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State Gazette Boys Track Athlete of the Year: Dyersburg Trojan Elisha Lane
Monday, July 8, 2024
JASON PEEVYHOUSE
As an all-around track athlete who wrapped up his high school career during the West Sectional Meet in early May, Dyersburg Trojan Elisha Lane has been named the State Gazette Boys Track Athlete of the Year for the 2023-24 school year.
Dyersburg Trojan Elisha Lane
Dyersburg Head Coach Beau Corder said the first thing that comes to mind when he talks about Lane is the word “leader.”
“He definitely established his dominance when he came out,” Corder said of his senior track standout. “He made sure everybody was in the right place at the right time.
“He definitely took stress off of the coaching staff.”
In fact, due to being able to be both a successful runner and a successful jumper, Lane was also able to help coach some of his teammates through struggles.
“Every time we needed an example on form or anything like that, we went to Elisha,” the Trojan head coach recalled.
Through the course of the season, Lane improved by making himself more of an accountable athlete.
“There’s only two coaches on the team and we can’t be there at every single spot or location,” Corder pointed out. “He definitely held the team and himself accountable.”
Corder agreed having Lane this season do things like this was like having an extra coach on the staff.
His season was highlighted by his performance in the 400-meter run.
In fact, as the season progressed, Lane was able to improve during the final month of the season and record his fastest times at meets during 2024. The meets at Union City on March 27 and April 26 show his progression over the course of the month between the two events. The first meet, the senior won the opening race of the year with a time of 54.17 seconds.
Fast forward nearly a month later and Lane wrapped up his regular season with another win at Union City, taking first this time with a time of 52.63 seconds.
The second Union City meet was his fastest time of the season until 11 days later at the West Sectional Championship when he finished what turned out to be the final race of the season for the Trojan with a time of 52.27.
“It was something he should have been in over the years,” Corder explained. “This year, during practice, he came up to me and said ‘Coach, I want to be in the 400’.
“So, I timed him out and he immediately placed first on the team. Every single track meet he placed in the top four.”
Lane was also a sectional qualifier in the triple jump. His jumping season was highlighted by a leap of 39’8’’, which took place on April 12 at the Trojan Invitational at Dyersburg High School. He nearly matched this on two occasions, including at the sectional meet.
During the TSSAA West A-AA Sectional Meet on May 7, Lane’s season came to an end with fourth place finishes in both the 400-meter and the triple jump.
Looking past his times over the year – as well as lengths in triple jump – another thing stuck out to Corder about the senior Trojan. His work ethic.
“Normally, you’ll have bad days,” the Trojan head coach said. “You’ll just come to practice and you just won’t have the mood in you and you’ll take a day off.
“He never took a day off or a second off. Every single day, he got better.”
After graduating in May, only Lane’s high school track career is over as he will compete a the college level with the University of Tennessee at Martin.
“It’s always great to see somebody improve over the years then get blessed with the opportunity to go to the next level and continue to work and improve,” Corder added. “I am so proud of him and I wish him the best at UTM.
“I know he’s going to do great things for the Skyhawks. I can’t wait to get out there and watch him compete.”