Holy Innocents' Chelsea Zoller Comes Up Golden -- Again

For the fourth time in her high school career, Chelsea Zoller returned from the state track meet with a gold medal around her neck – this time in the 300-meter hurdles.

After winning titles in the 400-meter run her freshman through junior years, Chelsea this time took second in the quarter, won the 300 hurdles, and teamed with Sue Raney, Parke Faison and Ileana Zeissner to finish third in the 4 X 400 relay.

“My legs were pretty shot after the 400 but I knew (the 300) was my race to lose,” Chelsea said. “My first 200 was pretty good, but I messed up my steps in the last 100 which is where my time fell off. I didn’t run the time I wanted, but I couldn’t be happier about winning the state title.”

The senior ran a 43:43 – her prelim time was even faster as she set a Class AA state record.Earlier in the day, her 54.33 in the 400 was a season high – she finished just off the pace for another championship. She and champion Victoria Powell of Lovett also broke the AA record in that event.If that wasn't enough, the 4 X 400 team ran a 4:03, a school record for HIES.

Overall, the girls scored 28.5 points to take eighth place on the day. “The girls did great,” Coach Stephen Jayaraj said. “We were very close to fifth which was 31 points.”Others stepped up in Albany over the weekend – Zeissner also was fourth in the pole vault; Gracie Stovall finished 10th in the same event. Erika Cassell took ninth in the shot put.

Kerlin Anderson (shot put) and Chayanne Thompson-Quartey (100-hurdles) also competed.