The 2023 West AA Sectional Track and Field Championship Meet was held last week in appalling weather conditions.
Teams were forced to sit out a lengthy weather delay due to lightning and when events resumed the wet conditions played havoc with performances. Events on Wednesday night were cut off after the 300-meter hurdles and teams were forced to continue the meet the following day at Lakeland Preparatory School.
The weather again refused to cooperate and most of the night’s events were held in a driving rainstorm. Munford assistant coach Thomas Walters said it was “the most miserable track meet I’ve been to in 25 years.”
Despite the weather the girls’ team scored early and scored often on the way to a dominating win and multiple state meet berths.
The Lady Cougars piled on, scoring 199.5 points to the second place South Gibson’s 62.5. After just the first three events (pentathlon, pole vault, and triple jump) Munford already had 67 points and wassecurely in first place.
Cara Bruce took first place in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m runs. She joined Emily Bey, Kaelyn Coker, and Kylie Porter to also win the 4X800 meter relay. Bey qualified for state with a second-place finish in the 300 meter hurdles and won the sectional pentathlon and triple jump competitions. Bey, Coker, Storie Ivy, and Kacie Rose took second in the 4×400 meter relay.
Earlier in the week, Ivy placed first in the sectional pole vault with freshman Bryce Barbera taking send. Freshmen KaLeia Lee (triple jump) and Kayla Jones (long jump) both took silver medals in their events and will travel to Murfreesboro for the state championship meet.
The Lady Cougars qualified nine athletes in all.
The boys’ team suffered several setbacks early, but despite these slips, the Cougars blew away the competition, scoring 136 points to finish in first place, Melrose was second with 73.
Ryan Coley qualified in the 1600m and 3200m runs for the second year in a row. Coley, Wade Walters, Murray Norman and Mark Castillo qualified the 4X800m relay team.
Jace Hodgin won the decathlon and the pole vault and will attempt to win the decathlon after finishing 2nd last year to his teammate Christian Perez. Hodgin will be joined in the pole vault by freshman Brady Millican. Also receiving an at-large bid was the 4X200 meter relay team.
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