One competition was a runaway. The other tight as the proverbial “Dick’s Hat Band”, but in the end Quitman High School won both the boys and girls divisions of the district 1B track meet held in Castor on Wednesday, April 19th.
With a total of five first place finishes, seven seconds and six thirds’, the Lady Wolverines dominated the 18 events finishing with a total of 91 points, far and away better than the 62 scored by host Castor. Doyline ended with 55 and Weston High finished with 51 team points.
It was a different story in the boy’s competition where Quitman and Castor battled to the end and the winner wasn’t determined until the final event with QHS edging the host by a 105-103 margin. Weston scored 35 points to come in third with Doyline tallying 27 to finish fourth.
“It was a real team effort,” said Spier. “Every single guy we have on the team scored points and it was a good thing as we needed every single one of them.”
The “double dip” puts Quitman in great shape for the upcoming Regional Meet that is slated to take place in Quitman on Tuesday, April 25th. The boys team will have representatives in all 18 events with a pair of competitors in seven as every single team member earned the right to advance. The girls team did almost as good by qualifying in 17 of the 18 events and even better in the respect of having two competing in eight.
While many contributed, there were several from both squads that deserve special mention for their performances. Excluding the contributions made on the relay teams where QHS dominated with four first place finishes and two seconds, stepping into the limelight was:
Nathan Harvey (1st place – 110 & 300 Meter Hurdles)
Taylor Huddleston (1st place – 800 & 1600 Meters)
Kaleigh King (1st place – 300 Meter Hurdles, 2nd Place -100 Meter Hurdles, 3rd Place – Pole Vault)
Megan Kelley (1st Place – 1600 Meter, 2nd Place – 800 Meters)
Gage Horton (1st Place – 3200 Meters, 2nd Place – 1600 Meters)
Brayden Smith (1st Place – 200 Meters, 2nd Place – 100 Meters)
Weston High may not have scored as many points but their performance at district was still impressive. Track and field is a sport where all you can be asked to do is improve on the previous mark you set each time you compete. As a testament to how hard head coach Cindy Pardue and her squads have worked, participants on the girls and boys teams turned in their best times and distances of the year in a total of 13 events.
Leading the way was Lexie Millien who grabbed gold (1st place) in the 100-meter hurdles and long jump and Jalexia Claridy who won the Shot Put and came in second in the Discus. Keeley Davis also came up big for Lady Wolves with a pair of seconds in the 100 meters and 300-meter hurdles respectively.
Weston will field a strong contention in the regionals as the girls qualified in ten events and the boys in twelve, including both Grady Peevey and Jaydon Simmons in two events each and all three relay race teams.
Gold Medal Winners (1st Place) – District 1B Champions
Nathan Harvey (QHS) – 110 Hurdles, 300 Hurdles
Taylor Huddleston (QHS) – 800 Meters, 1600 Meters
Lexie Millien (WHS) – 100 Hurdles, Long Jump
Jalexia Claridy (WHS) – Shot Put
Megan Kelley (QHS) – 1600 Meters
Kaleigh King (QHS) – 300 Hurdles
Emma Carter (QHS) – High Jump
Brayden Smith (QHS) – 200 Meters
Gage Horton (QHS) – 3200 Meters
Bryan Lay (QHS) – Pole Vault
QHS girls 4×100 Relay Team
QHS girls 4×200 Relay Team
QHS boys 4×100 Relay Team
QHS boys 4×200 Relay Team
Silver Medal Winners (2nd Place)
Keeley Davis (WHS) – 100 Meters, 300 Hurdles
Brayden Smith (QHS) – 100 Meters
Nicholas Kliebert (QHS) – 800 Meters
Tylor Huddleston (QHS) – 3200 Meters
Sebastian Guinn (QHS) – Shot Put
Megan Kelley (QHS) – 800 Meters
Jaleigh Burns (QHS) – 1600 Meters
Maddie Grace Giddens (QHS) – 3200 Meters
Kaleigh King (QHS) – 100 Hurdles
Bethany Leach (QHS) – Long Jump
Lily Kate Odom (QHS) – Triple Jump
Keeley Davis (WHS) – 100 Meters
Ronneica Kimble (WHS) – 200 Meters
Jalexia Claridy (WHS) – Discus
Jaydon Simmons (WHS) – 110 Hurdles
WHS girls 4×100 Relay Team
WHS girls 4×200 Relay Team
WHS boys 4×100 Relay Team
QHS girls 4×400 Relay Team
QHS boys 4×400 Relay Team
Bronze Medal Winners (3rd Place)
Taylor Borland (QHS) – 100 Hurdles, 300 Hurdles
Geoffrey Maxwell (QHS) – 100 Meters
Bryan Lay (QHS) – 400 Meters
Nicholas Kliebert (QHS) – High Jump
Jayden Harts (QHS) – Long Jump
Bryce Cotton (QHS) – Discus
Asher Shultz (QHS) – Javelin
Nyesha Johnson (QHS) – 100 Meters
Emayshia Wiley (QHS) – 200 Meters
Kaleigh King (QHS) – Pole Vault
Kinley Walker (QHS) – 800 Meters
Raelynn Shell (WHS) – Javelin
Juan Gonzalez (WHS) – Shot Put
Daniel Watlington (WHS) – 200 Meters
WHS boys 4×200 Relay Team
WHS boys 4×400 Relay Team
Gray and Hoggro “Double Up” for JHHS at 3-2A District Track Meet
Jonesboro-Hodge has a rich tradition of producing generational talents in track and field, especially in girls’ competitions. The performances of state champions and Jackson Parish record holders, Clotee Cowans, in the early 1980’s and more recently, Kaprecia “Shy” Cowans, who also holds a state record, are still talked about today. Don’t look now, but another has emerged and at a much earlier age than her vaunted predecessors.
This past Tuesday, Ciara Gray rekindled memories of the above mentioned JHHS legends when she won both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles and finished second in the long jump and triple jump at the district 3-2A track meet held at Red River High School in Coushatta. What makes the performance even more impressive is that Gray is only in the 9th grade, giving her one of the, if not the, best performances at a district meet by a Freshman in JHHS history.
Gray was not the only one to “double up” with gold medals. A’Jorianna Hoggro also claimed district championships in two events, winning first place in the high jump and long jump, while also coming in second in the 100-meter hurdles and third in the 300-meter hurdles.
Sydney Malone also had a fine meet, coming in second in the discus after a season best toss. All three girls qualified for the Class 2A, Region One Championships that will be run at Mansfield High School on April 26th.
Gold Medal Winners (1st Place) – District Champion
Ciara Gray – 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles
A’Jorianna Hoggro – Long Jump, High Jump
Silver Medal Winners (2nd Place)
Ciara Gray – Long Jump, Triple Jump
A’Jorianna Hoggro – 100 Hurdles
Sydney Malone – Discus
Girls 4×400 Relay Team
Bronze Medal Winners (3rd Place)
A’Jorriana Hoggro – 300 Hurdles
JHHS Girls Regional Meet Qualifiers
Ciara Gray – 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, Long Jump, Triple Jump
A’Jorianna Hoggro – 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, Long Jump, High Jump
Sydney Malone – Discus
Girls 4×400 Relay Team
JHHS boys qualify for regionals in 13 events
It is unusual for the JHHS boys track team not to have a single thinclad win an event in district competition. Then again, it is not every year that headlining the 3-2A competition was the defending Class 3A state champion, who returned a majority of their team back.
Despite not winning a gold medal at the district championships, JHHS head track coach Terrance Blankenship was pleased with his squad’s effort against what proved to be elite competition.
“We had several turn in their best times and distances of the year,” reflected Blankenship. “Ordinarily their performances would have won district but you have to take your hat off to Mansfield. That is a very good team and will be a strong contender to win state again this year.”
The Tigers showed their depth by scoring in virtually every phase of competition. In the sprints (100 meters, 200 meters, 110 Hurdles, 300 Hurdles, 4×100 relays, 4×200 relays) JHHS had three seconds, came in fourth, four times and added a fifth and a sixth-place finish. In the middle and long distance running events, (400, 800, 1600, 3200 meters, 4×400 relays, 4×800 relays) the Tigers earned four second’s, fourth and fifth place. JHHS did well in the field events as well, claiming two thirds, two fourths and two fifths.
Silver Medal Winners (2nd Place)
Savantez Phillips – 110 Hurdles, 300 Hurdles
Daelan Boston – 1600 Meters
Kaden Whisaent – 3200 Meters
Boys 4×200 Relay Team
Boys 4×400 Relay Team
Boys 4×800 Relay Team
Bronze Medal Winners (3rd Place)
Zion Gray – Long jump
Symeon Malone – Javelin
JHHS Boys Regional Meet Qualifiers
Zion Gray – 400 Meters, Long Jump, Triple Jump
Savantez Phillips – 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles
Cameron Leonard – 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles
Symeon Malone – Javelin
Quirese Howard – Discus
Kaden Whisaent – 3200 Meters
Daelan Boston – 1600 Meters
Boys 4×100 Relay Team
Boys 4×200 Relay Team
Boys 4×400 Relay Team
Boys 4×800 Relay Team
