HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Arkansas High’s boys had a bunch of Eagles flying after them Thursday night in the 5A State Track & Field Championships at Hot Springs World Class High School.
There was no catching the Razorbacks, however, as they survived a late charge from the Vilonia Eagles to win the state title with 111 points to Vilonia’s 97.5. Conference 5A South rival Lake Hamilton was third with 66. Lakeside finished 13th with 21 points, and the host Trojans were 17th with 13 points.
The Razorbacks won four events, and pulled away by 45 points at one stage because of their depth in the sprints.
“I thought we were in a good spot coming into the meet,” said Arkansas High coach Jeff Harrell, who also won a state title at Texas High in 2014. “You still have to perform on the day of the meet. Early in the meet it didn’t look so good at times. We came out the second half of the field events and Tylee Green won the long jump. That got us started, and gave us a little more confidence.”
Harrell now has Track & Field titles in two states
Harrell was elated with the performances of Billy Davis in the high jump, and Johnny Murphy in the discus. Senior Braylon Bishop was fourth in the triple jump, which was won by Hot Springs’ Tyrell Lambert (46-3). Anton Harper was fourth in the high jump, and Andre Reed was fifth.
Jamarcus Johnson lit a fire for the Hogs in winning the 110 hurdles in a season-best 14.50. Louis Blackwell was fourth. Torie Blair was second in the 100, losing by .02 seconds. Running with an alternate, AHS still won the 4 x 100 in 42.88. Johnson also won the 300 hurdles in 39.63.
“Donavan Neal pulled a hamstring and we had to put some alternates on there,” said Harrell. “I was really proud of the 4 x 100 group.”
Lady Backs third behind Vilonia
Arkansas High’s girls won three events and finished third in the team standings. Vilonia won the girls’ championship with 87 points. The Lady Backs had 72. Lake Hamilton was sixth with 56, and Lakeside 14th with 17 points.
The Lady Backs won gold in the 4 x 200 and 4 x 400. Kenisha Bryant, Alashae English, Makayla Dodd and Alyssa Grissom won the shorter relay in 1:46.02. Bryant, KeeYonece Butler, English and Dodd won the final race in 4:06.90. Bryant also won the 400 in 1:00.37.
Wolves dominating in boys’ pole vault
One of the most impressive performances came in the boys’ pole vault, where Lake Hamilton scored in five of the top six places. The Wolves’ Hunter Johnson won the gold medal in a jump-off after clearing 15 feet. Five Lake Hamilton vaulters cleared 13 feet or better.
The boys’ first race was the 4 x 800, and it was a dandy. Vilonia won in 8:06.76. Lakeside was second in 8:15.43, and Lake Hamilton was third at 8:20.18.
It was tight in the 1600, won by Lakeside’s Dylan Dew in 4:24.94. Greenbrier’s Dominic Ward was second in 4:25.83, and Vilonia’s Tate Smithhart was third in 4:25.90. The Wolves also captured three of the top five spots in the 3200 meters.
A state record was set in the girls’ discus when Paragould’s Olivia Hancock tossed the plate 142-4.
Lake Hamilton’s Marlin Reyes, Avery Hunt, Blair Turpen and Olivia Pielemeier won the 4 x 800 in 9:56.58. Pielemeier also took home gold medals in the 1600 and 800.
All of Thursday’s winners qualified for the Meet of Champions to be held in Searcy at Harding University.
A list of the medal winners follows:
Arkansas 5A Track & Field results
May 5, 2021
at Hot Springs World Class High School
BOYS FIELD EVENTS
SHOT PUT – 1. Jace Sutulovich, S. Springs, 52-1 1/2; 2. John Paul Morgan, Batesville, 51-9; 3. Dalton Haulmark, Russellville, 50-11 1/2.
DISCUS – 1. Dalton Haulmark, Russellville, 160-0; 2. John Paul Morgan, Batesville, 146-0; 3. Jace Sutulovich, S. Springs, 139-2; 4. Johnny Murphy, AHS, 136-5.
LONG JUMP – 1. Tylee Green, AHS, 22-2 1/2; 2. DeAndra Burns Jr., El Dorado, 21-8; 3. Trayvon Woodard, Pine Bluff, 21-7.
TRIPLE JUMP – 1. Tyrell Lambert, HS, 46-3; 2. Erik Wilson, Jonesboro, 44-10; 3. Trayvon Woodward, PB, 44-8; 4. Braylon Bishop, AHS, 44-1.
HIGH JUMP – 1. Israel Malone, Nettleton, 6-6; 2. Billy Davis, AHS, 6-2; 3. Dashingly Spence, Vilonia, 6-2; 4. Anton Harper, AHS, 6-2; 5. Andre Reed, AHS, 6-0.
POLE VAULT – 1. Hunter Johnson, Lake Hamilton, 15-0; 2. Carson Lenser, Vilonia, 15-0; 3. John Thomas Bardwell, Lake Hamilton, 14-0; 4. Garrett Horton, Lake Hamilton, 13-6; 5. Sutton Manhatt, Lake Hamilton, 13-6; 6. Riley Finn, Lake Hamilton, 13-0.
BOYS RUNNING EVENTS
4 x 800 RELAY – 1. Violins,, 8:06.76; 2. Lakeside, 8:15.43; 3. Lake Hamilton, 8:20.18.
110 HURDLES – 1. Jamarcus Johnson, AHS, 14.50; 2. Preston Barker, Benton, 14.65; 3. Brody Patterson, Mt. Home, 15.47; 4. Louis Blackwell, AHS, 15.87.
100 METERS – 1. Ja’kkeylen Haney, Parkview, 10.92; 2. Torie Blair, AHS, 10.94; 3. DeAndra Burns Jr., El Dorado, 10.96.
4 x 200 RELAY – 1. El Dorado, 1:29.20; 2. Jonesboro, 1:30.93; 3. Benton, 1:31.06.; 4. Arkansas High, 1:31.48.
1600 METERS – 1. Dylan Dew, Lakeside, 4:24.94; 2. Dominic Ward, Greenbrier, 4:25.83; 3. Tate Smithhart, Vilonia, 4:25.90.
4 x 100 RELAY – 1. Arkansas High, 42.88; 2. Parkview, 43.91; 3. Pine Bluff, 44.09.
400 METERS – 1. Carson Lenser, Vilonia, 49.03; 2. DeAndra Burns Jr., El Dorado, 49.06; 3. John Paul Pickens, Jonesboro, 50.10.
300 HURDLES – 1. Jamarion’s Johnson, AHS, 39.63; 2. Brody Patterson, Mt. Home, 40.13; 3. Conner Stacy, Alma, 41.52.
800 METERS – 1. Tate Smithhart, Vilonia, 1:58.00; 2. Dominic Ward, Greenbrier, 1:59.46; 3. David Adams, Vilonia, 2:00.93.
200 METERS – 1. Ja’Keylen Haney, Parkview, 21.83; 2. DeAndra Burns Jr., El Dorado, 21.95; 3. Tijuana Huffman, Bebe, 22.36; 4. Torie Blair, AHS, 22.52.
3200 METERS – 1. Whit Lawrence, Mt. Home, 9:36.86; 2. Seek McCain, Lake Hamilton, 9:46.11; 3. Noah Embrey, Greenwood, 9:55.81; 4. Evan Armitage, Lake Hamilton, 10:04.99; 5. Ethan Smith, Lake Hamilton, 10:05.07.
4 x 400 RELAY – 1. Violins, 3:28.99; 2. Jonesboro, 3:29.36; 3. Mountain Home, 3:31.62; 4. Arkansas High, 3:32.34.
TEAM TOTALS – 1. Arkansas High 111; 2. Vilonia 97.5; 3. Lake Hamilton 66; 13. Lakeside 21; 17. Hot Springs 13.
GIRLS FIELD EVENTS
SHOT PUT – 1. Destiny Thomas, Jonesboro, 39-3 1/2; 2. Taleigha Ealy, Russellville, 38-4; 3. Zoe Strong, Sylvan Hills, 37-5 1/2.
DISCUS – 1. Olivia Hancock, Paragould, 142-4 (new state record); 2. A’Shaunna Robertson, WM, 119-4; 3. Askari Faulkner, Benton, 112-10.
LONG JUMP – 1. Ta’Nya Burnett, WM, 17-11 1/2; 2. Carshaila Rozier, El Dorado, 17-9 1/2; 3. Brandie Rottman, Vilonia, 17-4 1/2.
TRIPLE JUMP – 1. Ta’Nya Burnett, WM, 37-7; 2. Brandi Rottman, Vilonia, 37-7; 3. Gracie Carter, Van Buren, 37-6.
HIGH JUMP – 1. Brandi Rottman, Vilonia, 5-6; 2. Marlee Leach, Vilonia, 5-4; 3. Hannah Brewer, Benton, 5-4.
POLE VAULT – 1. Sophia Allen, Sheridan, 11-7; 2. Taylor Hankins, Greenwood, 10-10; 3. Emilee Bates, Lakeside, 10-10; 4. Mahayana Swayze, LH, 10-4; 5. Jaysa Egleston, LH, 10-4.
GIRLS RUNNING EVENTS
4 X 800 RELAY – 1. Lake Hamilton (Marlin Reyes, Avery Hunt, Blair Turpen, Olivia Pielemeier), 9:56.58; 2. Mountain Home, 9:58.31; 3. Violins, 10:00.76.
100 HURDLES – 1. Paige Lambert, Sylvan Hills, 15.67; 2. Staijah Taylor, AHS, 16.80; 3. Peyton Henson, Bebe, 16.86.
100 METERS – 1. Takiria Brown, Jonesboro, 12.51; 2. Brenda Allen, Maumelle, 12.65; 3. Elise Harris, Jonesboro, 12.67.
4 x 200 RELAY – 1. Arkansas High (Kenisha Bryant, Alashae English, Makayla Dodd, Alyssa Grissom), 1:46.02; 2. Benton, 1:47.53; 3. El Dorado, 1:49.42.
1600 METERS – 1. Olivia Pielemeier, Lake Hamilton, 5:13.90; 2. Mary Beth Bailey, Jonesboro, 5:22.07; 3. Presley Roberts, Greenbrier, 5:27.46.
4 X 100 RELAY – 1. Sylvan Hills, 49.70; 2. Maumelle, 50.19; 3. Jonesboro, 50.47.
400 METERS – 1. Kenisha Bryant, AHS, 1:00.37; 2. Ashley Dillman, LR Christian, 1:01.03; 3. McKayla Dodd, AHS, 1:01.07.
300 HURDLES – 1. Paige Lambert, Sylvan Hills, 47.12; 2. Quincy Efurd, S. Springs, 48.73; 3. KeeYounece Butler, AHS, 48.87.
800 METERS – 1. Olivia Pielemeier, Lake Hamilton, 2:20.47; 2. Mary Beth Bailey, Jonesboro, 2:24.27; 3. Shelby Duncan, Vilonia, 2:24.90.
200 METERS – 1. Elise Harris, Jonesboro, 26.23; 2. Takiria Brown, Jonesboro, 26.36; 3. Dellesha Jones, Benton, 26.37.
3200 METERS – 1. Marcie Cudworth, Mt. Home, 11:27.07; 2. Aubree Wille, Van Buren, 11:51.53; 3. Whitley Terry, Lakeside, 11:58.63.
4 x 400 RELAY – 1. Arkansas High (Kenisha Bryant, KeeYonece Butler, Alashae English, Makayla Dodd), 4:06.90; 2. Violins, 4:09.03; 3. Lake Hamilton, 4:14.21.
TEAM TOTALS – 1. Vilonia 87; 3. Arkansas High 72; 6. Lake Hamilton 56; 14. Lakeside 17.