BLUFF REIGNS SUPREME: Mules, Lady Mules outdistance competition at own invite

The Poplar Bluff Mules reigned supreme Tuesday as the boys and girls finished first in the 2023 Poplar Bluff Track and Field Invitational.

Out of 24 events, the Lady Mules finished with an overall score of 219, and the Mules racked in 193 to land top honors. The girls finished 80 points ahead of runner-up Malden, while the boys were 68 points ahead of second-place Dexter.

Northwest High School of Cedar Hill was third on the boys side with 103 points, while Kennett took fourth with 89 and Malden was fifth with 69.

On the girls side, Kennet was third with 101 points, while Dexter took fourth with 82 1/2 points and Clearwater was fifth with 27.

“These girls have waited a while to perform at home, and they did not fail,” said Poplar Bluff girls track and field coach Beth Lewis. “They are doing great this season. They’re a strong group of girls and great friends with positive attitudes. They work extremely hard, and they’re a coach’s dream.”

Lewis said it’s nice to be back home as they approach the end of the season. She said the Lady Mules are comfortable here, and it’s great they get to show their hometown what they got.

The Lady Mules jumped out early in the track events as Sophia Leach, Wren Cotrell, Ava Stott and Chloe Cambron outlasted Dexter, Kennett and Malden to claim first place in the girls’ 4x800-meter relay.

Sophomore Spencer Nunn dashed his way to first for the Mules in the boys 110-meter hurdles with the fastest time in all sections at 15.75 second. Following Nunn was freshman Samantha Dowd, who won first in the girls 100-meter dash with a time of 12.68 seconds. Trailing behind her was Koryenna Williams, who landed second at 12.97 seconds.

Kolyn McBride won second in the boys 100-meter dash, while Koryenna Williams, Samantha Dowd, Caitlin Paumen and McKenzie Cassie won first in the girls 4x200 and 4x100-meter relays.

Freshman Wren Cotrell won first in the girls 1600-meter run, while Caitlin Paumen finished first for the Lady Mules in the 400-meter dash.

In the field events, Adrianne Casey won first in the girls javelin throw and second in the shot put, while Nunn won first in the pole vault for the boys. Junior Darius Graham won first in the boys long jump and high jump, while Cassie finished first in the triple jump and second in the long jump.