ABOVE: (L to R) DHS Girls Track Coach Carl Long, DHS Sophomore and 2A 200 Meter State Champion Jamia Ester, Asst Coach Emone Davis, Asst Coach Bryan Simmons, Asst Coach Mitch Thomas, and District 118 Athletic Director Mark Bacys.
The final Danville District 118 Board meeting of the 2025-26 school year began Wednesday evening (May 27th) with recognition of the Danville High School Girls Track team, who recently took the 2nd Place Team Trophy in State 2A competition; with no seniors on this year’s team. This included a state pole vaulting title by junior Samantha Brown, and a state 200 meters title by sophomore Jamia Ester.
DHS Girls Track Head Coach Carl Long reflected upon Samantha Brown’s long road to the pole vaulting title; complicated by the fact that she was competing in relays as well. But she finally won it all, clearing right around 12 feet, 7 1/2 inches.
(BELOW: DHS Girls Track Coach Carl Long recalls junior Samantha Brown winning the 2A State Pole Vaulting Title)
Also during Wednesday’s 118 Board meeting, Rachel Webber was named new principal at Mark Denman school. Webber says she’s looking forward to overseeing the new Mark Denman Early Learning Center.
AUDIO: The building has been restructured, so it’ll be the Birth through Three program, Pre-K, and Kindergarten. I think our biggest challenge is just going to be we have many staff members that have a lot of big changes coming, and they’re switching buildings. And, we’re just working to merge this into one big building.
Webber has been with District 118 for 17 years, and started as a student teacher at Mark Denman, when it was still East Park Elementary School.
