Anderson, Webb, Okonkwo and January set state records

TAYLOR ANDERSON (Hopkins), PHILLIS WEBB (Osseo), ANULI OKONKWO (Osseo) and JESSICA JANUARY (Richfield) made a name for themselves last March at the girls’ state basketball tournament. 

Anderson, a point guard, led the Royals to their second consecutive Class 4A championship. Webb, a shooting guard, helped the Orioles place second in the Class 4A.

Okonkwo, a guard, was a major contributor to Osseo’s success. January, also a point guard, led the Spartans to their first-ever appearance and a runner-up finish in Class 3A.

The foursome made plenty of noise last weekend at the Boys’ and Girls’ Track and Field Championships at Hamline University, each contributing a record-setting performance.

Anderson led Hopkins to a fourth-place Class 2A finish by setting a state record in the 100 meters (11.71), anchoring another in the 4×100 relay (47.73), and placing second in the 200 (24.75).

Okonkwo and Webb were part of Osseo’s record-setting 4×200 relay team (1:40.22).

January, a two-time defending champion in 100-meter  hurdles (14.39), placed second at the final but broke a record she set in 2010 at the prelims a day earlier with a time of 14.32.

Inner City All-Star Classic set

The 19^th Annual Inner City All-Star Classic will be held Sunday, June 17, at Washington Technology Magnet. Doors open at 2:15 pm. The girls’ game will be played at 3 pm with the boys’ contest following at 5 pm. The game features some of the top basketball players of color in the metro area. Here are the rosters:

BOYS

Team WISDOM — Coached by DEANE BROWN (Minneapolis Henry)

Players: BEN GLOVER (Minnesota Transitions), TIM GILL (Minneapolis Henry), MARCUS MARSHALL (St. Paul Johnson), SEAN SCOTT (Spring Lake Park), TAYLOR STAFFORD (Duluth East), MARCUS TYUS (Anoka), DESMOND WILLIAMS (Fair), MONTRELL WILLIAMS (St. Paul Central), D.J. HEBERT (Osseo), TY’SHAUN WILLIAMS (St. Paul Highland Park), JOHNNY WOODARD (Duluth East).

Team KNOWLEDGE — Coached by PETE JOHNSON (Holy Angels)

Players: DARIAN SCOTT (Fair), TEVIN SIMMS (Minnesota Transitions), RICKEY SUGGS, JR. (Woodbury), CARNELL SHEPARD (Minneapolis South), BRYCE WILLIAMS (Spring Lake Park), SIYANI CHAMBERS (Hopkins), JOSH DOBY (Minneapolis Washburn), THOMAS FORD (Minneapolis South), ISAIAH GRAY (Benilde-St. Margret’s), JERRY PRATT (Minneapolis Washburn), DEMITRIUS MARTIN (Hopkins).

GIRLS

Team FAITH — Coached by JAMES FASSETT (Anoka). 

Players: OLIVIA ANTILLA (Osseo), BRENDA BROWN (Minneapolis Roosevelt), PARIS CRENSHAW (St. Paul Highland Park), BRYANN GUYTON (Richfield), SHADARRYL HARRIS (Minneapolis North), SHAMIKA HOPKINS (Duluth East), AZIA JACOBS (Prairie Seed Academy), ASHLI LEE (Robbinsdale Cooper), ASHALEE MORALEZ (St. Paul Highland Park), CARA HUNTER (Minnesota Transitions).

Team TRUTH — Coached by JOHN PATTERSON (De LaSalle).

Players: DONTRAYIA COLE (Minnesota Transitions), MIA LLOYD (DeLaSalle), LASHELLE ORR-NEWTON (Minneapolis South), MARLIAH GUERRA-EDWARDS (St. Paul Central), JASMINE HAYNES (Robbinsdale Cooper), ARIANNA FULLER-RICH (Prairie Seed Academy), KIONDRA NICKS (St. Paul Highland Park), JASMINE SCOTT (Bloomington Kennedy),BRY’ANNA SEAHORN (Prairie Seed Academy), KHADIJAH YOUNG (Minneapolis Roosevelt).

Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com. 

Photos by Mitchell Palmer McDonald