewton at T.R. Miller on March 31, April 7 and April 14. The regular season will wrap up back in Andalusia on April 22.