Westbrook’s Henry breaks record at state track meet; Ashville girls, Westbrook boys finish in top 10

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Messenger file photo by Chris McCarthy

By Chris McCarthy, Publisher/Editor

Westbrook Christian senior Carl Henry (pictured above) set a state record in the shot put event and picked up another two medals in the bronze category while the Ashville girls and Westbrook boys finished in the top 10 at the AHSAA state track and field meets last week.
Henry, who won both the shot put and discus events at the 2021 Class 2A meet, shattered the previous state shot put mark set by Sulligent’s Morgan Reese by 14 inches. Henry’s record-breaking throw was also more than eight feet longer than his 2021 gold-medal toss. Henry also won the gold medal in the shot put at the 2022 indoor state meet in February.
Henry, who broke the record with the first of his three attempts in the finals, said that he knew he had a chance to make history was soon as the ball left his hand.
“When I saw where it landed, I said to myself, “That’s got to be the record.’ Nothing gets better than that. It was definitely the highlight of my career [at Westbrook]. I didn’t do as well as I wanted in the discus, but to medal in the javelin was huge, because I did not expect that.”
Henry’s success in the shot put is remarkable considering that he did not pick up a ball until a month before the start of the 2021 season.
“It really came down to hard work and being blessed by God with the ability I have,” he said. “We didn’t have a big a team as we did last year, so to finish up there with the best felt really good.”
Westbrook track and field coach Seth Ford noted that Henry saves his best for when he is in the spotlight.
“Carl is always at his best when the pressure is on. He doesn’t get rattled. He’s one of those kids that’s a gifted natural athlete along with being mentally tough. He can dig down and find that little bit of extra when he needs to. Carl just goes out and performs, which you really appreciate as a coach. He’s a gamer. He’s very confident in a good way.”
Ashville came in sixth place out of 33 schools at the Class 4A state meet in Gulf Shores, with the Lady Bulldogs taking a second-place medal in the 4×800-meter relay and a pair of third place medals in the 100-meter dash and high jump.
Helped by Henry’s three-medal haul, the Westbrook boys finished seventh out of 36 teams at the Class 2A state meet at Cullman. Henry took third in both the discus (131-01) and javelin (144-04), while Sage Robertson earned the bronze in the 400-meter dash (52.19) and pole vault (10-06).
Also winning the gold was Gaston’s Kodie Bogle in the Class 2A boys javelin. His throw of 165-10 was four feet and 10 inches better than his previous PR.
Westbrook’s Gracie Countryman captured the second-place silver in the Class 2A girls discus with a throw of 96-03.
Other local bronze medalists were Ashville’s Lydia Northam in the Class 4A girls high jump (4-08.00), Ashville’s Greyson Simpson in the Class 4A boys pole vault (10-06.00), Ashville’s Emma Drinkard in the Class 4A girls 100-meter dash (12.64) and Sardis’ Tony Patterson in the Class 5A boys discus (130-00).
Listed is the local medal count and top 10 individual performances in all seven classifications.
First
2A boys shot put
1. Carl Henry, Westbrook: 54-09.50 (state record)
2A boys javelin
1. Kodie Bogle, Gaston: 165-10

Second
4A girls 4×800-meter relay
2. Ashville: Taylor Knight, Emma Thompson, Kathleen McCarthy, Emma Drinkard: 10:31.17 (season PR by five seconds)
2A girls discus
2. Gracie Countryman, Westbrook: 96-03

Third
2A boys discus
3. Carl Henry, Westbrook: 131-01
2A boys javelin
3. Carl Henry, Westbrook: 144-04
4A girls high jump
3. Lydia Northam, Ashville: 4-08.00
4A boys pole vault
3. Greyson Simpson, Ashville: 10-06.00
4A girls 100-meter dash
3. Emma Drinkard, Ashville: 12.64
5A boys discus
3. Tony Patterson, Sardis: 130-00
2A boys 400-meter dash
3. Sage Robertson Westbrook 52.19
2A boys pole vault
3. Sage Robertson, Westbrook: 10-06.00

Top 10 individual
4A girls 400-meter dash
4. Emma Drinkard, Ashville:59.26
4A boys 3200-meter run
4. Joe Stevens, Ashville: 9:55.29
4A boys shot put
4. Jacob Sanford, Etowah: 50 44-11.00
2A boys 200-meter dash
4. Sage Robertson, Westbrook: 23.28
3A girls 800-meter run
4. Katie Giles, Glencoe: 2:31.21

4A girls 200-meter dash
5. Emma Drinkard, Ashville: 26.46
3A girls 1600-meter run
5. Katie Giles Glencoe High
3A girls 3200-meter run
5. Katie Giles, Glencoe: 12:21.42
3A boys shot put
5. Ian Stinson, Hokes Bluff: 45-02.00

7A boys 100-meter dash
6. Clyde Curry, Gadsden City: 11.12
5A boys javelin
6. Jose Ponce Sardis: 151-08
3A girls javelin
6. Chloe Dodd, Hokes Bluff: 92-04
3A boys 300-meter hurdles
6. Dylan Johnston, Hokes Bluff: 43.44

4A girls 3200-meter run:
7. Taylor Knight, Ashville:
4A boys long jump
7. Trent Bothwell, Etowah: 20-01.25
4A boys 300-meter hurdles
7. Josh Graham, Etowah: 42.83
7A Girls 200-meter dash
7. Emani Morgan, Gadsden City: 25.35
7A boys 3200-meter run
7. Tanner Rice, Gadsden City: 9:46.73
1A girls 800-meter run
7. Maryanne Wright, Coosa Christian: 2:49.26
2A girls 200-meter dash
7. Lily Lewis, Gaston: 28.06
3A boys 1600-meter run
7. Conner Cothran, Glencoe: 4:55.33
3A boys javelin
7. Conner Wellingham, Hokes Bluff: 143-04

7A boys shot put
8. Aaron Richard, Gadsden City: 46-11.75
4A girls 800-meter run
8. Taylor Knight, Ashville: 2:32.55
1A girls 800-meter run
8. Kailah East, Coosa Christian: 2:49.75
3A girls high jump
8 Chloe Rule 10 Hokes Bluff: 4-08.00
2A boys triple jump
8. Kodie Bogle, Gaston: 38-07.50

4A girls 1600-meter run
9. Taylor Knight, Ashville: 5:43.31
4A girls high jump
9. Alora White, Ashville: 4-06.00
4A boys 800-meter run
9. Ashton Vann, Ashville: 2:02.81
5A boys 300-meter hurdles
9. Avery Carrol, Sardis: 42.76
1A girls 400-meter dash
9. Payton Ridley Coosa Christian 1:06.51
2A girls triple jump
9. Taylor Meador, Westbrook: 29-10.75

3A boys triple jump
10. Paul Amrein, Hokes Bluff: 38-04.50
4A boys 1600-meter run
10. Joe Stevens, Ashville: 4:36.66
4A girls 800-meter hurdles
10. Lydia Northam, Ashville: 51.92
4A boys 800-meter run
10. Wyatt Knight, Ashville: 2:02.82

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