Making his 18th straight trip to the AAU National Track Meet, coach Larry Cotton will carry 10 members of the Cleveland Express team with him this time around.

After qualifying with a Top 4 finish at the recent AAA Area 5 National Qualifier Meet at the University of Tennessee track in Knoxville, the Express group will head to Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans for the July 30 to Aug. 6 event.

Vivian Smith is returning to the nationals for a trio of events, after tying for first in the Youth high jump. She and Chattanooga’s Jamee Ward each cleared 4-feet, 6-inches.

She was also the runner-up in the Youth Outdoor Pentathlon, posting a 2,274 total after no worse than a third place finish in the five events. Smith won the 800m run (2:43.81), took second in the 100m hurdles (17.48) and long jump (14-05), plus finished third in the high jump (4-04) and shot put (24-09.75).

Smith also qualified for the national event with a third place in the Youth 200m dash. She improved her time of 27.07 in the preliminary race to 26.85 in the finals. She also bettered her 400m time from 1:03.33 in the prelims to 1:01.82 to qualify with a fourth place finish in the finals.

Bradley Central High School cross country standout Paul Patterson earned a shot at a pair of national titles with a runner-up and third place finish at the qualifying meet.

He took second in the 3,000m run (9:18.97) and third in the 1,500m (4:17.40). He also placed seventh in the 800m (2:08.83) in Knoxville.

Charles Smith is also making a return trip to the AAU nationals after finishing third in the Midget Outdoor Pentathlon (1,494) and fourth in both the 400m dash (1:05.53) and high jump (4-feet even).

In the pentathlon, he took second in the 80m hurdles (15.17), fourth in the 1,500m run (5:57.95), fifth in the long jump (13-03.25) and sixth in both the high jump (3-10) and shot put (18-05.75).

Taylor Ayers also earned a second place finish in the Sub-Bantam triathlon with a 235 total. He won the high jump (3-04) and finished third in the shot put (13-08.75) and 400m dash (1:35.01).

The third of three who are returning after participating in last summer’s nationals, Victoria Goodaker qualified in the Sub-Midget high jump with a leap of 3-feet, 8-inches for a fourth place finish. She just missed making the 800m run and long jump fields, finishing fifth with a time of 2:56.67 and a leap of 10-10.5.

Whitney McConnell is heading to the Sunshine State after a fourth place time of 11:41.59 in the Sub-Youth 3,000m run. She also claimed a sixth pace finish in the 1,500m (5:32.04).

Kendra Edwards finished fourth in the Primary shot put competition with a toss of 13-feet, 6.75 inches.

Colby Smith earned his spot in the nationals with a fourth place finish in the Sub-Youth High Jump (4-02).

Lane Delay won the 3,000m race walk in the Sub-Youth division with a time of 21:06.09. Cain Cross finish second in the same race in the Intermediate division with a time of 22:52.98.

The Cleveland Express also earned a dozen medals, including five gold, at the AAU Southeastern District Qualifier, also held recently at the UT track.

Vivian Smith won gold in the Youth 200-meter dash with a time of 27.29, plus finished first in the long jump with a leap of 14-feet, 9.5-inches.

Kendra Edwards also captured a pair of victories in the Primary competition, tossing a shot put 14-feet, 11.5-inches and making a winning long jump of 11-feet, 10-inches.

Ayers claimed the team’s other first place finish when he won the Sub-Bantam long jump with an 8-feet, 7-inch mark.

Patterson finished second in the Intermediate 3,000m run (9:15.77) and third in the 800m (2:08.17).

Goodaker was the runner-up in the Sub-Midget long jump with a leap of 10-feet, 10.75 inches.

Earning third place medals for the Express were Whitney McConnell (Sub-Youth, 3,000m, 11:44.20), Charles Smith (Midget, long jump, 12-03.50), Colby Smith (Sub-Youth, long jump, 13-04) and Delay (Sub-Youth, discus, 49-05).