Porter, Forga, Thew among top local performers in state track

Eric Porter, of Hot Springs; Luke Forga, of Mount Ida; and Isabella Thew, also of Mount Ida, were among the best in their events at the state’s track meets this week.

The first meets of the week were for Class 3A in Jessieville and 4A in Pocahontas on Tuesday. Mineral Springs hosted the 1A and 2A meets on Wednesday. Thursday included the 5A meet in Magnolia, 6A meet in Russellville and 7A meet in Bryant.

Porter was the state champion in the boys’ 400-meter dash on Thursday in 5A. He ran of time of 0:50.01 with Luke Berry, for state champion Vilonia, running second at 0:50.05.

Hot Springs’ James Hamilton still owns the Class 5A state record in the event with a time of 0:47.73 run in 2001.

Teiara Gordon tied for fifth place in the girls’ high jump at a height of five feet with Blytheville’s Onzie Brown. Jamie Broadway’s throw of 33 feet, 1.5 inches was good for seventh in the shot put.

Forga had the second-best time in the 100-meter dash preliminaries and the leading time for the 200-meter dash at the 1A meet on Wednesday. He won both events with times of 0:11.21 and 0:23.13, respectively.

Mount Ida was third place in the 4x100-meter relay preliminaries before winning the event. The Lions also took third place in the 4x400-meter relay. Forga ran on both teams with Gage Dyer, Bryson Huff and Dawson Huff. Mount Ida finished in fourth place in the boys’ standings with 49.50 points. Trinity Christian was the runaway state champion with 124 points, with Mineral Springs in second at 67 and Decatur third at 61.

Thew was the top finisher for the Lady Lions. She won the girls’ pole vault at a height of 9 feet, six inches.

Magnet Cove’s boys were fourth place in the 2A meet on Wednesday with 41 points. The 4x800-meter relay team of Jaryd McJunkins, William Mims, Gabriel Stephens and Eben Thomason gave the Panthers their best finish of the day with a second-place time of 9:05.43. Earle won the event with a time of 8:53.26.

Earle’s total of 92 points was 32 ahead of second-place Parkers Chapel. Caddo Hills placed third with 49 points.

Trenton Barber had Magnet Cove’s best individual finish, placing second in the discus throw with a distance of 118 feet, one inch. Christian Duggan, of Caddo Hills, took first place at 137 feet, 10 inches.

Josh Barber also took third place in the boys’ pole vault at 11 feet, six inches. Caddo Hills took the top two positions with Simon Whisenhunt at 13 feet, four inches, and Chandler West at 13 feet.

Bell Laughlin had the best finish of the participating Lady Panthers. Her height of seven feet, six inches was good for fourth place in the pole vault. Hannah Green, of Magazine, won the event at nine feet, three inches.