Pulaski County High School will be hosting a football game Friday night at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium/Joel Hicks Field, with the Tennessee High School Vikings paying their first visit to the Cougar Den in the history of the two programs. Before that game, however, an event many have waited decades for will take place to recognize some very deserving Pulaski County athletes.
June 3 and 4 at Liberty University in Lynchburg, the Pulaski County Cougar men’s track and field team accomplished the dream of winning a team State Championship. They topped that accomplishment with individual State Championships in the high jump (JJ Gulley), shot put (Diego Turner) and the 4x100-meter relay team of Gulley, Armonte Hill-Lewis, Quemaar Porter, and John Lyman III.
Additional points were earned throughout the day in events that weren’t exactly expected. Then sophomore Garrett Kinder turned in an exceptional performance in the 1,600-meter race, earning eighth-place overall despite running in the first of two heats in the event. That finish earned the Cougars one additional point they were not counting on. The 4x100-relay team was expected at best to finish a distant second behind powerhouse Salem High School and their much talked about sizzling sophomore. The Cougars earned first place, convincingly, earning a few priceless extra points and shocking many.
Porter, Lyman, Gulley, Turner, Hill-Lewis, Kinder, Keyontae Kennedy, and a host of other Pulaski County athletes started with impressive showings at the River Ridge District level, then took the Class 4, Region D Championship for a second season in a row.
The state win was the first team State Championship in track and field for the program since the opening of the school. It was also the first athletic team State Championship since the 1992 Cougar Football title. Other titles for the school include a 2008 State Championship for the Golden Cougar Marching Band, a 1980 Creative Writing State Championship, and four State Championships for the PCHS Drama Department in the One-Act Play competition.
Prior to kickoff of the game Friday, the members of the Cougar Track and Field team and coaches will be officially presented their very much deserved State Championship rings for their accomplishment. Full coverage and photos from the event will be available on www.pcva.us.