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ARE SET FOR THIS WEEKEND �� AND WINTERBORO HIGH SCHOOL IS READY TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE SET FOR THIS WEEKEND, AND WINNSBORO HIGH SCHOOL IS READY TO MAKE A STATEMENT. THE BOYS TEAM IS CHASING ANOTHER TITLE WHILE THE GIRLS ARE OUT TO PROVE THAT THEY BELONG AMONG THE BEST. BOTH TEAMS ARE COMPETING WITH EXTRA DETERMINATION THIS YEAR AFTER THAT DEADLY TORNADO DEVASTATED THEIR COMMUNITY AND DISRUPTED THEIR SEASON. �������� 13, MAGDALA LOUISSAINT SPOKE WITH THE COACHES AND ATHLETES WHO REFUSE TO LET THE TRAGEDY DERAIL THEIR DRIVE TO WIN. OH, IT’S SHAPING UP TO BE A WINNING SEASON FOR WINTERBORO HIGH SCHOOL’S BOYS AND GIRLS TRACK TEAMS. NO MORE. BOTH TEAMS ARE COMING OFF A HUGE SECTIONALS WIN OVER THE WEEKEND. I CAME IN SECOND PLACE IN LONGAN, BUT I’M EXCITED BECAUSE I NEED TO DO THAT AGAIN. AND JUST WEEKS BEFORE THAT, THEY DOMINATED THE COUNTY COMPETITION. IT MADE ME FEEL PROUD COMING BACK TO SCHOOL. LIKE I FEEL LIKE I MADE MY COMMUNITY PROUD. ME AND MY TEAM WITH THEIR COMPETITORS MAY NOT KNOW IS JUST HOW MUCH THESE ATHLETES HAVE ALREADY OVERCOME. LAST MONTH, A DEADLY EF2 TORNADO RIPPED THROUGH WINNSBORO, DESTROYING THEIR ATHLETIC FIELDS AND WIPING OUT BRAND NEW TRACK EQUIPMENT. A SCHOOL BUS WAS THROWN ON TOP OF THE AUXILIARY GYM, THE SAME PLACE THEY PRACTICE IN BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE A TRACK OF THEIR OWN. WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE TO THE PARKING LOT, TO THE BUS LOT, RUN SOME IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL AND JUST UTILIZE OUR CAMPUS. IT WAS DEVASTATING NOT TO HAVE IT BECAUSE WE KNEW WE WERE SO CLOSE TO US, TO COUNTY AND THEN SECTIONALS AND AND SO OBVIOUSLY IT WAS SAD, BUT WE KNEW HOW TO ADJUST TO THAT. SO AND THE KIDS KNEW. THEY KNEW WE WOULD COME UP WITH A PLAN. AND THEY DID. THROUGH IT, ALL THE ATHLETES STAYED FOCUSED, NEVER MISSING PRACTICE, NEVER COMPLAINING. I FEEL LIKE NOTHING’S CHANGED FOR THE THROWERS, BUT I FEEL LIKE THE JUMPERS WERE IMPACTED THE MOST BECAUSE WE HAD JUST GOT THAT EQUIPMENT AND WE LOST IT. WE DIDN’T HAVEN’T EVEN HAD IT FOR LIKE A YEAR AFTER THE STORM, THE WINNSBORO COMMUNITY STEPPED IN, GIVING STUDENTS THE SUPPORT THEY NEEDED TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. THE WINNSBORO COMMUNITY STEPPED UP AND HAS PROVIDED MONEY AND FOOD AND THINGS NEEDED TO CARRY ON THROUGHOUT THIS. YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATE EVENT. WE APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT AND ALL THE DONATIONS THAT THEY GIVE. NOW THE BOYS AND GIRLS ARE HEADED TO CULLMAN THIS FRIDAY, AIMING TO SWEEP THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP NOT JUST TO WIN MEDALS, BUT TO WIN BACK A SEASON. THEY REFUSED TO LET BE DEFINED BY DISASTER. IN W