Panthers reign as both boys, girls region track champs
Senior Taylor Brunskole runs in the one of his two hurdle events, both of which he won during the second day of the Region 4-AAAAA championship.
April 29, 2015
For the first time in school history, the boys’ and girls’ teams both won the Region 4-AAAAA track and field championship. Head coach Chad Walker couldn’t be more ecstatic about his teams performances.
“Both teams did very well,” Walker said. “Both teams scored over 100 points and anytime you do that, you have a great chance to win.”
While both teams won, two different stories emerged as to how they took home their respective championships. In a dominating performance, the girls scored 131 points, enough for a 40-point victory. In every event, at least one girl placed in the top three to earn team points. Junior Alexis Farley had a great day, finishing second in the 100-meter dash, the long jump and the triple jump.
“She’s such a great competitor,” Walker said. “She is definitely one of the best in the
Junior Alexis Farley runs in one of her three events at the Region 4-AAAAA championship. Farley placed second in all of her events.
state at what she does, and she never fails to compete.”
Another great performance came from junior Abbi Dickinson, who hit a 10-foot pole vault to give her team 10 more points.
“Dickinson came out of nowhere to help the team out,” Walker said. “She has been quiet all year long but went all-out during regions and really helped her team out.”
The boys tied with Union Grove as co-champions. “There’s no tie-breaker in track,” Walker said about the boys’ situation. “In every other sport, there is a tie-breaker, but it’s all right to be co-champions in track.” The 103-103 tie occurred when the boys finished behind Union Grove in the 4×400-meter relay race, the last event of the day.
“We definitely wanted to win that last event and win the region championship alone,” said senior Cody Clements, who was a part of that 4×400 team. “It would’ve
Senior Cody Clements pulls off a six-foot jump during the high jump event of the Region 4-AAAAA championship.
been great to finish like that, but it is what it is.”
Other great performances included junior Michael and freshman Ben Runyan, who finished first and second in the boys’ pole vault event. Their jumps were 14 and 12 feet respectively.
“I love competing with my brother,” Michael Runyan said. “It makes it even better when we dominate the event. It makes for some great family dinner conversations.”
The team will compete in the sectionals beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 2, in Panther Stadium. It is the last competition before the state meet. The girls will compete in Albany on May 7-9 and the boys in Jefferson on May 14-16. Walker said he feels confident that both teams will do well.
“We just need to keep doing what we are doing,” Walker said. “Hopefully, we can continue to advance and move on to the state meet.”
