Beauregard basks in first team championship in any sport
Cliff Williams | Opelika-Auburn News
The Beauregard High School boys track & field team brought home the AHSAA Class 4A state championship last week in Gulf Shores. Team members pictured are Coach Glenn Copeland, Greg Thomas, Russell Alexander, Brandon Hunter, Jonathan VanWettering, Chris Wilder, Jeffery Jenkins, John Ware, Penn Cooper, Chad Strickland, Willis Fields, Patrick Lockhart, Mann Tables, Dewinston Meniefield, Derrick Porter, Von Gibson, Princeston Johnson, Ameriol Finley, Fernando Hamilton, Shequaille Williams and Steph James.
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By Tom Peavy
Published: May 11, 2008
In the history of Beauregard athletics, one thing was missing.
Despite coming close on several occasions in various sports, the school just couldn’t seem to secure that elusive state championship.
That ended last weekend in Gulf Shores as the Hornets’ boys track team captured the first-ever state title for the school.
While he will go down in history as the first state champion coach for Beauregard, head coach Glenn Copeland directed all credit to his athletes and assistant coaches.
“I was just one of the coaches and just happened to be on the journey,” Copeland said. “It’s been worth it — seeing the thing develop from not even having a team to here 10 years later being a state champion.”
With the championship being so new, there are currently no banners or signs at the school recognizing the team.
But several team members said they couldn’t wait for that to change.
“We all take pride in being state champions — I like the team title more than I like the individual title I won,” said Jefferey Jenkins, a member of the boys title-winning 4x800 relay. “Doing something here at Beauregard that no one has ever done means a lot to me.
“We’re hoping to get that banner up in the gym and a sign on the athletic building.”
Beauregard captured the Class 4A title after finishing the meet with 81.5 points. Second-place Guntersville finished with 77 points.
The win was a welcome relief after the Hornets narrowly missed the title last year, finishing in second.
Individually for Beauregard’s boys, John Ware captured a title in the triple jump while Russell Alexander, Jenkins, Brandon Hunter and Jonathan Van Wettering teamed up to win the 4x800 relay.
“It feels great to know you’re a part of the first championship team,” Ware said. “I felt like I did well against some good competition out there.”
Beauregard’s girls finished third in the meet, but had a pair of state champion finishers.
Laveeta Bellamy won in the girls 400-meter dash while Kaley Glover captured the 3200-meter title.
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