Contact: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, May 27, 2011

The Crawford boys’ track team brought home the first-place trophy in the middle school state championships sponsored by the Kentucky Track and Cross-Country Coaches Association.

“The state meet was very exciting despite the rain. We had a few great performances that led us to the state team title,” said head coach Jean Balan.

Crawford’s state champions included:

• 200 relay – Keyshawn Johnson-Sanders, Will Allen, Taylor Smith and Malik Robinson.
• 400 relay – Dreshawn Gallman, Malik Robinson, Will Allen and Taylor Smith.
• 400-meter dash – Will Allen.

Other strong efforts:

• 300 hurdles – Taylor Smith, runner-up.
• 100-meter dash – Malik Robinson, third.
• 800-meter run – Dreshawn Gallman, third.
• 800 relay – Dreshawn Gallman, Joey Hernandez, Wesley Glover and Jorge Franco, third place.
• 200-meter dash – Malik Robinson, fourth.

Balan was assisted by coaches Terri Stevenson and James Coleman. The May 14 meet was hosted by Paul Laurence Dunbar High School.

“I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of our student-athletes and coaches. Our motto ‘We are ... Crawford’ helps instill pride in our school, and we are certainly proud to be state champs,” Principal Mike Jones said. “This is perfect validation of something I have been preaching this year to our students – that hard works pays off.”