Gulf Shores, AL – With Lewis and Taylor leading the way, Anniston’s boys dominate on final day of state track meet, repeat as Class 4A champions. Includes scoring finishes for all area teams.
Make it back-to-back state track championships for Anniston’s boys.
Jayden Lewis won the 100- and 200-meter dashes, and Malachi Taylor won the triple jump to lead the Bulldogs’ final-day surge in Gulf Shores. They shot up from eighth in the team standings and finished with 81 points, 27 more than second-place Priceville.
Lewis, a standout defensive back and kick returner and Auburn commit in football, won the 100 in 10.72 seconds and 200 in 21.89.
Taylor took the triple jump, covering 44 feet and 3.75 inches. He also finished fourth in the long jump (21-09) to add five points.
Anniston scored 68 of its 81 points on Saturday.
Anniston also got first-place finishes in the 4×400 (3:27.89) and 4×800 (8:17.29) relays and a scoring fifth-place finish in the 4×100 (44.32).
Other scoring finishes of note included Javen Croft’s second in the triple jump (43-01.5) and fifth in the high jump (6-00). Keddrick Jordan took second in the 400 dash (51.18) on Friday.
“To God be the glory! We are overjoyed,” Anniston coach Lisa Howard Holland said. “People kept telling me that it was hard to repeat, and indeed it was. The distraction came, and then there was the rain delay, but we kept on believing, and we worked together as a unit, and we knew that nothing was impossible for God.”
Elsewhere, Ohatchee’s boys and girls, both leaders in 3A after excelling in their strongest events Friday, slipped. The girls finished sixth and the boys eighth.
Weaver’s boys shot up the scoreboard on Saturday to finish sixth in 3A.
Donoho’s girls, second in 1A after Friday, finished eighth, and White Plains’ girls took fifth in 4A.
Faith Christian’s first-year boys’ program placed fifth in 1A on the strength of three state champions, a runner up and two third-place finishes.
Today’s coverage of the state track meets in Cullman (1A-3A) and Gulf Shores (4A-7A) includes individual scoring finishes for area teams. Teams are listed alphabetically:
Alexandria, Class 5A
Jordyn Walker took fourth (16-07) in the long jump, and she was seventh (33-03) in the triple jump. Danashia Woods took fourth (99-09) in the discus, and Tyasha Hunt was eighth (92-09). Anna Beth Stewart finished sixth (4-10) in the high jump. Mariah Munford was fifth (32-04.25) in the shot put.
Anniston, Class 4A
The girls got four points from Liberty Lewis’ fifth-place finish in the 400 dash (1:01.34). Christiyuna Reed was seventh in the 200 (26.17). The Bulldogs won the 4×100 (50.25) and 4×400 (4:12.39) relays.
Donoho, Class 1A
For Donoho’s girls, jumper Estella Connell can fly and did, taking first in the high jump (5-02) and triple jump (33-08) and third in the long jump (15-01.75). Rory Parks took fifth in the pole vault (7-0) and sixth in the 100 hurdles (19.25).
The boys’ 4×800 relay team took seventh (9:34.55), and the 4×400 relay team was seventh (3:49.46). Riley Goodson took third in the 3,200 (11:05.74) and seventh (5:12.61) in the 1,600 for two points apiece, and Ethan Crawford was eighth (55.12) in the 400 for a point.
Faith Christian, Class 1A
Brady Whitworth gave Faith Christian’s boys a first-place finish in the 400 (51.53), third in the 200 (23.13), sixth in the 100 (11.62) and eighth in the triple jump (38-04.5).
Carson Limbaugh won the 3,200 (10:57.17) and took third (5:01.53) in the 1,600. Eli Mitchell was second (11:04.09) in the 3,200.
Tyler Bell was eighth (2:13.40) in the 800.
The 4×800 relay team got 10 points with a first-place finish (9:06.37). The Lions also took sixth in the 4×100 (46.10) and 4×400 (3:48.08).
Glencoe, Class 3A
Katie Giles took fourth (5:30.60) in the 1,600 for five points, sixth in the 800 (2:30.10) and seventh in the 3,200 (12:26.84). The 4×800 relay team took sixth (11:37.84).
Handley, Class 3A
The boys got scoring finishes in all three relays: first in 4×100 (43.0), second in 4×400 (3:29.02) and seventh in the 4×800 (8:23.23).
Nemo Askew was second in the 300 hurdles (40.83) and seventh in the triple jump (41-08.25). Devontae Higgins took fourth (6-02) in the high jump. Elijah Stegall was sixth in the triple jump (41-09.5), and Jay Haynes was seventh in the long jump (20-11).
The girls’ 4×100 relay team took third (51.47).
Jacksonville, Class 4A
Kydric Fisher led the boys, taking fourth in the triple jump (42-10) and fifth in the long jump (21-02.25). Ronnie Matthews was sixth in the 200 (22.65).
The boys’ 4×400 relay team was fourth (3:33.32), and the 4×800 relay team was sixth (8:30.99).
Lincoln, Class 5A
Elijah Carter took fourth (44-00) in the triple jump, and Jalen Turner was eighth in the 300 hurdles (42.62). The boys’ 4×400 relay team took fifth (3:34.22).
For the girls, Sharliyah Strown was fifth in the triple jump (31-01.5).
Munford, Class 4A
Distance runner Dakota Frank took second in the 3,200 (9:40.23), second in the 800 (1:57.09) and third in the 1,600 (4:22.30). Javion White finished sixth in the shot put (44-08).
The girls’ 4×100 relay was eighth (52.37).
Ohatchee, Class 3A
Chris Ferguson led Ohatchee’s boys with his fourth state outdoor title in pole vault (13-06). Teammate Ethan Wiggins (9-06) finished third, and Colby Hester (9-06) took fifth.
In discus, Luke Vinson (118-01) finished third, and Tyler Waters (114-07) was fourth.
For Ohatchee’s girls, Crook repeated her state javelin title with a throw of 129-03 and added high-jump gold at 5-04. She took second-place in shot put (35-07).
Mia Waters was fourth in javelin (99-02), and Coalie Easterwood was fifth in pole vault (7-06).
Oxford, Class 6A
For Oxford’s boys, Noah George, the two-time Calhoun County cross country champion who won two of three distance events at the county track meet, took fourth (9:35.66) in the 3,200 and sixth in the 1,600 (4:25.71).
Darrell Gooden added six points with a third-place finish (167-09) in javelin, and DeAndre Archie was seventh in the triple jump (42-07.25).
The 4×100 relay team was second (42.38), and the 4×800 relay was eighth (8:25.51).
Distance runner Katie Keur, the Calhoun County cross country champion who swept distance events at the county track meet, took fifth in the 3,200 (11:02.03) and sixth in the 1,600 (5:05.74).
Chaci Whitfield was third in the 100 hurdles (15.54) and 300 hurdles (45.25). She was sixth in the high jump (5-02).
Gabrielle Lindsey took seventh (108-06) in javelin for two points.
Piedmont, Class 3A
Ishmael Bethel took first in the high jump (6-04) and second in the triple jump (43-05.5),
The boys’ 4×800 relay team was fifth (8:49.48), and the 4×400 relay team was sixth (3:41.35).
Lexi Ray (9-06) took second and Ashllyn Adderhold (9-06) third in pole vault, and Adderhold was seventh in the triple jump (32-01).
Claudia Dempsey took seventh (1:04.02) in the 400 and eighth in the 800 (2:30.62).
Pleasant Valley, Class 2A
Clark Hill was sixth in the 300 hurdles (43.53), and Zeke Curvin was sixth in discus (121-00).
The boys’ 4×800 relay team took sixth (9:21.50).
Ella Parris took third (1:02.45) in the 400 and sixth in 100 hurdles (17.97), and Victoria Turner was fourth (31-07) in shot put.
The girls’ 4×400 relay team was eighth (4:38.02).
Saks, Class 3A
Marrio Curry was eighth (53.17) in the 400.
Wadley, Class 1A
Frisco Robertson took fifth (11.54) in the 100 and fifth (54.36) in the 400, and the 4×100 relay team was seventh (46.35).
A’Mya Brown was third (94-04) in discus, and Celeste Angel was third in javelin (101-02). Alyssa Richardson took seventh in 100 hurdles (19.36). Rylee Holloway was sixth in javelin (92-07) and seventh in shot put (27-07).
Weaver, Class 3A
Weaver’s boys had a big day Saturday, starting with three scoring finishes in the 110 hurdles. Keshawn Allen won (15.36). D.J. Marbury was third (15.55), and Harper Williams was fifth (16.19).
Williams and Kaden Gooden scored in 300 hurdles. Williams was second (41.70) and Gooden fourth (42.03).
The 4×100 relay team was seventh (45.12).
Layla Carter starred for the girls. She was fifth (14-09.75) in the long jump and sixth in the 200 (26.98).
Wellborn, Class 3A
Grayson Johnson took seventh (132-02) in the javelin.
White Plains, Class 4A
In 4A, distance runner Maddyn Conn was the big scorer for White Plains’ girls with first-place finishes in the 1,600-meter run (5:10.16) and 3,200 (11:23.89). She also took fourth in the 800 (2:24.55), and Abbie Dickeson was seventh (2:30.97).
The girls’ 4×800 relay was second (10:15.06).
The boys got all eight points thanks to Brandon Hahm’s third-place finish (138-00) in discus and seventh-place finish (43-10.5) in shot put. [read more sports stories…]
