Repeating last-out performances, two Garland County seniors can end glorious high-school careers as first-time winners in the Meet of Champions.
As four-time state cross country champions, Lake Hamilton's Josie Carson and Jessieville's Noah Eskew have distinguished themselves greatly in athletics. With Carson going to the University of Arkansas and Eskew to Oklahoma Baptist, both plan to continue athletic careers in college.
Oddly, neither has been able to reach the top step of the podium in the Meet of Champions, the crowning event of Arkansas high school track and field. One more chance awaits Carson and Eskew today at Lake Hamilton High School, where afternoon sessions begin at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and the evening portion at 5:30 p.m.
Carson is the leading qualifier in the girls' 800 meters after winning the Class 6A meet last week in 2:20.29. The 800 follows her scheduled start at 1600 meters, in which at 5:12.29 she placed second to Benton's Gracie Hyde (5:08.54, leading qualifier) at the state meet. Carson (11:51.97), along with Jessieville's Alina Homan (12:39.06), has a later date in the 3200-meter run, in which Fayetteville's Rebecca Boushelle (11:22.64 in 7A) is the favorite.
State and meet records in those events are 2:06.44 by Jonesboro's Katya Kostetkaya (a future Russian Olympian) in the 800, 4:57.57 by Rogers' Maggie Montoya in the 1,600 and 10:40.35 by Cabot's Emily Meyers in the 3,200.
Eskew enters his final Meet of Champions at a peak after breaking the Class 3A record in 1:58.10 at Jessieville's Phillips Field last week. Eskew also won the 1,600 and placed second to teammate Jake Carter in the 3200 at the state meet. For the MOC, Eskew is concentrating on the 800, in which Crossett's Robert Bradley set the existing state (1:51.94) and meet (1:52.44) records in 1985.
Lake Hamilton goes for a sweep in the pole vault with defending girls champion Edie Murray and Haze Farmer the pre-meet favorites. Both won 6A titles, Murray at 13 feet, 3.25 inches and Farmer clearing 17 feet. Murray cleared 13 feet for the MOC title last year.
Farmer tries to regain the boys MOC crown for Lake Hamilton three years after former teammate Nick Johnson won clearing 15-10. Johnson set the overall state record of 17-3 in the 2016 Class 6A meet. Zach McWhorter of Springdale Har-Ber won the MOC title the last two years, outdueling Johnson 16-10 to 16-6 in 2016 and with Farmer second last year at 15-4.
Future University of Arkansas star Andrew Irwin set the boys MOC record of 17-1 as a Mount Ida senior in 2011. Murray, Farmer, Irwin and current Arkansas star Lexi Weeks (a state record-setter each of her last two years at Cabot) train under Lake Hamilton assistant coach Morry Sanders at Arkansas Vault Club in Montgomery County.
Will Burgess seeks a third Lake Hamilton MOC boys shot put in four years after winning 6A at 52 feet, 6.50 inches last week. Gentry's Mason Clark (55-1) is the leading qualifier in the event Eli Jackson won in 2015 and 2016 and placed second last year. Paul White's 44-year-old Arkansas high-school record of 65-10.75 (for Russellville) remains unassailable.
Lake Hamilton's Colby Swecker is the early favorite in the boys' 1,600 after going 4:24.15 last week. He placed fifth in the MOC 800 last year.
Lake Hamilton also qualified Grace Cole in the pole vault, Knowledge Hood in the boys 200, Skylar Davis in the boys 800, and its boys 4x800 and both 4x400 relay teams. Carter and Katherine Elliott compete for Jessieville, Ahman Johnson for Fountain Lake and Eric Porter for Hot Springs.
Sports on 05/12/2018