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Track: East Bay Girls Romp To Invitational Win

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By SCOTT PURKS

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 21, 2009

GIBSONTON - In one season, first-year East Bay girls track coach Jessica Miller has turned things around and up.

Way up.

The latest gem came in Friday's six-team Jack Rice Invitational, where the Indians racked up 173.5 points, 82.5 ahead of Brandon.

The key, Miller said, "Has been emphasizing the team concept," which means getting a lot of girls to participate (more than 30) and then getting those girls to score in multiple events.

"It also helps that we have a lot of talent," Miller said.

Leading the way is Indians' Lauren Verbosky, who Friday won the 800 meters (2 minutes, 26 seconds), high jump (5 feet, 2 inches) and ran in two winning relays (the 4x800 and the 4x400).

On the boys' side, Brandon won with 157 points, 24.5 ahead of East Bay, whose coach just happens to be Miller's fiance, Mike Thornton, who Miller said has helped teach her the ropes of coaching track.

"Both of our backgrounds are based in team sports Thornton coaches football," Miller said. "So I think that helps push that in track."

East Bay's boys did have one white-hot shining moment when Jordan Lyles cleared 6 feet, 8.5 inches in the high jump, breaking the meet record of 6-8.

The meet's individual boys star, however, was Brandon's Desmond McGill, who won four events: the triple jump (43-1), 100 hurdles (15.06), 300 hurdles (40.97) and anchored the winning 4x400 relay team (3:34).

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