Blackhawks win 1st at state, again
The Blackhawk track team won the state outdoor track meet Wednesday, May 4, for the second year in a row.
“Coach (Heather) Wade and I are very proud of our track teams,” coach Jason Upton said.
“The boys are back to back 4A State Outdoor Champions, and they won the 4A State Indoor Championship in February. Our Lady Trackhawks also won the 4A Indoor title, and they finished third last night.
“We outscored Magnolia (second place) by a margin of 105-64. Last year’s margin was 94-78 over Nashville (Magnolia took third with 64 last year),” he said.
“While we are saddened to lose a great group of seniors to graduation, we have several underclassmen who scored points in many events at state,” Upton said.
The following athletes will travel to Russellville to the Meet of Champs Wednesday, May 11: Dallice White, discus; Patrick Elliott, 100- and 200-meter; Cade Mann, 400-meter; and Owen Reynolds, Troy Ferguson, Tian Grant and Grandon Grant, 4x800-meter.
On Wednesday, May 18, and Thursday, May 19, the following athletes will travel to Fayetteville for the State Decathlon/Heptathlon: Kamree Dye, Dallice White, Phoenix Edmisson and Cade Mann.
Notable performances from the state track meet were:
• Patrick Ellliott
100-meter, State Champion (back to back)
200-meter, State Champion (back to back)
400-meter, State Runner-Up 4x400-meter relay, State Runner-Up
• Cade Mann
400-meter, State Champion (beat Elliott at the finish line, Elliott was 2021 champ)
100-meter, 4th Place 200-meter, 4th Place 4x400-meter relay, State Runner-Up
• Grandon Grant
4x800-meter relay, State Champions (back to back) 3,200-meter run, State Runner-Up (3rd last year)
1,600-meter run, 6th Place
• Troy Ferguson
4x800-meter relay, State Champions 800-meter run, 4th Place 1,600-meter run, 7th Place
• Tian Grant
4x800-meter relay, State Champions 3,200-meter, 3rd Place
• Owen Reynolds
4x800-meter relay, State Champions 800-meter run, 6th Place
• Caleb Neil
Pole Vault, State Runner-Up
• Phoenix Edmisson
Pole Vault, 5th Place (5th in 2021)
• Hunter Singh
4x400-meter relay, State Runner-Up
• Sebasttien Mullikin
4x400-meter relay, State Runner-Up “Our 4x800-meter relay team won their second straight State Title,” Upton said. “Grandon Grant was the only athlete to return on that relay for Pea Ridge. Our time of 8:33.79 beat last year’s time of 8:34.17”
• Dallice White
Discus Throw, State Champion (3rd last year) Shot Put 8th Place
• Kamree Dye
4x400-meter relay, State Runner-Up 200-meter, State Runner-Up (3rd last year) 400-meter, State Runner-Up 100-meter, 4th Place Long Jump, 7th Place
• Rylee Raines
4x800-meter relay, 5th Place 3,200-meter run, 8th Place
• Trinity Fox
4x200-meter relay, 3rd Place
• Bella Cates
4x200-meter relay, 3rd Place
• Evelyn Hernandez
4x400-meter relay, State Runner-Up 4x200-meter relay, 3rd Place
• Kyleigh Pruitt
4x400-meter relay, State Runner-Up 4x200-meter relay, 3rd Place
• Madison Smith
4x400-meter relay, State Runner-Up
• Liz Vazquez
4x800-meter relay, 5th Place
• Ava Pippin
4x800-meter relay, 5th Place
• Allie King
4x800-meter relay, 5th Place