Here is a quick look at the boys competition in this week’s Calhoun County Track and Field Championships at Choccolocco Park
Editor’s Note: The Calhoun County Track & Field Championships had been scheduled for Wednesday. Because of possible bad weather and availability of officials, county administrators have moved the event to Monday.
By Dana Stewart George
100M – In 2021, senior Jalen McCants of Saks finished second and sophomore Jayden Lewis of Anniston finished sixth. McCants has an 11.47 season best, while Lewis has an 11.43 season best. Junior Ronnie Matthews of Jacksonville finished tenth last year but has a 11.39 season best. McCants is ranked 11th in the state in 3A. Matthews is ranked seventh and Lewis ninth in 4A.
200M – Sophomore Jayden Lewis of Anniston finished fourth in 2021 and junior Ronnie Matthews of Jacksonville finished fifth. Lewis has a 24.16 season best, while Matthews has a 23.41. Freshman Antonio Hicks of Oxford has a season best of 23.60. Junior Javon Thomas of Anniston has a 24.13 and teammate Junior Jaylon Cunningham has a 24.21. Matthews is ranked sixth in the state in 4A.
400M – A trio of Oxford runners are competing to finish 1-2-3. Freshman Damious Wilson has a season best time of 53.99, senior Imaryan Jackson a 54.07 and senior JD Jones a 54.16. Anniston’s Junior JaVon Thomas (who finished eighth last year) has a season best 54.17.
800M – Coming off a win at King of the West in Tuscaloosa this past weekend with a 2:01.46, Oxford senior Kyler Wright will be fighting junior teammate Evan Somers (2:04.76 season best) and Anniston’s Senior Christian Myles (2:06.88 season best) for gold. Myles beat Somers in the Yellow Jacket Invitational earlier this season. Last year, Somers was fifth in the event. Myles is ranked 13th in the state in 4A, Wright ninth and Somers 17th in 6A.
3200M – Oxford junior Noah George (9:43.10 season best) will be defending his 2021 county title against Pleasant Valley junior Cayden Nelson (10:51.13 season best) and last year’s runner-up, senior Christian Myles of Anniston (no 2022 time, 10:02.95 PR). George is ranked sixth in the state in 6A.
110 Hurdles – Sophomore Christian Gibson of Oxford (15.93 season best) finished second in last year’s county meet. Senior Matthew Bunn of Alexandria (16.12 season best) and senior Malachi Goble of Ohatchee (17.29 season best) will also be fighting for first. Goble is ranked sixth in the state in 3A, Bunn fifth in 5A and Gibson tenth in 6A.
300 Hurdles – Junior Kendric Croft of Oxford (43.00 season best) will be defending his 2021 county title against Alexandria senior Matthew Bunn (43.35 season best), Anniston junior Dontre Lunsford (season best 43.96) and sophomore teammate Christian Gibson (44.13 season best). Lunsford is ranked ninth in the state in 4A, Bunn is seventh in 5A and Croft 19th in 6A.
Discus – Junior Ryqueze McElderry of Anniston, a University of Georgia football commitment, finished fourth in last year’s meet and Ohatchee junior Tyler Waters (season best 106-0 throw) finished fifth, but they will have to compete with Alexandria senior Connor Hall who has a season best 132-4 throw and junior Braden McDaniel of Piedmont who has a season best 108-0. McDaniel is ranked ninth in the state in 3A, Hall second in 5A.
High Jump – Freshman Jayden Lewis of Oxford and freshman Ishmel Bethel of Piedmont each have season best jumps of 5-10. Junior Javen Croft of Anniston, sophomore TK Downie of Alexandria and sophomore Damarkus Williams of Alexandria each have season best jumps of 5-6. Bethel is tied for sixth in the state in 3A.
Javelin – Senior Troy Galloway of Ohatchee finished third last year and teammate Tyler Waters finished fourth. Galloway’s season best throw this year is 148-6 and junior Waters’ best throw is 132-5. Senior Jordan Dobbins of Oxford has a season best throw of 132-9. Galloway is ranked second in the state in 3A.
Long Jump – Sophomore Malachi Taylor (season best jump of 20-9) of Anniston finished fourth last year and senior teammate JacQues Thomas (season best jump of 19-2) finished sixth. Junior Cody Holloway (season best jump of 19-0.25) of Piedmont finished seventh. Oxford junior Ashton Mitchell has a season best jump of 22-0. Taylor is tied for seventh in the state in 4A, Mitchell is tied for fifth in 6A.
Triple Jump – Oxford junior Ashton Mitchell will be defending his 2021 title. His season best jump is 43-1. Sophomore Malachi Taylor of Anniston (season best jump of 42-3) will be fighting to unseat him. Mitchell’s teammate, junior DeAndre Archer (season best jump 39-11.5), and senior JacQues Thomas of Anniston (season best jump 39-6.5) will also be in the mix. Taylor is ranked third in the state in 4A, Mitchell is tied for sixth in 6A.
Pole Vault – Ohatchee junior teammates Chris Ferguson (season best of 13-1) and Troy Galloway (season best of 10-6) finished 1-2 in last year’s meet. With senior Malachi Goble (season best of 10-6), the Indians could finish 1-2-3 this year. Ferguson is ranked first in the state and Galloway and Goble tied for fourth in 3A.
Shot Put – Junior Tyler Waters (season best throw of 47-1) of Ohatchee, senior Brian Rivas (season best throw of 43-1) of Oxford, junior Hayden Smith (season best throw of 42-8) of Jacksonville and junior Ryqueze McElderry (season best throw of 42-8) of Anniston will be competing for this year’s title. McElderry finished fourth in last year’s meet. Waters is ranked 3rd in the state in 3A, Smith and McElderry are tied for 7th in 4A.
4×100 Relay – The showdown should be between Anniston (season best 44.12) and Oxford (season best 44.68). Wellborn (season best 46.83) could sneak into the top spot.
4×400 Relay – Oxford (season best 3:36.05) and Anniston (season best 3:45.55) could be joined by Saks (season best 3:51.19), Jacksonville (season best 3:51.65) or Alexandria (season best 3:53.52) at the top. Oxford’s team is ranked eighth in the state in 6A.
4×800 Relay – Oxford seems to have this one lined up with a season best 8:32.00. The closest competition could be Pleasant Valley with a season best 9:15.05. Behind those are Jacksonville (9:26.83), Alexandria (9:43.46), and Donoho (9:52.97). Oxford’s team is ranked fifth in the state in 6A. [*** read more]
