By Staff
SOARING – Bret Boes, top photo, stretches out his flip during wakeboard competition at Dream Lake Saturday. Photo by Paula Merritt / The Meridian Star
By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
June 16, 2002
Dream Lake lived up to its name as the State Games of Mississippi welcomed back water skiing to the games. Joining in the fun was the new event of wake boarding.
Water skiing did not compete last year as Dream Lake was under construction. The wait was worth it according to event commissioner Jack Middleton.
Meridian's Joey Leach was a double-medal winner, earning a gold in the water skiing slalom competition and then earned a silver in wake boarding.
Leach, 31, took command of the skiing competition by having the boat reach 36 miles per hour while he made his runs through the course.
Leach took a silver in the Master's class for the wake board.
While Leach was the dominant skiier, the top wakeboarding performance was turned in by Brett Boze. Boze executed several reverse turns, quick over heads and one stunning, high arching back flip which is illustrated as the lead art for today's Meridian Star sports section.
Boze claimed the gold for the Men's 2 Wake Board Class while Matt Barrett grabbed the silver.
Ronnie McClelland took the Master's Division to edge out Leach. Chuck Aley won the Veterans Class while Morgan Aley won the junior women's gold.
The boys gold in wakeboard was won by Taylor Dial.
In the junior class boys, Justin Hunt came back from a three-fall first round to claim the gold.
Josh Blubaugh took the silver in the junior class while Jamie McCleave earned the bronze.
The Men's I class was won by Josh McCleave. Blake Watson took the silver.
Earning the gold in the women's division was Molly Jackson. Anitra Avery got the silver.
In water skiing, Morgan Aley won the girls 13-16 division. Tim Ethridge won the gold in the boys 13-16 division.
Leach edged out Joey Hayes for the 25-34 Men's 2 gold.
The Men's I class (17-25) was won by Romain Rousseaux. Drew Martin got the silver.
The Men's 3 Class (35-44) was won by Chuck Aley. Arnaud Blanvin was second followed by John Murray who took the bronze.
The final class was the Men's 4 (45-52). Marty Moe took the gold. William McCleave was the silver medalist and Middleton earned the bronze.