Photo: Southside High’s Luke Holcombe (pictured at center) competes in the 1600-meter run event during the Last Chance Invitational indoor track and field meet on January 29 at the Birmingham CrossPlex. (Chris McCarthy/Messenger)
Five Gadsden City student-athletes medaled and several other local runners posted top 10 performances at the Last Chance Invitational indoor track and field meet on January 29-30 at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
Aaron Richards was the line first-place finisher, as the GCHS senior won the shot put event with a toss of 45-05.00, more than three feet longer than second-place Tre Bright of Calera.
The Lady Titans’ 4×200-meter relay team of Trinity Price, Kyla Price, Jadien Price and Emani Morgan finished a close second to Auburn, falling short by a margin of 1:50.58 to 1:50.82. Morgan came in third in the girls 60-meter sash with a time of 8.28.
Two Ashville High girls finished eighth – Emma Drinkard in the 400-meter dash (1:04.24) and Kayla Simpson in the triple jump (29-00.00).
A pair of Southside High boys came in sixth – Will Anglea in the 800-meter run (2:08.73) and Grayson Russell in the 400-meter dash (51.97).
Three area boys athletes finished eighth – Westbrook Christian’s Deacon Godfrey in the shot put (36-04.25), Gadsden City’s Tanner Rice in the 3200-meter run (10:40.91) and Southside’s Luke Holcombe in the 1600-meter run (4:48.23).
Westbrook’s Jackson Martin came in ninth on the boys 800-meter run (2:13.23), while teammate Asher Curp came in 10th in the boys 1600-meter run (4:53.62).
Qualifying for the Class 1A/3A boys state meet this weekend (Friday, Feb. 6 – Saturday, Feb. 6) from Westbrook are:
* Asher Curp 1600 and 3200-meter runs
* Jackson Martin in the 400-meter dash and 800-meter run
* The Warriors’ 4×400-meter relay team of Jackson Martin, Sage Robertson, Drew Whitemore and Toren Cantrell
* Sage Robertson in the 60-meter dash
* Deacon Godfrey in the shot put
Qualifying from Westbrook for the Class 1A/3A girls state meet was Lauren Taylor in the 1600-meter run.
Qualifying from Ashville for the Class 4A/5A boys state meet were:
* Wyatt Knight in the 800, 1600 and 3200-meter runs
* The Bulldogs’ 4×800 meter relay team of Clayton Knight, Wyatt Knight, Joe Stevens and Carter
Qualifying from Ashville for the Class 4A/5A girls state meet were:
* Taylor Knight in the 1600 and 3200-meter runs
* Emma Drinkard in the 400-meter dash
* The Lady Bulldogs’ 4×800-meter relay team of Callie Stewart, Meghan McCarthy, Emma Drinkard and Kathleen McCarthy
* Kayla Simpson in the triple jump and shot put
Qualifying from Southside for the Class 6A boys state meet was Grayson Russell in the 400-meter dash.
Qualifying from Gadsden City for the Class 7A state meet were:
* Aaron Richard in the boys shot put.
* Kyla Price and Trinity Price in the girls 400-meter dash
* Emani Morgan in the girls 60-meter dash
* The Lady Titans’ 4×200-meter relay team of Trinity Price, Kyla Price, Jadien Price and Emani Morgan
