Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Curley Wolf Thinclads Enjoy Successful Track Campaign

The 1996 track and field season schedule was supposed to close out last Saturday with the dual meet of champions at Fort Smith Southside.

This is an all-star meet between champions from Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Senior John Cornelius and junior Channing Butler were invited to participate on relay teams, but Cornelius's injury and family activities forced both athletes to withdraw. Therefore, the season closed when Cedric Flemons and Jason Morrow finished the 1600 last Thursday at Cabot.

Without the disappointment of Prescott not being represented in this annual all-star classic the Wolves did finish another successful chapter of track and field at Prescott.

The third annual indoor season gave the state a preview look at AA track and field as Stamps won the meet and the Wolves finished as runner- up. Two months later the outdoor championship meet ended with the same results.

The Wolves have been runner-up five times and won the state meet three times. Four of the five runner-up titles have been less than four points from a state title.

In between the indoor and outdoor meets the Wolves finished as runner-up to the talent-laden Yellowjackets at De Queen, Texarkana and Nashville. They did pick up meet titles in the Prescott Relays (March Ice Box!, according to coach Eddie Jackson), SAU, Prescott Merchants and with a great team effort was able to pick up their 15th conference championship.

Individual all-district and all-state honors went to Eddie Fain (vault), John Cornelius (4x800, 4x400, 800, 400), Channing Butler (4x800, 4x400, 110 hurdles), Cedric Flemons (4x800, 4x400), Rashad Johnson (4x400), and Jason Morrow (4x800.

The team's highpoint honor goes to Cedric Flemons and the Road Runner's outstanding track and field athlete award will be presented to John Cornelius. "John finished a great career after contributing so much to the Wolves track and field program," Jackson said.

Cornelius ran on the 4x800 relay for four years outdoors and three years indoors. He led the state winning 4x400 relay team for three consecutive years. He ran the second fastest time in the history of PHS track in both the 400 and 800 (unbelievable feat). He has been a conference champion in the 400, 800, 1600 and could be an outstanding two-miler, Jackson said. He has scored in every spring race and been a member of sprint relays. He has scored in the high jump and almost did in the long jump.

"The Wolves were a very good team with only two seniors," Jackson reminds the Prescott fans. "Along with John, senior Eddie Fain did a great job in the vault for three years. Good luck to these graduating athletes and look for better things from the Wolves next spring," he concluded.