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ArkansasTrackStats recap - Results:
May 9 Class 2A-3A - May
10 Class 4A-5A
Recap by ArkansasTrackStats.com
Fighting the unpredictable spring weather, the Arkansas Track and
Field Festival was held on May 9-10, 2002 at Holt Memorial Field
at Hot Springs High School. Both days had winds to contend with
during the morning and afternoon sessions, with calmer evening sessions.
Thursday saw highs near 80 while Friday never got over 60 with at
least one 3200m runner wearing gloves in the nippy late evening.
The festival showcases the Class 2A and 3A athletes in a concurrent
meet on Thursday and the Class 4A and 5A athletes on Friday.
May 9
Class 2A… Girls Division
The small schools may not have the top marks but there is always
spirited competition. In the Girls Division Harding Academy finished
strong behind a first place finish by Ashley Dixon in the 3200m
(12:45.40) and a 2nd place in the 4x400m (4:18.25) to stage a come
from behind effort to tie Rison at 75-75. Dixon also won the 1600m
in 5:34.61, placed 2nd in the 800m at 2:29.97 and ran a leg on the
winning 4x800m relay team. Genoa Central captured 3rd with 57 points
and Turrell with 42. All of Turrell’s points came from star
performer, Amber Bledsoe.
Bledsoe captured four first place medals ( 18’ 3.25”
in LJ; 12.14 in 100m; 25.06 in 200m; 58.74 in 400m) and one 5th
place (5” 0” in HJ). Bledsoe ranks in the Top 5 for all
divisions for the events she won and will compete May 15 in the
Meet of Champions with the leaders from across the state.
Stephanie Irwin of Mt. Ida vaulted 11’ 6” to win the
PV and take the 2nd spot statewide. The state leader is Jodie Mayes
of Fayetteville Woodlands Junior High with a vault of 11’ 7”.
Irwin also won the 800m in 2:27.24.
Class 2A … Boys Division
Mineral Springs easily outpaced the field with an 87-43 win over
runner-up Stamps behind a strong sprint performance with 1-2 in
the 100m and 200m and winning both the 4x200m (1:31.91) and the
4x400m (3:28.74). Robert Forbes took 1st in the 100m (11.28) and
the 200m (22.65) while teammate Greg Young took 2nd in both with
11.31 and 22.79. Young also won the 400m in 51.13.
Other notable performances: Cedric Cursh, Foreman (22’ 3.75”
LJ); Dreyon Grey (6’ 5” HJ); Herb Grigsby, Mayflower (14.98
110m hurdles).
Class 3A … Girls Division
Mena iced the cake with wins in the last two events to subdue the
Warren Lady Lumberjacks, 66-44. Brianna Ralls took the 3200m in
12:38.21 and Mena won the 4x400 in 4:19. 5. Ralls also won the 1600m
in 5:26.98 and the 800m in 2:30.67 and ran a leg on the winning
4x800 team.
Ozark took 3rd with 36 points behind the sterling effort of versatile
Sarah Pfieffer. Pfieffer, who leads all classifications in the SP,
won with a sub-par toss of 39’ 9, took 3rd in the discus, won
the 400m in 62.36 and won the HJ in 5’ 6”.
Other notable performances: Jenni Hardin, Pulaski Academy (10’
4” in PV); Molley Moody, Heber Springs (15.73 100m hurdles;
47.50 300m hurdles); Brandi Hemphill, Ashdown (12.67 in 100m; 26.12
200m).
Class 3A …. Boys Division
The Dardanelle Sand Lizards used a 3:28.40 effort in the 4x400
to edge runner-up DeQueen, 60-57. DeQueen could only manage 3rd
in the relay (3:30.19). Hamburg took 3rd place overall with 54 points
and finished 2nd in the 4x400 at 3:29.91. Dardanelle also took wins
in the LJ (Jeremy Hilton, 21’ 10.75”) and the 4x100 (43.85).
Robert Ibeh of Subiaco Academy turned in the 2nd best times for
all classifications in winning the 100m in 10.86 and the 200m in
22.01. Ibeh’s effort sets up a showdown at the May 15 Meet
of Champs with state leader, Wallace Spearman of Class 5A Fayetteville.
Other notable performances: Thomas Brooks, Mena (13’ 4”
PV); Stephen Green, Pulaski Academy (6’ 7” HJ); Daniel
Trotta, DeQueen (40.27 300m hurdles); Ashton Thurman, Eureka Springs
(2:00.27 800m).
May 10
Class 4A … Girls Division
The Lady Wildcats from Watson Chapel scored 36 field event points
with a 1-2 place in the HJ (Allyson Robertson, 5’ 5”;
Vernica Kirklin, 5’ 4”) and a 1st/2nd place performance
in the Discus/SP by Onika Anderson (124’ 8”/39’ 7.5”)
and added points here and there in the sprints and relays to hold
off Greenwood and Crossett, 70-64-61.
Brittany Leftwich of Greenwood took three firsts with victories
in the LJ (16’ 11.25”), the 100m hurdles (15.82) and the
300m hurdles (46.80). Tiffany Dodson of Harrison was a double winner
taking the 1600m in 5:28.26 and the 800m in 2:29.01. Dodson also
ran a leg on the winning 4x800 relay. (10:09.60).
Other notable performances: Lindsey Adams, Nettleton (10’
7” PV); Shonda Martin, Crossett (41’ 1.5” SP); Laura
Insell, Batesville (2nd 1600m 5:30.85 and 1st 3200m 12:29.34); Greenwood
4x400 (4:16.00); Crossett 4x400 (4:17.74).
Class 4A …. Boys Division
The Crossett Eagles won the 4x400 relay in 3:26.39 to pull off
a come from behind and soar to a win over Pulaski Robinson, 67-59.
Crossett started off the day with 16 PV points as Jermell Heath
won (14’ 0”) and Adam Rhodes took 3rd (13’ 4”).
The Eagles usually win on their field events strength had to rely
instead on running events in addition to the 4x400m to take home
the championship by taking 3rd in the 4x800m, 3rd in the 4x100m,
5th in the 110m hurdles, 2nd in the 4x200m, 3rd in the 400m, 2nd
in the 300m hurdles (Jerome Phillips, 40.12) and 6th in the 800m,
3rd in the 200m.
Robinson tallied points with Michael Tinsley in the 110m hurdles
(2nd, 14.63) and the 300m hurdles (1st, 39.01), with Gary Anderson,
Jr. in the LJ (2nd, 21’ 8”) and 110m hurdles (4th, 15.25)
and with Devin Morris in the 100m (4th, 11.20), the 200m (2nd, 22.77)
and the 400m (5th, 51.84).
Other notable performances: Josh Proctor, Magnolia (13’4”
PV); Nathan Wooley, Watson Chapel (22’ 0” LJ); Josh Leftwich,
Greenwood (6’6” HJ); Isiah Rucker, Magnolia (53’
10” SP); Bobby Payne, Morrilton (52’ 7” SP); Hope
4x100m (42.81); Chris Littleton, Osceola (14.58 110m hurdles); Chris
Baker, Osceola (10.94, 100m; 22.52 200m); Kenna Johnson, Monticello
(10.95 100m); Nick Foster, Monticello (10.98 100m); Hope 4x200m
(1:30.28); West Helena 4x400 (3:29.78); Hot Springs Lakeside 4x400m
(3:29.79).
Class 5A … Girls Division
The Pine Bluff Fillies make a habit of winning the 5A Meet and
2002 was no exception as they piled up 114 points to easily outgun
runner-up Fayetteville who scored 64. Ft. Smith Northside tallied
43 for 3rd and Lake Hamilton was 4th with 40. Of the Top 10 teams,
the 5A West Conference accounted for six (2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th
and 10th) and the 5A South Conference the remaining four (1st, 4th,
7th and 9th).
The Fillies got started early with a 1-2 finish in the LJ as Tiffany
Taggart claimed 1st with a leap of 17’ 10” and Lakeisha
Martin was 2nd at 17’ 6.25”. The SP contributed seven
as Latrice Newton took 3rd and Kendra Bearden took 6th. Another
point came in the 4x800 with a 6th place finish and the Fillies
had 26 points before the evening session began. The 4x100m saw the
Fillies win in 48.50 and Amber Wooten took home honors in the 110m
hurdles at 15.38. Pine Bluff now had 46 and enough to win but they
were not finished. Martin came back in the 100m to grab 2nd (12.45)
and the 4x200m team took an easy win in 1:45.46. Martin, a steady
workhorse, came back after the relay to take 2nd in the 400m (58.34)
while Wooten followed close on her heels to take 1st in the 300m
hurdles (47.24). Raven Harris added two with a 5th place in the
800m (2:31.88) and Martin and Taggart added 14 with a 2-3 finish
in the 200m (25.50/26.16). The Fillies wrapped up the evening with
a 4:08.97 to win the 4x400m.
The distance races provided excitement as Fayetteville’s Katie
Howard pulled away from Bryant’s Candice James over the last
100m of the 4x800 to clock a 9:58.12 win. Bryant hung on for 2nd
in 10:01.25 as Lake Hamilton battled Rogers to the wire for 3rd
in 10:12.12.
Nikki Williams of Fayetteville PRed for the third consecutive
week in winning the 1600m over Jamie Owensby of Bentonville, the
pre-race favorite. Sophomore Beth Madson of Lake Hamilton took the
pack thru the 400m in 75 and the 800m in 2:41 (86). Owensby took
the lead just after the 800m and posted an 83 to cross the 1200m
in 4:04 and seemed poised to put the race away. However, Owensby
ran an uninspired next 300m and Williams took command down the backstretch
and never looked back as she clocked a 36 last 200m to win in 5:20.28
with Owensby fading to 5:24.04. Mandy Medlin of Bryant rallied for
3rd at 5:29.73 to nip Madson with 5:30.91.
The 800m opened up with Lake Hamilton’s Pat Bradbury, a 2:22
half miler, streak to the lead with a 32 first 200m. Jessica Miller
of Van Buren made a move at the 300m mark and led at the 400m in
70. With the pack heading into the curve, Fayetteville’s Katie
Howard, ran in lane 3 to get out of he pack and took the lead down
the back straight crossing the 600m at 1:47 and finishing with a
final 35.22 to win in 2:22.22. Candice James of Bryant went with
Howard at the 300m to go mark and hung on for 2nd at 2:25.12 while
Miller took 3rd in 2:26.12 as Bradbury rallied for 4th in 2:28.52.
The 3200m matched two of the state’s best as Bentonville senior
Jamie Owensby took on Lake Hamilton sophomore Beth Madson. Both
had posted sub-11:40 timings earlier in the season. With nearly
two hours recovery for the 1600m and the temperature dropping to
50 or below, the two runners took command from the first 100m. Madson
tried to push the pace with splits of 77-90-89-90 for a 5:46 first
1600m. Owensby hung back about 15m while the pack trailed at 5:55
to 6:05. Just when Madson needed to put the hammer down and build
a lead Owensby closed the gap and the two ran side-by-side through
2400m and then ran the next 800m at 93 and 92 for 400m. Owensby
surged ahead the first 200m of the last lap and held off a late
Madson charged as she won in 11:47.28 to Madson’s 11:49.40.
Rogers senior Caitlin Kelly came from 6th place at the 1600m to
take 3rd in a PR of 12:23.59 just ahead of teammate Hayley Hames
who also PRed in 12:24.62.
Other notable performances: Talesha Dokes, North Little Rock (5’5”
HJ); Rebecca Gosnell, Russellville (40’ 4” SP); Whitney
Anderson, Russellville (15.74 100m hurdle); Paige Farrell, Springdale
(58.33 400m); Laura Uyeda, Conway (48.21 300m hurdles); Sydney Scarborough,
Fayetteville (25.40 200m); Fayetteville 4x400 (4:10.09); Camden
Fairview 4x400 (4:12.25).
Class 5A …. Boys Division
In Arkansas Class 5A you never count out the Pine Bluff Zebras
when the State Meet comes around. This year, however, the favorites
coming into the meet were the Little Rock McClellan Lions and the
Russellville Cyclones. McClellan sported a strong sprint and relay
group while Russellville was led by a strong distance group who
had posted a national ranking in the 4x800. Pine Bluff almost seemed
an afterthought.
Russellville’s strategy was to make the most of their distance
crew and pick up as many other points as possible. In the opening
event, the Cyclones 4x800 team suffered a weak 2:09 first leg as
Roger’s Tony Chambers took a solid lead with Lake Hamilton
close behind. Eric Brock turned in a 1:58 split to bring the Cyclones
within reach and Jimmy Bowie battled Rogers and Lake Hamilton to
stay close. Travis Feltner closed with a 1:58 to give the Cyclones
a narrow win over Lake Hamilton and avoid an upset. Russellville
posted an 8:10.47 with the Wolves of Lake Hamilton bearing down
at 8:11.61. Rogers, regretting they had not run their season PR
which would have won, claimed 3rd at 8:14.53.
The Cyclones picked up a big 14 points in the PV as Brett Kirkconnell
took 1st at 13’ 4” and Michael Jones added a 4th. Pine
Bluff could only pick up a 5th in the 4x800m stormed back as Miles
Tackett leaped 21’ 10.5” to win the HJ. Russellville led
24-12.
McClellan got into the act as Maerrell McKinney slipped over 6’
6” to edge out Lake Hamilton’s Matt Vining in the HJ.
McKinney had passed at 6’ 4 and 6’ 5” but cleared
the winning height with a beautiful jump for the victory. McClellan
added another four points with Stanley Chandlers’ 4th in the
SP at 50’ 3”. The score now stood 24-14-12.
McClellan made a move in the Discus as Chandler took a surprise
win over state leading Matt Chronister of Ft. Smith Southside who
could only manage 4th in the strong wind. Chandler’s throw
of 159’ 11” was an easy 1st although Southside took 2-3-4
for 18 points. McClellan also picked up two Discus points on Keith
Jackson’s 5th place.
The afternoon session ended with McClellan leading with 26, Russellville
holding on at 24 and Pine Bluff in the distance at 12.
The evening session began with Pine Bluff taking a win in the 4x100m
(42.75) and Russellville salvaging 6th. Donte Smith of McClellan
claimed the 110m hurdles in a brisk 14.31 followed by Pine Bluff’s
Tackett in 3rd (15.27) and Russellville’s Jarod Crenshaw in
4th. After the first two running events, McClellan had tallied 36
with Russellville at 31 and Pine Bluff at 28.
McClellan added to their lead with 12 points in the 100m as Pine
Bluff was shut out and Russellville could only add a 5th place.
Fayetteville’s Wallace Spearman won in 10.85 just nudging out
5A West Conference rival Jushawn Cooper of Springdale at 10.87.
McClellan now led 48 to the Cyclones 33.
If Russellville was to win the meet, the 1600m would be the make
or break event. Score big here and the Lions and Zebras would have
to perfect the rest of the way. Falter here and open the door. Sophomore
Burt Hicks of Lake Hamilton took the lead form the start and led
through 600m at a relatively slow 1:38 with the pack close behind.
Chase Feltner, who has a 4:17 to his credit, took the lead just
before the 800m (2:13) but Hicks clawed back at the 1000m as the
pace quickened with a 33 for the 200m. Bryant’s Graham Linder,
aiming for a sub-4:20, bolted ahead at the 1200m (3:17) with a 31
last 200m and the race began in earnest. Chase Feltner sprinted
back into the lead with 200m to go and twin brother Travis Feltner
and teammate Eric Brock (4:16 PR) flew past the remnants of the
pack to secure a 1-2-3 finish for the Cyclones as Linder held on
for 4th and Hicks for 5th. Chase Feltner took the win in 4:20.70
(sub 63 last 400m) with Travis at 4:22.14 and Brock at 4:24.11 just
ahead of Linder’s 4:24.67. The 24 points would vault the Cyclones
into the lead over McClellan by 57-48.
But McClellan and Pine Bluff were not finished. In the 4x200 McClellan
took a narrow win over West Memphis (1:30.28 to 1:30.78) while the
Zebras took 4th. Pine Bluff’s Nick Miller upset state leader
Ben Faires of Springdale in the 400m with a 49.72 to 50.39 win.
Antwon Dickson added 3rd place points for Pine Bluff while McClellan’s
Mario Brister took 4th. McClellan would add eight points on Donte
Smith’s 2nd in the 300m hurdles while Pine Bluff’s Tackett
would take 3rd. Marcus Foley of North Little Rock won in 39.01.
Now the score stood at McClellan 70, Russellville 57 and Pine Bluff
54.
The 800m presented opportunity for Russellville to score big points
and widen the margin over Pine Bluff. With three finalists the Cyclones
hoped for the best. Senior Robert McQuay of Pine Bluff ran a gutsy
race and took the lead out of he first turn as the pack crossed
the 200m in 27.42. James Melnick of Cabot took up residence on McQuay’s
right shoulder as they passed 300m forcing the Russellville crew
to attempt to pass in Lane 3. McQuay held firm at the 400m at 57.98
(30.56) and was running relaxed. Melnick and McQuay ran stride for
stride down the back stretched effectively cutting off any would
be leaders. The 600m passed in 1:25.95 (27.97) as the pace picked
up. Melnick made a premature move at 700m and McQuay held him off
and the two ran abreast the last 100m with McQuay edging out the
Cabot senior by 1:56.25 (30.30) to 1:56.51. Chase Feltner and Travis
Feltner of Russellville claimed 3-4 in 1:57.85 and 1:57.88 as teammate
Jimmy Bowie took 6th. The Cyclones closed the gap on McClellan to
70-68 and added one to their lead over Pine Bluff.
McClellan counted heavily on the 200m to pad their lead but Wallace
Spearman of Fayetteville sped to a state best 21.88 with David Dumas
of Camden Fairview close behind in 22.14. Nick Miller of Pine Bluff
picked up 3rd place points and McClellan could only pick up 5th
and 6th place points. With two events remaining, McClellan held
on to a narrow 73 lead over Pine Bluff’s 70 and Russellville’s
68.
The Cyclones could now use their distance muscle to put the meet
away. Neither McClellan nor Pine Bluff had entrants and the Cyclones
three likely placers. Burt Hicks of Lake Hamilton was looking to
go sub-9:30 and took the lead from the outset leading every 200m
split until the gun lap. Hicks set a 2:22 for the first 800m , followed
by a 2:25 (4:47 at 1600m) and another 2:25 through 2400m (7:12).
The pack of Chase Feltner and Eric Brock (9:22 PR) and Roger’s
senior Jake Conley stayed tightly bunched 10m behind. Conley tied
to break open the race as he approached the gun lap and took the
lead with a 32 for the next 200m. Brock accelerated down the backstretch
and passed Conley in the middle of the last curve with Feltner close
behind. Hicks (a PR at 9:35.32) responded with 100m to go and ran
down Conley (9:36.05, a PR) at the tape as Brock (9”33.28)
eked out a win over teammate Feltner (9:34.44). Brian Garner claimed
6th for the Cyclones as they added 19 points. With only the 4x400
remaining Russellville had taken a commanding 87-73-70 lead.
Camden Fairview clocked a quick 3:35.50 to win the relay with Pine
Bluff, Russellville and McClellan all placing. The final score gave
the Cyclones the win at 91 over Pine Bluff’s runner-up 78 and
McClellan’s 73. The win gave Russellville the Class 5A Triple
Crown having earlier won the Cross-Country and Indoor titles.
Other notable performances: Matt Caldwell, Ft. Smith Southside
(57’ 0” SP); Nathan Osbun, Ft. Smith Southside (52’
6.5” SP); Travis Adams, Ft. Smith Southside (52’ 2.5”)
SP); Rogers 4x800 (8:14.53); Laron Young, North Little Rock (40.57
300m hurdles); Graham Patterson, Rogers (40.71 300m hurdles); Ryan
Billingsley, Fayetteville (1:59.65 800m); Pine Bluff 4x400 (3:26.07).
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