Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Prescott wins fifth consecutive state title
LINCOLN — Prescott came a long way to do what the Curley Wolves have become accustomed to.
Winning state championships.
Prescott dominated the field while winning the Class 3A track and field meet Tuesday at Lincoln High School. The Curley Wolves piled up 127 points, which was well ahead of second-place Ashdown with 84 points.
The Curley Wolves have won five consecutive state championships and 10 overall with Brian Glass at the helm in track and field.
“It’s a long trip and you’re always concerned when you have to stay overnight,” Glass said of the Curley Wolves, who arrived in Northwest Arkansas on Monday and spent the night. “The kids were right where they were supposed to be at room check. We wanted to have fun, but this was a business trip.”
Harding Academy won the girls division with 60 points to edge West Fork and Episcopal Collegiate, which tied for second place with 54 points apiece.
“We won it last year and we weren’t predicted to win it this year,” Harding Academy coach Kelsie Turley said. “The girls fought hard and we’re really excited.”
Sophomore Jaylen Johnson won the 400-meter dash and finished second in the boys 200 for the Curley Wolves.
“I was ready to get my (second) ring,” said Johnson, who ran as a freshman last year for Prescott. “We were confident we were going to win and that’s what we did.”
The fastest of them all in Lincoln Tuesday was Jody Easter of McGehee, who won the 100-meter dash in a time of 10.75. Easter won the premier event after finishing fifth last year in the state meet. He also won the 200 in 22.82.
“I feel like I had a point to prove,” Easter said. “I had a good start. I knew if I had a good start, I would end good.”
Greenland quarterback Max Meredith provided one of the biggest surprises of the meet when he won the shot put with a throw of 46 1/2 inches. Meredith (6-foot-225) participated in track and field for the first time this spring and he was the only member of the Greenland boys team to quality for the state meet.
“People have been telling me I’d be good at it, so that’s what I did,” Meredith said.
“It’s real exiting for me to win state. I take a lot of pride in the weight room.”
Brevyn Ketter of Charleston, another standout football player, won the long jump with a leap of 21-10 1/2 feet. There was also plenty of excitement in the pole vault where a pair of sophomores from Riverview won first place in the girls and boys divisions. Melanie Chandler cleared 9-1 while Jeremy Racca cleared 12-8.
“It’s so exciting,” Chandler said. “We proved everybody wrong. We did it.”