White is Dominant at the District Championships
 Marquis White, like many high school seniors, is out of school and only days from receiving his diploma. On Saturday May 15, Marquis decided to add a few track and field medals to that high school diploma by putting on a dominating individual performance at the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 3 District 3 Championships held in St. Louis. Marquis’ first event was the 100-meter dash (Class 3) where he was clocked at 10.97 seconds; the only runner in the field of sprinters to break the 11.00 second mark. Ryan Dickson of Berkeley was second with a time of 11.10 seconds. The next event of the day, the 400-meter dash (Class 3), was expected to be White’s greatest challenge. The North Technical sprinter who has comfortably dominated the 100 and 200-meter distances only recently picked up the 400-meter event this year. The 400-meter dash, unlike the shorter sprints where runners just explode out of the starting blocks, requires a combination of endurance, speed, and strategy. To add to the challenge, Marquis was given the inner lane number 2 spot; the middle lanes 4-6 are generally the more desirable starting positions. Nevertheless, White burst out of the number 2-block with enough speed to steadily close in on the other favorites who seemed to be pushing the race. White could not be seen in the pack of leaders for almost 300 of the 400 meter distance, but as the runners made their final turn, White had clearly positioned himself to take over the final 100 meters of the race. The final turn stretch had White in third, trailing runners Alfred Larry (Jennings) and Jordan Wood (Berkeley). White passed Wood immediately after the turn and proceeded to run down and overtake Larry in the remaining meters of the race. White finished with a time of 49.86, the only time below the 50 second mark. Although White was not considered the favorite in this event, he made it clear that the 400-meter is a race he can also dominate as he has the 100 and 200-meter. The final event of the day was the boys 200-meter (Class 3) where White finished with a winning time of 22.04 seconds. Marquise Hill of Trinity was second (22.19). With the District Championships behind him, Marquis can now look ahead to the upcoming sectionals competition this weekend, as well as receiving his high school diploma on Thursday, May 20th. As White walks across the graduation ceremony stage on Thursday, he will have three shiny gold medals to go along with that diploma.
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aClick here to see photos of Marquis running the 100-meter dash.
aClick here to view video of Marquis running the 100-meter dash.
aClick here to view video of Marquis running the 200-meter dash.
aClick here to view video of Marquis running the 400-meter dash.
The MSHSAA Honors NorthTech's Nelson & Brown
 The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) has recently given the “Award of Excellence” to North Technical High School athletes Kevin Nelson and Jasmine Brown. This honor is given by the MSHSAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations to student athletes to “promote citizenship, integrity and positive sportsmanship through the interscholastic athletic programs.” It is awarded to one male athlete and one female athlete from each school who best exemplifies these MSHSAA values. The selection process includes votes from coaches, administrators, directors, and students from the high school. Congratulations to these two senior North Tech athletes for winning this honorable distinction for 2010.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete Briante Wells
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aClick here to see Briante Wells in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch List of Scholar Athletes.
NorthTech's Marquis White Runs Ahead of the Pack
 White is a double-winner at the Freeman Clayton Invitational Track and Field championships.
There were some dazzling individual performances at the May Freeman Clayton Invitational Track and Field championships in Clayton. Among them was the blistering individual performance of Marquis White in the 100 and 200 meter races. In the Clayton relays Marquis won the Boys 100 meter with a time of 10.9 seconds and the 200 meter with a time of 21.98. Second was Lonell Watkins of Berkeley. These winning times establishes White as the fastest sprinter in the North County area right now. These major track meet victories will put White on course to repeat last year’s breakout performance at the state competition. In 2009 White won both the Class 3 100-meter dash (10.68) and 200-meter dash (21.62) in the Missouri state track meet at Lincoln University. A return to the state meet and a repeat performance would no doubt top off what is already an extremely successful track career for this outgoing senior. Thus far it looks like White is on course to once again stand atop the winner’s platform with a gold medal around his neck. White’s performance and the results of the Freeman Clayton Invitational Track and Field championships can be found in the May 5th issue of the St. Louis American paper.
Service Dogs Visit Veterinary Assistant Program
NorthTech's White Takes Aim at State Track Records
By Mike Elder  Suburban Journals
April 13, 2010
NorthTech Golden Eagle sprinter is now a known quantity after an outstanding junior year.
It's a shame Marquis White didn't start running when he was a youngster. If he had, the North Tech senior perhaps could have ended up being the male version of McCluer South-Berkeley grad Alishea Usery, the best sprinter the state has produced. And even though he has only been sprinting for four years - he started as a freshman at Riverview Gardens and then transferred after one year to North Tech - White might end up with that distinction anyway. "I'm trying to," said White. "I come out and try and do my best every time I get on the track and try to represent my school."
White is representing quite well, thank you very much. He was the main reason the Golden Eagles finished eighth as a team at state last spring in Class 3 when he won the 100 meters (10.48), the 200 (21.62) and anchored the second-place 4x100 relay. Not bad for his first trip to the state meet. "It was my first full season so I kind of was (surprised)," White said. "I was just coming off an injury of my groin."
White is healthy again this season and he's picked up right where he left off last year. Thanks to running summer track for the St. Louis Blues as well as some indoor action during the winter, White came into the season ready to roll and he hasn't disappointed. He has run times similar to his best last year including in the 100 (10.64) and 200 (22.2) and he's picked up the 400 and has posted an exceptional 50.2 clocking in that. "He's looking really good," said North Tech coach Rich Sanders of White, who is the fastest sprinter in the North County area right now. "We've got a schedule for him to break those times by next week. We don't want to push him too fast." "I'm running good because of the training of the coaches that's all," said White. "And I'm coming off of a good summer season."
White's extraordinary success at state last year has him expecting more this year. In addition to wanting to win all three of the sprint events as well as the 4x200 relay, he wants to break some records. Since he nearly broke the Class 3 record in the 100 last year - his 10.67 in the prelims was just shy of the 10.66 record time - he's going to shoot for the overall record of 10.42 held by Raytown South's Maurice Mitchell. He's also confident he can get the Class 3 record of 21.32 in the 200. "I'm hoping," said White. "I came close to breaking (the Class 3 record in the 100) last year. I'm coming back for it this year."
Sanders has been quite impressed with how White has picked up the 400 so well. He thinks he could potentially win that event at state and possibly break a record, too. "I really think he has the capability to run a 47," Sanders said. "I think he's got that speed. I don't know if it's good to put that out there but that's what I think he can do."
The Golden Eagles' fourth year coach pinpointed a couple reasons why White is so good. "It's the way he's built and he stays on his toes and runs on his toes," he said. "And he knows how to excellerate and hold his speed. He doesn't drop off at the end of a race." White and classmate Stevie Loman will return to the 4x200 squad that also has a lot of potential. Junior Sheron Thomas and either Thadeus Pinkins or Antwann Wright will fill out that squad which could also bring home first at state. "It's shaping up great," said White of the relay squad. "There are some new faces on the team. We're trying to get ready for districts."
The way Sanders has it figured, if White can win three open events and lead the relay to a first-place finish that could put the Golden Eagles in contention for a state title. "Forty five or forty six points won it last year," he said. "That's why we're really concentrating on trying to get some other points. I'm trying to bring the other guys along to try to get points in other areas." And he's got White aiming at records to keep him motivated. "I had to get something for him to focus on," said Sanders. "I got him to set goals because he was actually winning races too easily."
White said he will attend Barton Community College in Kansas, which has one of the top junior college track programs in the nation, next year. He's going there even though he was offered a full ride by Nebraska. He wants to solidify his academic standing before going to Nebraska and he knows it's a fabulous track program. "I think it's already a good team," he said of Barton. "I think I'll go and help them repeat for a national championship." Sanders hope he leaves North Tech after leading the Golden Eagles to a state title.
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