Last modified: Tuesday, June 9, 2009 11:24 AM EDT Ashley Noons, left, and Erin Ferry are teammates and friends at Dighton-Rehoboth High School. (Staff photo by Martin Gavin) GOBIS: Common bond leads to uncommon friendship They are the shot put sisters. Back when both were Falcon freshmen, Ashley Noons and Erin Ferry developed a sisterly bond that extended beyond track practice. Where would one be without the other? Putting the shot, urging each other to extend more than their arms. Noons is the more acclaimed of the Falcon sisters, having taken third place in the shot put at the MIAA State Championship Meet over the weekend, that after placing second at the MIAA Division 3 Meet a week ago. She is the school record holder in the event, indoors at 39-feet, 7-inches and outdoors at 42-11. You might never had heard of Ferry. In truth, not many at Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High know of her. But, the physically handicapped Falcon, confined to a wheelchair as a result of being born with spina bifida, has never placed in a South Coast Conference dual meet, let alone advance to the state level of competition. She's stretching the tape if one of her throws gets to 20 feet. Whereas Noons gets medals draped around her neck at track stadiums, Ferry was the recipient of the Frank Kelley Award, presented by the Mass. Track Coaches Association to an individual who has overcome obstacles, adversity and handicaps. "She's one of a kind," gushed Noons of her personal relationship with Ferry. "She's a big, big part of the team. She comes out everyday for practice and gives 100 percent." And so it was that Noons befriended Perry as freshmen and both will be wearing the Green & Gold of D-R upon graduation day Sunday - four years of most fulfilling memories. "Track has been a good experience for me, it's given me a lot of motivation," said Ferry, who has been a member of the Falcon spring track team for four seasons. Ferry was introduced to track at the Beckwith Middle School in an intramural program orchestrated by Falcon coach Mike Rubin and also Falcon assistant Jerry Espinosa, who ran a track camp for youths. The second oldest of five children in the Ferry family, Erin loves to cheer on and encourage her teammates as much as put the shot. "Here's Ashley, one of the best shot putters in the state, working with a girl who can barely throw six or eight feet and thinks nothing of it," said Rubin. "When we do warmups, Ashley is the first one to help Erin around - she wants Erin with her, it's such a great relationship that you don't often see. It's just two girls competing in track, throwing the shot and they share the same level of frustrations." Noons is from a heralded sports family, her sister Brittney, a junior at D-R, is the starting catcher for the softball team and her cousin Dan is a member of the Falcon baseball team. "We get each other pumped up," said Noons of competing with Ferry and representing D-R. "We both went out for track as freshmen and we bonded. We kept telling each other 'you'll get it next time.' Working with Erin in practice, I'll stand so far out there and she'll try to reach me." Ferry not only was born with the developmental birth defect involving the neural tube which results in an incompletely formed spindal cord, she underwent brain surgery as a sophomore. Nothing would keep her from competing, especially with the urging of Noons and D-R track coach Dave Moura, who assists the Falcon weight event athletes. "Track is a team sport too," said Noons. "You have to get yourself pumped up and not let anybody else get in the way." Ferry is the lightning rod for the South Coast Conference champion Falcons and she is just as bold in scolding D-R weight event athletes Sarah Gendron and Sarah Tormgrimson if their performances aren't up to par. "I try to help out the younger kids too," said Ferry, whose own personal best with the shot put is 19-feet. "Ashley's kind of become like a sister to me, talking at school, helping me out at practice - we do laps together!" While Noons and the other Falcon track-athletes are doing their weight training routines, Ferry will lift dumb bells. "Then I'll help her with special stretching exercises," said Noons. "I try to help her out with that, in any way that I can." For Noons and other shot putters, having the proper form is the key to success. "Arm strength comes in a little (as a factor)," said Noons, "but it's mostly legs." For Ferry putting the shot is all arm strength. Which makes her ability to stretch the tape measure, to throw a 4-kilo (or 8.35 pounds) apparatus so much more difficult. "During the SCC meets, I'm usually doing it (competing) for myself," said Noons of far outdistancing her competition, save for Seekonk High rival Krista Chauvin. "We practice a lot on form, it's the one thing that you have to have. "Erin's always there to provide encouragement for me. Like she'll say something like 'you better throw 42-feet or I'll kick your butt!'" Ferry lives about five minutes away from Noons and they often text-message or phone one another. "Getting to know her, having a relationship with her has motivated me a lot," said Noons. "I love how she's in a wheelchair and nothing gets in her way." Which is an example that no gold medal or school record can claim. PETER GOBIS may be contacted at 508-236-0375 or via e-mail at pgobis@thesunchronicle.com CORRECTION: Ferry's name was originally misspelled in the photo caption.