Bainbridge Post-Searchlight: BHS Honors State Champs

By Carol Heard
Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Coach Larry Cosby’s 2010 Region 1AAAA and State Class AAAA champion Bainbridge High School Bearcats track and field team was honored by the school during a special state championship awards ceremony Saturday night.

They won the championship on May 15 in Jefferson.

The ceremony, honoring the first state track and field champions in school history, took place at the Bainbridge High School Gymnasium between the Bainbridge Lady Cats and Cairo High School Syrupmaids and Bainbridge Bearcats and Cairo Syrupmakers basketball games.

It included congratulatory remarks by Bainbridge High School Principal Tommie Howell, Decatur County School Superintendent Fred Rayfield and Board of Education Chairman Sydney Cochran,

Liz Tomlin presented each athlete and coach with a special congressional recognition certificate from U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop. Each also received a special goody bag.

The ceremony concluded with the instillation of the 2010 State Track and Field Championship banner, which will hang permanently in the gymnasium.

The team and coaches were presented by Howell and Bainbridge High School Athletic Director Ed Pilcher.

Howell thanked the athletes and coaches for their dedication and hard work and told them that in winning the state championship they reached the pinnacle of sports success.

Superintendent Rayfield said by bringing the state track championship back to Decatur County, the athletes and coaches also brought the county, the city of Bainbridge and the school a lot of honor and positive recognition.

Cochran said he could not be any prouder of the athletes and coaches, not only for their hard work and dedication, but also for the way they conducted themselves on and off the track.

“You make us all proud,” he said.