Bryana Scott and Erica Edwards are friends on and off the field. They get along well and enjoy playing together. “Bryana is our team leader in basketball and track. She makes sure everyone gets where they need to be and she is always encouraging everybody,” says Edwards. Scott is equally complimentary of Edwards: “She’s a great teammate. She knows how to communicate and we have the same mindset. We both want to win and get better.”
The state track meet is a long time off. As I’m writing this, it’s early February. The various region basketball tournaments are just around the corner. Basketball players and coaches are working on their game plans and match-ups in hopes of getting beyond region and into the state playoffs. Bryana Scott and Erica Edwards are friends and teammates on Thomas County Central’s basketball team. A small forward and shooting guard, respectively, the two would like to see a few games in the state tournament. At the same time, in the back of their minds, they are looking forward to another state-level competition. This one, the state track meet, is several months away and has a very different atmosphere and format. Both have finished among the top 10 in the state in their respective events and would like to be among the last standing at the state meet’s final day.
Bryana Scott has been a member of the track team since her ninth grade year. She became interested in track as a sixth grader. She joined her middle school
team and competed primarily in running events – the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, and the 4×400 and 4×100 relays. When she reached high school, she thought she would again be running. “But I wanted to do something that I could compete by myself,” she recalls.
Enter the discus.
When she went out for the team in the ninth grade, she tried the discus. Scott discovered she was pretty good at it and the discus became her primary event. It didn’t take long for the rest of the region to take notice. As a ninth grader, Scott was region runner-up and finished seventh in the state. The next two years she won region and ended up fifth in the state as a sophomore and third as a junior. Along the way, Scott broke the school record her 10th grade year with a 124’3” toss. Last year, she extended the school record to 126’8”. This season, Scott has aggressive goals – throw 150’ and win region and state along the way.
Last year, Scott added the shot put to her repertoire. “I just wanted to do another event. We were at practice one day and I asked if I could join in a throw-off. I threw the shot put farther than most of the other girls,” she recalls. In her first year with the shot put, Scott placed third in the region with a 32’9”. At sectionals, she came in 10th with a 33’7.25”. It was a solid showing but not good enough to get to state. Her goal this year is to throw between 35 and 38 feet. If she can do that, she can place at region, get through sectionals, and into the state meet. “To get to state, I’m probably going to have to throw at least 36 feet. It won’t be easy but I’m going to try my best to get to 36 and beyond,” she says.
Erica Edwards has competed in several different running events but has made a name for herself in the high jump. She has topped 5’6” in practice but her best in competition is 5’5”. Two years ago, Scott finished second in the region and advanced to the state meet. Last season, Scott won region, was top three in sectionals, and finished sixth in the state. “The adrenaline rush when you make progress and reach a new height is what keeps me competing. I’m really looking forward to this year,” she says.
As well as Edwards has done, she knows that this year will be her most difficult yet. Getting back to state won’t be easy and she’s going to have to work extremely hard to get there. She figures she will have to jump higher than 5’6” to make it happen. She knows she can do it; she’s just got to do it when the lights are on and it counts the most. “I’ve done it before but I’ve got to work harder and get it done in a meet,” she says.
At the time of this writing, the teammates were focused on basketball. When the season ends, they will take a week off and recover. Then it will time to begin track. Both would like to have a great season and finish their careers at Thomas County Central with a strong showing throughout the season and at the state meet. “We’ve got to finish up basketball. When that ends, we’ll be ready for track,” says Edwards.
Special Feature/South Georgia/March 2015
Bryana Scott and Erica Edwards
Thomas County Central High School
Thomasville, Georgia
Robert Preston Jr.
Friends, teammates eye state track meet
Special Feature/South Georgia/March 2015
Bryana Scott and Erica Edwards
Thomas County Central High School
Thomasville, Georgia
Robert Preston Jr.
Friends, teammates eye state track meet
The state track meet is a long time off. As I’m writing this, it’s early February. The various region basketball tournaments are just around the corner. Basketball players and coaches are working on their game plans and match-ups in hopes of getting beyond region and into the state playoffs. Bryana Scott and Erica Edwards are friends and teammates on Thomas County Central’s basketball team. A small forward and shooting guard, respectively, the two would like to see a few games in the state tournament. At the same time, in the back of their minds, they are looking forward to another state-level competition. This one, the state track meet, is several months away and has a very different atmosphere and format. Both have finished among the top 10 in the state in their respective events and would like to be among the last standing at the state meet’s final day.
Bryana Scott has been a member of the track team since her ninth grade year. She became interested in track as a sixth grader. She joined her middle school team and competed primarily in running events – the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, and the 4×400 and 4×100 relays. When she reached high school, she thought she would again be running. “But I wanted to do something that I could compete by myself,” she recalls.
Enter the discus.
When she went out for the team in the ninth grade, she tried the discus. Scott discovered she was pretty good at it and the discus became her primary event. It didn’t take long for the rest of the region to take notice. As a ninth grader, Scott was region runner-up and finished seventh in the state. The next two years she won region and ended up fifth in the state as a sophomore and third as a junior. Along the way, Scott broke the school record her 10th grade year with a 124’3” toss. Last year, she extended the school record to 126’8”. This season, Scott has aggressive goals – throw 150’ and win region and state along the way.
Last year, Scott added the shot put to her repertoire. “I just wanted to do another event. We were at practice one day and I asked if I could join in a throw-off. I threw the shot put farther than most of the other girls,” she recalls. In her first year with the shot put, Scott placed third in the region with a 32’9”. At sectionals, she came in 10th with a 33’7.25”. It was a solid showing but not good enough to get to state. Her goal this year is to throw between 35 and 38 feet. If she can do that, she can place at region, get through sectionals, and into the state meet. “To get to state, I’m probably going to have to throw at least 36 feet. It won’t be easy but I’m going to try my best to get to 36 and beyond,” she says.
Erica Edwards has competed in several different running events but has made a name for herself in the high jump. She has topped 5’6” in practice but her best in competition is 5’5”. Two years ago, Scott finished second in the region and advanced to the state meet. Last season, Scott won region, was top three in sectionals, and finished sixth in the state. “The adrenaline rush when you make progress and reach a new height is what keeps me competing. I’m really looking forward to this year,” she says.
As well as Edwards has done, she knows that this year will be her most difficult yet. Getting back to state won’t be easy and she’s going to have to work extremely hard to get there. She figures she will have to jump higher than 5’6” to make it happen. She knows she can do it; she’s just got to do it when the lights are on and it counts the most. “I’ve done it before but I’ve got to work harder and get it done in a meet,” she says.
At the time of this writing, the teammates were focused on basketball. When the season ends, they will take a week off and recover. Then it will time to begin track. Both would like to have a great season and finish their careers at Thomas County Central with a strong showing throughout the season and at the state meet. “We’ve got to finish up basketball. When that ends, we’ll be ready for track,” says Edwards.
Sidebar:
Bryana Scott and Erica Edwards are friends on and off the field. They get along well and enjoy playing together. “Bryana is our team leader in basketball and track. She makes sure everyone gets where they need to be and she is always encouraging everybody,” says Edwards. Scott is equally complimentary of Edwards: “She’s a great teammate. She knows how to communicate and we have the same mindset. We both want to win and get better.”
