Hornets girls claim 2nd at state indoor

By KYLE PARMLEY

The Chelsea High School girls indoor track and field team built upon its momentum from winning the Class 7A cross-country championship, following it up with a runner-up finish at the state indoor meet Feb. 4 at the Birmingham CrossPlex.

No one was catching Hoover, but the

Hornets scored 81 points to finish second, well clear of third-place Hewitt-Trussville’s 63 points.

“I’m super proud of the team, going up against all these well-established teams like Hewitt-Trussville, Vestavia Hills and Hoover,” Chelsea coach Trey Lee said. “All around, our girls had a really strong day, and they did their job. They were able to follow the race plan and everything went off like we hoped and planned.”

Senior Cady McPhail had a phenomenal showing, taking home the top prize in all four of her events. McPhail set state records in the 800- and 1,600-meter runs, posting times of 2 minutes, 11 seconds, and 4 minutes, 57 seconds, respectively, to win those races. She also won the 3,200 in 10:56 and capped off the sensational day by anchoring the 4x800-meter relay team, which won in 9:31. McPhail ran in that race with Mia Dunavant, Ty Cason and Tyndal Ann Griffith.

The 3,200 win was the most thrilling finish of the day, as the Auburn University signee overtook Huntsville’s Ava McIntosh in the final stretch to reclaim the lead and win the race.

“In the last lap, I made my move to pass and my competition matched the move,” McPhail recalled. “I panicked for a split second, but then told myself, ‘How bad you want it?’ I dug a little deeper and found another gear and gave it my all.”

“You can’t ask for much more,” Lee added of McPhail, who posted the nation’s fastest 1,600 time earlier in the season. “With all her athletic ability, the fact that she said, ‘I’m going to do this for my team.’”

Also reaching the podium for the Hornets were Dunavant (third in the 800), Cason (third in the 1,600), Jadyn Debardlabon (third in long jump) and Alana McCulla (second in pole vault). The 4x400 relay team of Dunavant, Lily Rigor, Griffith and Cason also finished second. Rigor (seventh in 60-meter hurdles), Dunavant (fifth in 400) and the 4x200 team of Callie Wright, Rigor, Debardlabon and Morgan Brewer (eighth) garnered a few more points for the team.

Juliette Edwards, Eryk Brown, Parker Campbell, Raymond Bridgeman, Javiion Mitchell, Ryker Mattes, Brandon Sims, Anden Peek, Jonathan Ludwig, Hudson Williams and Maddox Michael also took part for Chelsea.

Briarwood and Oak Mountain were also represented at the state meet.

Briarwood’s girls finished eighth in 6A.

Sallie Montgomery made it to the podium, placing third in the triple jump. Livi Reebals (fourth in 60 hurdles), Bela Doss (eighth in 800 and seventh in 1,600), Mary Grace Parker (eighth in 3,200), Ansley Murphy (seventh in pole vault) and the 4x800 relay team of Parker, Luci Williams, Lena Anne Parker and Doss (fourth) earned points for the Lions as well.

Charlie Thompson, Lynley Newdome, Kristin Wolfe, Anna Reid Frost, Burton Collis, Gabe Margene, Ford Thornton, Gavin Gurtis, Reese Rasmussen, Hadley Hartsfield, Gracie Murphy, Patrick Hnizdil and Whit Thornton also competed for the Lions.

For Oak Mountain, the boys 4x800 relay team of Bennett Phillips, Cooper Jeffcoat, John Shoemaker and Matthew Womack finished fifth, the top performance for the Eagles. Womack (seventh in 800); Walker Shook (sixth in high jump); the girls 4x400 team of Lauren Cole, Taylor McMillan, Sara Cothran and Catarina Williams (seventh); and the 4x800 team of Selah Whitley, Williams, Cothran and Cole (seventh) earned points for the team.

Devan Moss, Davion Foster, Julia Bueche, Whitt Kilgore, Sean Ray, Sophie Hammett, Evy Gardner, Thomas Peyton Swann, Brandon Lewis, Samantha Bennett, Gerrick Brown, Samuel Laney, Ryan Cox and Drew Field also competed for the Eagles.