Track season over for Hillsborough’s Brown

Posted May 1, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated May 1, 2012 at 06:19 PM

The high school sports career of Hillsborough senior Anthony Brown is over.

Following his hamstring injury at the regional championships, Brown will be unable to compete in Friday’s Class 3A state finals in Jacksonville, Terriers coach Joe Sipp said Tuesday.

Brown, who was also a star running back for Hillsborough’s football team, owned the state’s second fastest time in the 100-meter dash for Class 3A (10.50 seconds) and was considered one of the favorites to capture gold in the event in the state championships at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. But after qualifying for the state meet in the 100 early in Wednesday’s regional competition, Brown pulled his hamstring later in the met while running in the 4x100 relay.

Brown fell to the track and had to be helped off by trainer Tim Kocher and Wharton coach Anthony Trianna. Once the hamstring was examined, it was clear Brown couldn’t run in the 200 finals later that night and it was obvious his senior state meet was in jeopardy, too.

Tuesday, Sipp said Brown, a Purdue University signee in football, was still unable to walk normally as a result of the injury and would have to withdraw from the state championships in the 100. Last year, Brown earned the bronze medal in both the 100 and 200 at the state finals.

“I feel really bad for him,” Sipp said. “It’s his senior year and it’s sad his high school career had to end like this.”