Photos and Story by: Charles Pulliam (@cspulliam)
Ravenwood High School junior Reghan Grimes and senior Nick Dang were selected as the Gateway Tire Female and Male Athletes of the Week for the week ending May 9.
Grimes shattered the school record in the discus and also won the shot put at the sectional track and field meet last week, while Dang netted a pair of goals to push the Raptors into the District 12-AAA semifinals.
The two were chosen as part of the Athletes of the Week awards sponsored by Gateway Tire & Service Center of Franklin. One male and one female athlete from Williamson County is selected and featured each week in the Williamson Herald.
Grimes has added more than 30 feet to the Ravenwood school record for the discus. Her throw of 139 feet, 4 inches is the second best in the state as of Wednesday. She also managed a 38-4 shot – a top throw at the meet – and ran the third leg in the 4X100-meter relay team, which clinched the title in 49.32 seconds.
"Reghan is really special and I am so thankful she came out for track and field this spring," Ravenwood track and field coach Peter Mueller said. "She works really hard, balancing her time with travel basketball as well.
"She is an incredibly talented athlete but an even better person."
Grimes will compete in the state qualifier this week at Ravenwood.
Dang netted two goals in a 3-2 win over Independence and tallied the game-winner in the 78th minute to lift the Raptors into the district semifinals.
"Nick's performance versus Independence was special," Ravenwood coach Adam Harris said. "To score two goals, including the game winner … shows that he doesn't quit. That philosophy is a lot about Raptor soccer is about."
Harris credited Dang's work ethic and also noted how the senior has overcome playing with a protective shield because of a face injury suffered earlier this season.
Ravenwood suffered a 3-1 semifinal loss against Brentwood Tuesday.
Other nominees for Gateway Tire Athletes of the Week included Page track star Leigh Walters and Franklin baseball player Mason Swartz.
Full story on Williamson Herald
