Lake Hamilton senior Eli Jackson surpassed himself Thursday, setting a school record in the shot put for the second time this outdoor track season.
Jackson uncorked a throw of 58 feet, 8 inches at the Class 6A-South meet in Texarkana, bettering by 1 foot, 1 inch the previous record of 57-7 he set at the Lakeside Ram Relays March 31. Billy Rhoden had held the school record of 57 feet, 2 1/2 inches since 1993. Jackson, the reigning Meet of Champions winner in the shot put, defends the Class 6A title (51-10 last year) Thursday at Benton.
Lake Hamilton sophomore William Burgess placed third in the shot put at 49-2.50.
Senior Nick Johnson led a top-three sweep for Lake Hamilton in the pole vault clearing 15 feet, 8 inches. The defending Class 6A and Meet of Champions winner, Johnson has a spring best of 16-4 outdoors after tying Zach McWhorter of Springdale for first at 16-4 in the state indoor track meet in February. Johnson's career best is 17-2 indoors this year at Arkansas Vault Club in Black Springs. McWhorter, with an outdoor spring best of 16-11, set a 7A-West record of 16-7 Thursday.
Ninth-graders Haze Farmer (13-6) and Michael Harris (13-0) followed Johnson in the pole vault.
Senior Austin Kohrs won the 3,200 meters (10:21.46) for Lake Hamilton, which took the 4x800 relay with McKree Martin, Cody Tucker, Colby Swecker and Hunter Tucker in 8:35.38.
Lake Hamilton finished second to Texarkana in both divisions. The Lady Wolves won the 4x800 relay with Tanya Jaramillo, London Martin, Kami Ward and Josie Carson timed in 10:20.19. Junior Madison Shinn won the pole vault with fewer misses than Sheridan's Sarah Michael, each clearing 11-6. Lady Wolf vaulters Edie Murray, Farren Simon and Denise Tang completed the top five.
Little Rock Parkview senior Jada Baylark won five girls events -- the 100- and 200-meter dashes (12.04 and 25.16 seconds), the 100 hurdles (14.67), the long jump (18-4.50) and the triple jump (39-10).
Class 3A-5 track
Noah Eskew scored 32.5 points at his school's district track meet in events one would expect the Jessieville sophomore to dominate.
Eskew's eight points in the pole vault helped the Lions breeze to the boys' team championship Thursday at Phillips Field in Jessieville.
A two-time state cross country champion, Eskew vaulted 6 feet, 6 inches as Jessieville scored 14 points in the event, winner Justin Herron clearing 10 feet and third-place finisher Jacob Beardon going 6 feet.
Eskew anchored the meet-ending 4x400 relay, which Jessieville won in 3:51.68 with Colton Ault, Hunter Ault and Mayson Bradshaw going before him. Eskew comfortably won the 800 (2:09.84), the 1,600 (4:47.20) and the 3,200 (10:48.69), teammate Jacob Carter finishing second in the two longer race.s
Jessieville totaled 207 points to 134.50 for runner-up Bismarck. Jessieville's other winners were Isaac Minton in the 300 hurdles (46.70 seconds) and Bradshaw in the long jump (17-9, with Beardon second). Bismarck took the 100 hurdles with Ben Ramirez (17.81), the discus with Joe Chancellor (120-6) and the 4x800 relay with Danial Reyes, Jordan Webb, Dylan Daniels and Angel Ramos (10:10.12, with Jessieville second).
Bismarck edged Jessieville 179-175 for the girls' team title, scoring 10 points as the only team in the 4x800 relay (Kayla Ventress, Hannah Wilson, Rose Wilson and Alli Foster timed in 14:27.66).
Jessieville's Alina Homan almost duplicated Eskew's triple, winning the 1,600 (6:14.19) and 3,200 (13:50.91) while placing third in the 800 behind Episcopal Collegiate's Hope Dunn (2:39.52) and Sally Barnes. Jessieville's Jaidyn Fortenberry won both hurdles events, the 100 in 19.39 and the 300 in 55.18, and ran with Mykaela Colon, Courtland Daley and Riley Taylor on the winning 4x100 relay (54.43).
Jessieville's Trinity Greeen swept the throwing events, the shot put in 28-9 and the discus in 75 feet. Colon won the high jump (4-9) and Taylor the triple jump (31-2.50).
The Class 3A state meet is Tuesday at Green Forest.
Sports on 04/30/2016