Photo: The Southside High girls and boys track and field team members gather for a photo after winning the Etowah County Schools Meet on Apr. 10 at Gadsden City High School.
By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor
The Southside girls and boys track and field teams swept the Etowah County Schools Meet on April 10 at Gadsden City High School.
According to unofficial totals, the Panthers edged Hokes Bluff in overall points, 203 to 191, while the Lady Panthers’ point total of 175 was 30 points better than second-place Hokes Bluff.
The Sardis boys and girls both finished in third place with respective point totals of 176 and 126.
Including relay events, the Lions earned seven first-place medals, while Southside and Hokes Bluff each had five. The Southside girls edged Hokes Bluff in first-place showings by a seven to six margin.
Southside’s Camryn Davis and Hokes Bluff’s Haleigh Cashman and Lauren Dowdy all earned a pair of gold medals – Davis in the 1600-meter run (6:05.74) and 800-meter run (2:41.41) events, Cashman in the 100-meter dash (13.33) and long jump (16-09.00) and Dowdy in the 100-meter hurdles (18.20) and high jump (4-08.00). Davis also earned the second-place sliver in the 3200-meter run (14:23.40), while Cashman took the third-place bronze in the triple jump (34-03.00).
Also taking first place on the girls’ side were Glencoe’s Abby Vice in the 400-meter dash (1:06.00), Glencoe’s Anna Beth Giles in the 300-meter hurdles (53.45), Southside’s Abbie Owens in the 200-meter dash (27.56), Southside’s Alexis Valentine in the 3200-meter run (13:46.22), Southside’s Macie Williams in the shot put (40-03.00), Hokes Bluff’s Maddie Sims in the discus (81-02), Sardis’ Abby Burns in the triple jump (34-10.00) and Hokes Bluff’s Gracie West in the javelin (95-10). Taking first in the relay events were Southside’s 4×800 meter team of Lanora Hill, Amira Augustus, Marianna Coley and Camryn Davis (11:01.50), Southside’s 4×100-meter team of Marianna Coley, Abbie Owens, Kenzie Duncan, and Ciara Flowers (53.88) and Glencoe’s 4×400-meter team of Anna Beth Giles, Ashley Morgan, Katie Giles and Abby Vice (4:33.39).
Southside’s Ryan Maudsley and Hokes Bluff’s Braydon Hill both took home the boys gold in three events. Maudsley won the 1600-meter run (5:04.49), the 800-meter run (2:16.76) and the 3200-meter run (11:16.43), while Hill captured the gold in the 200-meter dash (23.10), the long jump (21-01.50) and the triple jump (42-01.00).
A pair of Sardis athletes won a pair of gold medals – Torin Bright in the 110-meter hurdles (15.70) and 300-meter hurdles (45.07) and Brody Lowe in the discus (123-06) and javelin (138-03).
Other first-place boys finishers were Southside’s Grayson Russell in the 100-meter dash (11.35), Sardis’ Jackson McKee in the 400-meter dash (55.03), Hokes Bluff’s Jack Busch in the shot put (43-05.50), Sardis’ Trent Presley in the high jump (6-02.00), the Southside 4×800-meter relay team of Parker Cunningham, Garrett McWhorter, Luke Holcombe and Ryan Maudsley (9:32.82), the Hokes Bluff 4×100-meter relay team of Darrian Meads, Hayden Lipscomb, Matthew Johnson and Braydon Hill (45.02) and the Sardis 4×400-meter relay team of Torin Bright, Mason Golden, Trent Presley and Jackson McKee (3:48.39).
Hokes Bluff’s Meghan Cashman finished runner-up in three events – the 100-meter dash (13.45), the long jump (16-01.00) and the triple jump (34-06.00).
Sardis’ Abby Rodgers and Glencoe Katie Giles both won two silver medals – Rodgers in the 100-meter hurdles (19.12) and 300-meter hurdles (54.07) and Giles in the 1600-meter run (6:22.56) and 800-meter run (2:51.42).
Also winning the silver in girls’ events were Sardis’ Abby Burns in the 400-meter dash (1:06.78), Gaston’s Savanah Ferguson in the 200-meter dash (28.71), Gaston’s Tamera Foster in the shot put (29-08.00), Sardis’ Madison Langley in the discus (81-01.50), Glencoe’s Asia Dennis in the high jump (4-06.00), Sardis’ Isabella Self in the javelin (91-09), the Glencoe 4×800-meter relay team of Anna Beth Giles, Sadie Riley, Katie Giles and Abby Vice (11:13.65), the Sardis 4×100-meter relay team of Abby Rodgers, Bailee Bowen, Amaya Kittle and Lexi Henderson (54.32) and the Sardis 4×400-meter relay team of Abby Rodgers, Cassie Rodgers, Lexi Henderson and Abby Burns (4:42.35).
In boys’ action, Hokes Bluff’s Hayden Lipscomb earned three silver medals – one for the discus (115-09), one for the high jump (6-00.00) and one for the triple jump (39-04.00).
Capturing two second-place medals were Southside’s Jace Whorton in the 11-meter hurdles (19.17) and 300-meter hurdles (51.34) and Hokes Bluff’s Sam Green in the 1600-meter run (5:09.03) and 3200-meter run (12:06.67). Other boys second-place showings were Sardis’s Trent Presley in the 100-meter dash (11.39), Southside’s Tyler Cline in the 400-meter dash (56.98), Southside’s Garrett McWhorter in the 800-meter run (2:24.90), Southside’s Grayson Russell in the 200-meter dash (23.15), Sardis’ Tristan Baker in the long jump (18-08.50), Southside’s Chance Moon in the shot put (43-05.00), Hokes Bluff’s Cody Harp in the javelin (133-07), the Hokes Bluff 4×800-meter relay team of Donovan Greaves, Cole Turner, J.P. Fairell and Sam Green (9:45.43), the Southside 4×100-meter relay team of C.J. Butler, Tyler Cline, Broady Johnson and Grayson Russell (45.07) and the Southside 4×400-meter relay team of Garret McWhorter, Luke Holcombe, Nick Jennings and Tyler Cline (3:58.63).
Girls’ third-place performances included West End’s Jordan Ledbetter in the 100-meter hurdles (20.73), Gaston’s Savanah Ferguson in the 100-meter dash (13.50), Southside’s Amira Augustus in the 1600-meter run (6:32.45), West End’s Kayley Dobbins in the 400-meter dash (1:10.06), Hokes Bluff’s Gracie West in the 300-meter hurdles (55.01), Southside’s Lanora Hill in the 800-meter run (2:54.42), Sardis’ Lexi Henderson in the 200-meter dash (28.73), West End’s Kaylee Tarpley in the 3200-meter run (15:25.73), Sardis’ Abby Burns in the long jump (14-09.50), Southside’s Alexis Thompson in the shot put (29-04.75), Southside’s Macie Williams in the discus throw (81-01), Southside’s Kenzie Duncan in the high jump (4-06.00), Gaston’s Sidney Oliver in the javelin (90-10), the Hokes Bluff 4×800 relay team of Elizabeth Edge, Chloe Rule, Keira Johnson and Mayce Hardin (12:07.93), the Hokes Bluff 4×100 team of Lauren Dowdy, Meghan Cashman, Gracie West and Haleigh Cashman (54.92) and the Southside 4×400-meter relay team Savanna Blackwell, Savanna Knighten, Blaise Bunton and Rebecca Johnson (4:48.54).
Winning bronze for the boys were Southside’s Luke Holcombe in the 1600-meter run (5:31.14) and 800-meter run (2:26.43), Sardis’ Brody Lowe in the 300-meter hurdles (52.78) and shot put (43-04.00), Hokes Bluff’s Matthew Johnson in the 200-meter dash (24.24) and long jump (18-05.50), Hokes Bluff’s Lake Gilbert in the 110-meter hurdles (20.01), Glencoe’s Andrew Massaro in the 100-meter dash (11.77), Glencoe’s Daniel Williams in the 400-meter dash (57.17), Southside’s Mason Williamson in the 3200-meter run (12:06.94), Hokes Bluff’s Austin Elder in the discus (105-06), Sardis’ Jake Alewine in the high jump (5-06.00), Sardis’ Joshua Henson in the triple jump (38-07.00), Hokes Bluff’s Christopher Vest in the javelin (133-05), the Sardis 4×800-meter relay team of Jackson McKee, Diego Mondragon, Treat Baker and Jason Hillary (9:58.84), the Sardis 4×100-meter relay team of Trent Presley, Tristan Baker, Mason Golden and Josh Henson (46.27) and the Hokes Bluff 4×400-meter relay team of Dylan Johnston, Noah Monday, Gage Wise and Ethan Johnson (4:07.49).