Trojan boys dominate jumps at Ram Relays
Hot Springs’ boys dominated the field events with the Trojans winning the high jump, long jump and triple jump as the only school to win multiple field events in the boys division at the Lakeside Ram Relays Thursday.
Tyrell Lambert, the reigning Class 5A state champion, leapt 47 feet, 2 inches to claim the win in the triple jump at the meet. Nashville’s Kyle Whiteman was second with a distance of 41-5.
“I feel like I’m not where I need to be,” he said. “I need to improve. I can do better than I did, and I’ll get better everyday.”
With wind speeds exceeding 10 mph throughout the meet, Lambert said that with it at his back, it did have an effect on his performance.
“I feel like it did a little bit to help me, a little bit, but not too much,” he said. “I feel like it’s mainly just me — my ability, my athletic ability to do this stuff — I think really just gave me the opportunity to be able to do that.”
With plenty of time left before the state meet, the senior Trojan has more than met the mark of 44-6 that he needs to qualify, but he has high aspirations for the remainder of the season.
“At least want to jump 51, my highest, so I can get to get far away from Arkansas (for college),” he said.
Despite Lambert’s distance being beyond the current state record in Class 5A at 47 feet, according to the Arkansas Activities Association rules, state records can only be set at the state meet or the Meet of Champions.
Alex Europe, Blaske McLelland and T.J. Brogdin swept the top three in the long jump with Europe, a junior, recording a jump of 20 feet, 5 inches. Senior McLelland leapt 19-2 and junior Brogdin picked up a personal best in the event with a 19-1.
“I have done more than that, and I’ve always wanted to jump more than 21. … I still won,” Europe said, noting a personal high of 21 feet. “I feel good with it, but I know I can do better.”
The wind also came into play for Europe, but with the long jump pit facing into the wind, he said it was harder to get up to his top speed. All competitors in the event missed the mark for qualifying for the state meet of 21 feet, 9 inches.
“The wind did (come into play),” he said. “I definitely felt it running. But you just have to adjust to the environment.”
Hot Springs’ Deshawn Roberts, who is one of the top 10 high jumpers in the state and one of the top 25 in the country, cleared a distance of 6 feet, 5 inches to claim the win. The qualifying height for the state meet is 6-3.
“I went 6-7 last meet,” he said. “I thought I could’ve went higher, but I’m trying to save, save my muscles really for like bigger meets. And just keep working from there.”
Lake Hamilton senior Chase
Jessup won the discus throw with a mark of 128 feet, despite only having been practicing with the team for less than a month, and he was second in the shot put with a distance of 44-8. The senior was a member of the Wolves’ basketball team that reached the state semifinals on March 5.
Benton’s Walker Davis won the shot put with a mark of 458.5.
Lake Hamilton senior Sutton Manatt, who has the highest mark in the state in the pole vault, won the event with a clearance of 15 feet, 6.25 inches. The state qualifying height for the event is 13-8.
In the girls field events, Lakeside senior Emilee Bates won the pole vault with a personal best clearance of 11 feet. Sheridan’s Sophia Allen was second with 10-6, and Lake Hamilton sophomores Sheyla Praetzel, Reagan Carrouth and Kenley Kincannon finishing third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
Sheridan’s Sophia Allen won the long jump (15-8) and triple jump (32-9). Lake Hamilton’s Hayleigh Wyrick (32-0) was second in the triple jump, Hot Springs’ Kyabra Lomax (31-11) and Anna Wright (31-8) were third and fourth, and Lake Hamilton’s Brooklyn Braughton (316) was fifth. Braughton and Hot Springs’ Amiya Campbell both finished with distances of 15 feet in the long jump for second and third, respectively, while Lakeside’s Olivia Conley was fourth (14-10).
Bigelow’s Jenna Starks won the shot put with a mark of 33-8 while Benton’s McKenzie Bowman won the discus (101-8).
Lake Hamilton’s girls won with a final score of 155.5 points with Benton (120) and Sheridan (93) rounding out the top three. Lakeside finished fourth with 89 points, Jessieville fifth with 68 and Hot Springs seventh with 49.5.
Benton won the boys side of the meet with 126 points with Lakeside finishing second with 111.5 and Sheridan third (100). Lake Hamilton finished fourth with 95 points, Jessieville sixth (77.5) and Hot Springs seventh (67).