Hornets post runner-up finish in state outdoor track

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Chelsea High School girls outdoor track and field team capped off a strong school year with a runner-up finish in the Class 7A state meet, held May 4-6 in Gulf Shores.

No one was catching Hoover, which swept the boys and girls competitions in dominant fashion. Hoover’s girls scored 125 points to win the meet easily, but Chelsea’s girls secured the red map trophy by accumulating 79 points.

Hewitt-Trussville scored 71 points to finish third. Auburn and Foley rounded out the top five. Hoover scored 146.5 points to win the boys meet, with Vestavia Hills, Hewitt-Trussville, Huntsville and Auburn behind.

Briarwood competed in the 6A meet, while Chelsea, Oak Mountain and Spain Park all had athletes in the 7A meet.

Oak Mountain’s boys were 12th with 17.5 points, and Spain Park’s boys finished 13th, accumulating 14 points. Chelsea’s boys were 15th with 13 points. Oak Mountain scored 8 points, and Spain Park notched 2 points in the girls meet.

Chelsea’s girls were led by Cady McPhail, who capped an outstanding career at Chelsea with another strong showing at state. She won the 800-meter run in 2 minutes, 10 seconds. She also won the 1,600 in 4:52 and was fourth in the 3,200. The girls 4x800-meter relay team also won in 9:24. Lily Rigor grabbed top honors in the 300meter hurdles, running it in 44.79 seconds.

Jadlyn Debardlabon was second in long jump, and Alana McCulla finished second in pole vault. Rigor was fourth in 100 hurdles, while Ty Cason pointed in a couple events (fifth in 1,600 and sixth in 800). Mia Dunavant also posted a seventh-place finish in the 1,600. The girls 4x400 relay team was fifth, and Sarah Johnston competed in javelin.

For Chelsea’s boys, Parker Campbell was fourth in the 3,200, while Gabe Pendley finished fifth in javelin. Eryk Brown, Alex Redd, Hudson Williams and Brandon Sims also competed.

Oak Mountain’s Devan Moss stole the show by winning the 100-meter dash in 10.65 seconds. Julia Bueche finished fourth in the 300 hurdles, while John Shoemaker finished fifth in the 3,200, and Tre Thomas was sixth in high jump. Samantha Bennett, Adelaide McKeown, Catarina Williams, Matthew Womack, Lauren Cole, Sara Cothran, Trey Vassell, Samiah Jones, Corrin Hammett and Harper Richey also competed for the Eagles.

For Spain Park, Keith Warner finished sixth in the 3,200 and eighth in the 1,600 to earn points. Zachary Erickson finished fifth in discus as well. Loren Jackson, Jonathan Graham, Delaney Vickers, Kenneth Bishop, Madison Harvey, Laila Sibley, Elizabeth Baty, Indiana

Gannett, Christian Johnson, LaCoria Nelson and Rayshod Burts also competed for the Jags.

In the 6A meet, Briarwood’s girls finished seventh with 31.5 points. Mountain Brook scored 94 points to win.

For Briarwood, the girls 4x400- and 4x800-meter relay teams earned points by placing sixth and fifth, respectively. The Lions also had a pair of scorers in the triple jump, as Emma Kerley finished fourth, and Sallie Montgomery was sixth. Livi Reebals had a strong showing in the 100-meter hurdles, as she finished fourth.

Bela Doss was fifth in a couple events, as she earned points in the 800 and 1,600 races. Reese Rasmussen was seventh in the 300 hurdles, and Ansley Murphy was seventh in pole vault.

Greyce Godbehere, Gabe Margene, Lena Anne Parker, Brandon Dixon, Luci Williams, Charlie Thompson, Blakeley Margene and Anna Reid Frost also competed for Briarwood.