The Advocate and Democrat

When the Sweetwater Lady Wildcats’ softball season ended with a loss to Chattanooga Christian in the region tournament, most thought Monroe County’s chance to produce a state champion for the 2007-08 school year was finished.

However, Josh Ball never believed that and quietly claimed the Class A-AA 300 meter low hurdle championship for Tellico Plains.

Not only did he capture the school’s first track title, but Ball also set the state meet elite time in the event, meaning he ran the fastest time regardless of classification, with a blistering time of 38.76 seconds.

Ball beat Brainerd’s Orlandus Harris by more than half a second and was nearly a full second ahead of Nashville Pearl-Cohn’s Corey Cecil, who finished third.

Ball also competed in the 110 meter hurdles at the state meet.

He posted a time of 15.83, good enough for fifth place, but 1.3 seconds behind Harris, who won the event.

Ball earned Tellico Plains 14 team points, although Ball was the only competitor at the BlueCross Spring Fling for the Bears.

Despite that, Tellico Plains officially tied for 18th with Goodpasture and McKenzie in the overall team standings.

Ball qualified for the decathlon at the state meet but did not participate, choosing to focus solely on the hurdles competitions.

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