Track ’Hawks go berry picking
Sweep four titles
The Blackhawk track and field program cut a large swath through Berryville last week, capturing team titles in all four championship competitions last week.
The varsity Lady Blackhawk tracksters showed why they are ranked No. 1 in the state as they swept to a lopsided championship win, piling up 170 points to outpace second place Green Forest who finished with 92. Springdale took third with 78 points among the 19 schools in the meet.
There was more drama in the varsity boys division with the ’Hawks trailing Springdale and Harrison until late in the meet. When the boys’ pole vault points were revealed toward the end of the meet, with the ’Hawks taking first, second and third places racked up 24 points to propel them into a lead they would not relinquish. The ’Hawks finished with 157, ahead of second place Springdale with 147 and Harrison with 142.
The junior girls jumped ahead of the competition with a 20-point lead after the field events, then used a very strong showing in the distance events to post a 31-point win over second place Yellville, 140-109. Harrison was third with 100.
The junior boys were locked in a tight battle with Green Forest and Bergman but the ’Hawks’ growing renown as a pole vaulting power provided a cushion as Pea Ridge outscored the runnerup Tigers 23-6 in that event. The ’Hawks captured the meet’s final event, the 4x400-meter, and won 131-122 over Green Forest. Bergman settled for third with 112.
All four teams are in action at home this week in the various Blackhawk Invitationals. The junior boys and girls were to compete Tuesday night with the varsity squads set for action Thursday night. The seventh-grade squads competed on Monday.
Senior girls
The Lady ’Hawks’ great depth allowed the coaching staff to move athletes around and test some different combinations. Sophomore Clare Hall led the team in individual scoring with 26 points, taking second places in the 100-meter (13.82) and 100-meter hurdles (18.56) while also taking fourth places in the long jump (15’2”) and 300-meter hurdles (54.55).
Head coach Heather Wade said: “Everyone gave great effort in the meet Thursday and we had some girls running in new events. I’m very proud of the way they competed.”
Five separate ’Hawks captured individual championships in the 15-team competition and swept to victories in all three relay events. The 4x100-meter relay won in 50.82, the 4x400-meter in 4:39.27, and the 4x800-meter in 4:39.27. The 4x800-meter relay team eclipsed the state qualifying mark of 10:49.8 to earn a berth in the 4A state meet later this month.
Team totals were: Pea Ridge 170, Green Forest 92, Springdale 78, Harrison 66, Yellville 61, Huntsville 42, Alpena 39, Berryville 35, Eureka Springs 30, Omaha 25, Kingston 12 and Cotter 6.
Jamison Toms won the 100-meter in 13.82, Blakelee Winn ran off with the 200-meter in 26.57, Meredith Mitchell captured the discus throw with a 94’1” throw, Shelby Dunlap took first in the triple jump with a 33’6” effort, while Cassidy Mooneyhan continued her unbeaten season with a 12’0” winning jump in the pole vault.
Toms also placed third in the long jump (15’11”) and fourth in the 200-meter (28.48) with Winn jumping to second in the long jump with a year’s best 16’11”. Mooneyhan was second in the 200-meter in 27.87.
Other scorers were: Olivia McCracken, sixth 300-meter hurdles (56.35) and eighth high jump (4’4”); Maddisyn Robinson, sixth 400-meter (73.31); Ellie Ewald, seventh 400-meter (74.29); Harmony Reynolds, second 1,600-meter (5:50.16) and fourth 3,200-meter (13:07.9); Kyla Wheeless, eighth 400-meter (74.8); Nina Reed, seventh 800-meter (3:01.7), and Olivia Scates, seventh 3,200-meter (14:55.2).
Winn, already a state qualifier in the 100-meter and 200-meter hurdles, was an eyelash away from qualifying in the long jump and 200-meter dash events. Her 16’11” jump was one inch short of the 17’0” standard with her 200-meter time of 26.57, just 0.12 short of the state standard of 26.45.
Senior boys
The ’Hawks were trailing Springdale and Harrison with all three schools nearly 100 points ahead of the rest of the pack. When the ’Hawks went third, fourth, fifth and sixth in the 800-meter to narrow the gap, the ’Hawks’ 1-2-3 finish in the pole vault put them over the top to claim the title. Pea Ridge then led Springdale 147-142 going into the final event, the 4x400-meter. The ’Hawks ran away with the event with Springdale finishing fourth as the ’Hawks iced the championship.
Team totals were: Pea Ridge 157, Springdale 147, Harrison 142, Yellville 50, Green Forest 46, Huntsville 44, Berryville 33, Omaha 29, Kingston 6, Jasper 5 and Eureka Springs 2.
Connor Escajeda won a pair of individual championships to pace the scoring. The senior sprinter won the 100-meter (11.59) and the 400-meter (50.48). His 400-meter time is currently the best 400-meter time in the state in 4A. Escajeda was also eighth in the long jump (18’1”).
Justin Koon and Zach Woods were the other ’Hawks to take individual first places. Koon won the 300-meter hurdles (45.31) with Woods taking the pole vault with a 13’0” effort. Woods’ effort qualified him for the 4A state championship meet, surpassing the state standard of 12’10”. Koon also took second in the 110-meter hurdles (16.56).
In the meet-deciding pole vault event, Lance Nunley finished second behind Woods (11’6”) with Aden Christensen capturing third with a 10’6” jump.
Coach Asa Poteete’s thinclads swept all three relay events with the 4x800meter relay besting the state standard of 8:46.25 to qualify for the 4A championships. The ’Hawks won the 4x100-meter in 45.19, the 4x400-meter in 3:45.45, and the 4x800-meter in 8:42.18.
“It was definitely a team effort top to bottom Thursday that allowed us to come out on top. We had a few kids have to step in and run events they hadn’t before in order to score points we needed. In the end the 4x400-meter (Sander Van der Veen, Kevin Vasquez, William Jovel and Adam Trammel) came through big and the pole vaulters had a huge night and put us over the top,” Poteete said.
Other scorers in the meet include: Samuel Beard, fourth 200-meter (25.47) and fifth 400-meter (56.08); Adam Trammel, fifth 100-meter (12.57) and seventh 400-meter (56.73); Levi Schultz, sixth 3,200-meter (11.23.55) and seventh 1,600-meter (5:07.82); Josiah Small, third 800-meter (2:11.1); Sander Van Der Veen fourth 800-meter (2:12.04); Shaed Cates, fifth 800-meter (2:12.35); Kevin Vasquez, sixth 800-meter (2:24.34); Colbey Norman, second 300-meter hurdles (46.61) and seventh 110-meter hurdles (19.88); Will Feemster, fifth high jump (5’8”); Tate Christensen, second discus (109’11”); and Logan Spears, seventh discus (104’9”).
Junior girls
The junior girls used strength in the field and distance events to claim a title at Bobcat Stadium. The Lady ’Hawks scored 65 points in the field events while also scoring 53 points in the three distance races, enough points to win the meet.
Pea Ridge was also strong in the relays, taking the 4x400-meter relay in 4:52.41 and the 4x800-meter in 11:25.78.
Team scores were: Pea Ridge 140, Yellville 109, Harrison 100, Green Forest 58, Bergman 51, Berryville 22, Eureka Springs 21, Kingston 16, Omaha 10, Jasper 9, Alpena 7 and Cotter 2.
Dallice White led the individual scoring with 24 points. She won the discus event with a 81’10” throw, was second in the 800-meter in 2:49.43, and third in the shot put with a 29’8” heave.
Lauren Wright was the only individual double winner as she topped the pole vault event with a 9’4” leap and raced to a win in the 800-meter in 2:49.06, scoring 20 points in the process.
Liz Vasquez was the other individual champion with the ninth-grader runner taking the 1,600-meter in 6:26.87. She was also seventh in the triple jump with a 27’0” effort.
Other scorers were: Mikayla Humphrey, third long jump (13’11”) and fourth triple jump (28’8”); Ryleigh Gilbreth, second 1,600-meter (6:26.87) and eighth 800-meter (3:03.97); Madison Smith, second 400-meter (67.70) and third triple jump (30’10”); Allie King, second pole vault (6’10”) and third 1,600-meter (6:36.6); Syndney Spears, fifth high jump (4’4”); Sara Richardson, seventh 100-meter (14.55); Kyleigh Pruitt, fifth 200-meter (31.35); and Trinity Alley, fifth pole vault (5’10”).
Junior boys
The junior boys trailed Green Forest 108-99 with two running events left in the meet, the 200-meter and 4x400-meter relay. The ’Hawks had earlier gone 1-2-4 in the pole vault to tighten the score, but a 1-25 finish in the 200-meter flipped the leader board with the locals winning of the 4x400-meter relay putting away the title.
Joe Adams was the top scorer in individual events, scoring 22 points. Adams was second in the 400-meter (58.84) and high jump (5’2”) while taking third in the 110-meter hurdles (19.09).
Patrick Elliot was one of two ’Hawks to win an individual event, taking the gold in the 200-meter in 24.32. Elliott also took a second in the long jump in 18’8”. The other individual champion was Drake Wolfenden who was the vault winner with a leap of 10’11”.
The ’Hawks won the 4x100-meter relay in 48.16 as well as the 4x400-meter in 4:04.24. Pea Ridge was second in the 4x800-meter in 10:32.64.
Team scores were: Pea Ridge 131, Green Forest 122, Bergman 112, Yellville 51, Harrison 39, Huntsville 38, Eureka Springs 27, Jasper 17, Alpena 17, Kingston 13, Omaha 9, Berryville 5 and Cotter 2.
Other scorers for the ’Hawks include: Cade Mann, second 200-meter (25.22) and eighth long jump (16’9”); Caleb Neil, second pole vault (9’11”); Jared Brewer, fifth 110-meter hurdles (18.29), seventh 400-meter (62.84) and eighth discus (93’6”); Eli Wiggins, third 800-meter (2:31.73) and fourth pole vault (8’11”); Gavin Stanley, fifth 1,600-meter (5:55.96); Chris Sharp, eighth 400-meter ( 62.88); C.J. McCaster, fifth 100-meter (12.60); Malachi Martin, sixth discus (95’6”); and Sebastian Mullikin, fifth 200-meter (26.54).