Nikemious Morris

Simmons remembers hoping first-year track athlete Nikemious Morris would do well in his first-ever track event at the high school level.

“I know Morris had competed in track in middle school, but this was his first year of high school track, so we just didn’t know how he was going to perform,” Simmons said.

It didn’t take long for the sophomore high jumper to show just how well he could do.

“We were at the very first track meet, at Tift County, and we put him in the high jump, and that’s when we found out just how special he was,” the Turner County track coach recalled.

Morris won the event with a jump of 6 feet, 2 inches, and he became the team’s top high jumper for the rest of this season. He has continued to dominate, including his recent performance at the region meet.

“Nikemious really showed out,” Simmons said.

Morris placed first in the high jump, as well as the 110M and 300 M hurdles. He also served as the anchor leg for the Turner boys 4x400M relay team, which finished second.

“He was the high point earner for the whole track meet in the boys division,” Simmons said.

So much for being uncertain about Nikemious.

The sophomore had a PR in the 100M and 300M hurdles, and his performance added 32 points to the team total, which, according to coach Simmons, was the difference needed to overtake the next closest team – Turner’s rival, Charlton County.

“That was the margin of difference right there,” Simmons said.

Like Ta’Liyah, Morris also had to battle through injury throughout the season.

“He also was battling an injury throughout the year with some tendinitis in his knee,” Simmons said.

Despite the pain and his inexperience, the sophomore battled through it all, coming out the other side as a region champ

“Nikemious got better and better as the year went on,” Simmons said, “and it all came together for him and our team.”

Simmons said both Nikemious and Ta’Liyah battled back from adversity, and they are champions for it. But they aren’t finished.

“We are excited to have both of them back next season, and beyond!” Simmons said.