El Dorado track athletes sign to compete collegiately
After El Dorado's dominant track and field season, it's no surprise to see college recruiters taking notice. The Wildcats' LaMario Island and the Lady Wildcats' Carshaila Rozier, Breyonna Steward and Jordan Smith all signed to compete at the next level last week.
Island will continue his athletic and academic career at the University of Central Arkansas. Rozier will compete at ArkansasLittle Rock with Steward and Smith moving on to Southern Arkansas University.
El Dorado's boys and girls swept the 5A state track championships this season.
“We had a very successful season this past year and we were able to accomplish all of the team goals that we set at the beginning of the year,” said El Dorado girls' coach John Koonce.
“We would not have been able to do so without these young ladies that signed to continue competing at the collegiate level. SAU and UALR got better when they picked up these young student athletes.”
Rozier closed out her career by finishing third in the heptathlon. She won the triple jump at the Meet of Champions and was the 5A state champion in the long jump and 100 (12.46) and was state runner-up in the 200.
Steward was second in the state in the 100 hurdles, third in the triple jump and fourth in long jump.
Smith was sixth in the long jump at the state meet.
Rozier, Smith and Steward teamed with Zyron Brock in setting a state record (1:43.41) in the 4x200. That same unit ran 1:41.50 to finish second in the Meet of Champions.
Island won the 110meter hurdles at the state meet (15.10) and was third in the 300 hurdles. He was sixth in the 110 hurdles and seventh in the 300 hurdles at the Meet of Champions.
More impressive was his academic success, graduating with a 4.1481 grade point average and earning El Dorado NewsTimes Scholar Athlete of the Year.
“The thing I always say is, we are a student first and an athlete second. That's why it says student-athlete,” said El Dorado boys' track coach DeAnthony Curtis. “He has the brains. What I like is he has the brains along with the ability. A kid can go 40 something in the 300 hurdles and go 15.1 in the 110 hurdles. Believe it or not, that was really his first year doing it and just his second year running track.”