Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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FEBRUARY 21-27, 2018 UCW 25 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM e sky figured to be the limit for Douglas Byrd long- jumper Zinzili Kelley after she stunned the crowd at last year's Carver Classic with a leap of 19 feet. "She came in second in the regionals and was ranked No. 1 for the states,'' said Robert Freeman, Kelley's track coach at Byrd. But something happened when Kelley got to last year's outdoor state track meet. "She didn't hit the podium,'' Freeman said. "I think she had anxiety.'' Whatever the problem was, it was gone recently at the 3-A state indoor meet at the JDL Fast Track complex in Winston-Salem. Kelley didn't equal her Carver performance of last spring, but her leap of 18 feet, 1.25 inches was enough to give her the long jump championship in this year's 3-A indoor meet. Kelley didn't get a lot of competition prior to the state meet. She only competed in two so-called polar bear indoor meets this season. ey call them polar bears because they were both held outdoors, on the same track at Reid Ross Classical High School where the Carver meet took place. When she got to this year's state indoor meet, where she finished fourth a year ago, Kelley figured it would be best to stay ignorant of her competition. "I didn't want to know who I was competing against,'' she said. "I did not know how far they jumped. I didn't look at the performance list. It will make me nervous.'' Kelley said she enjoyed jumping at the JDL com- plex in Winston-Salem. "It's different from being outside,'' she said. "It's softer and I could feel the board more. e facility itself is great.'' With the indoor season over and outdoor track sea- son about to start, Kelley is counting on the benefits of the indoor season helping her this spring. "In the indoor season, we're more in the weight room and carrying tires,'' she said. "When the out- door season comes, I have that strength.'' She hopes that strength will carry her to a chance to compete in track at the University of South Carolina, where former Douglas Byrd coach Curtis Frye has built a nationally- known track program. "I'm from South Carolina and always wanted to go there,'' she said. "I want to be a lawyer.'' Freeman thinks her next stop could be as a state champion in the outdoor season. "She should be in the rankings for state if she doesn't get any jitters or stage fright,'' he said. "She's a top contender.'' Byrd's Kelley overcomes anxiety to win state title by EARL VAUGHAN JR. Erwin Montgomery Pine Forest • Basketball • Junior Montgomery has a 3.71 grade point average. In addition to playing bas- ketball, he's a member of the Trojans' Builders Association. Tishera Owens Gray's Creek • Basketball/ volleyball/track • Junior Owens has a 4.0 grade point average. She volun- teers time working with children in a daycare center. She plans to go to a four-year school and major in psychology. She'd like to get an aca- demic scholarship and play college sports. Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop congratulates these amazing scholar athletes of the week and invites them to the Rocket Fizz Store at 1916 Skibo Rd. to receive a FREE gift recognizing their achievement! www.rocketfizz.com Zinzili Kelley MONDAY 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 10 20 30 40 40 30 20 10 50 FRIDAY WEDNESDAY 6-8pm Basketball coverage Feb 23rd to air on WCLN 105.7 FM @ 7PM 2nd Round Playoffs Join Don Koonce & Trey Edge for the 1st Baseball Game of The Week Cape Fear HS @ Terry Sanford HS opening the season WED 28 FEB @ 7pm on 105.7 FM & WILL BE PRESENTING CUMBERLAND COUNTY BASKETBALL IN 2018 Athlete of the Month: will resume next week.