BOYS’ ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Blaine Bussey

SCHOOL: Taft

YEAR: Junior

SPORT: Track and field

SEASON AT A GLANCE: Bussey began the season as the No. 3 400-meter runner at Taft behind senior twins Larry and Lawrence Jones, but has surpassed them with hand times of 47.8 seconds and 47.4 and fully automatic times of 47.61 and 47.52 in the last four meets.

WEEK AT A GLANCE: Bussey won the 400 in a personal best of 47.52 and ran legs on teams that won the 400 relay in a season best of 41.70 and the 1,600 relay in a school record of 3:14.49 in the City Section championships at Birmingham High on Thursday. Bussey’s 400 time solidified his hold on eighth on the all-time region list while Taft moved to third in the 1,600 relay and into a tie for ninth in the 400 relay. “He’s capable of breaking 47,” Taft assistant Kenny Mitchell said. “He just has to go out faster for the first 200.”