Mules' track and field prepare for state meet

All the hard work and long practices have led to this moment as the Poplar Bluff Mules boys and girls track and field teams set their sights on the state tournament.

The Mules and Lady Mules are sending multiple athletes to Jefferson City High School Friday for an opportunity to compete for a state title at the MSHSAA Class 5 state track meet.

Boys head coach Jeffrey Mannon said getting his players to state was the mission from the beginning of the season and believes they are ready to compete for a chance to bring home the gold.

“I'm excited to be heading to state,” Mannon said. “We got some kids that haven't been to state before, so that kind of makes them anxious. We plan to go up a day early for the kids that are graduating and allow them to practice on the track to get used to seeing it before it's filled with fans because it can be overwhelming. This allows them to get the nerves out, but I'm excited to see what these guys can do.”

Competing for the boys squad is Kolyn McBride in the 200-meter dash, Brandin Dodd in the 300-meter hurdles, Spencer Nunn in the pole vault, Jeridon Young in the shot put, A’Tari Amos in the long jump, Isaiah Nevel in the high jump, the 4x200-meter relay team and Darius Graham in the high and triple jump.

“I can’t even put into words how excited I am to go to state because it’s my first time,” Graham said. I just want to go up there and do what I do at every other meet: compete. The coaches really helped me a lot because last year I didn't even high jump, so going into this year, they've helped with my technique and form and got me to where I am now.”

Graham finished first in the high jump and third in the triple jump in last weekend’s sectional to qualify. He’s a multi-sport athlete with football and basketball on his resume, but it took a little convincing to get him out on the track, according to Mannon.

“He really bought into track this year,” Mannon said. “I've coached him in football for the last three years, and we talked him into coming out on track last year, and he did really good. It’s great to see how far he’s come in the high and triple jump. I think he's starting to realize that he's got a future in this.”

Returning to state for the Mules is McBride, who also qualified his freshman year. During sectionals, the junior finished second in the 200-meter dash and is ready to return.

McBride said this is the first time he’ll compete in an individual event and remembers how great the atmosphere was at the state tournament. As a member of the Mules football team, he said running track helps with his game on the gridiron.

McBride is anxious to compete against the best and is laser-focused on running his race.

“It's going to be a lot of stiff competition,” McBride said. “Most of the people in the 200 ran some pretty times, so to make it through prelims, I'm going to have to grind pretty hard. As for our 4x200 relay team, we definitely have a really good chance. We had two bad handoffs at sectionals, and we still managed to qualify, so I think we'll do something really good there.”

For long jumper Amos, it’s been a long journey trying to qualify for state. During the past few years, Amos has battled through injuries, but he is finally healthy and is ready to take his shot at snatching a state title.

“I've practiced every day for this moment,” Amos said. “My goal is to stay locked in and PR to make it to the final. Football is my main sport, but this is my first year fully going through a whole track season, so it will be exciting.”

Nunn, a qualifier in the pole vault, will get his first opportunity to compete at state after finishing first in the sectional. He said getting to the state tournament has been his goal for a while, so he is excited for himself and the entire school.

Nunn will try not to be overwhelmed at the moment and believes if he shows up and competes, he can be one of the guys standing on the podium.

Girls Track and Field

Freshman Samantha Dowd finished first in the 100-meter dash at the Poplar Bluff Track and Field Invitational. Dowd placed second in last week's sectionals to qualify for the state tournament. DAR/D�Courtland Christian

Competing for the girls squad is Samantha Dowd in the 100-meter dash, Koryenna Williams as a member of the 4x100-meter relay, McKenzie Cassie in the long jump, Adrianne Casey and Kennedy Zgaynor in the javelin, the 4x200 relay team and Makyra Mead in the shot put.

“It's exciting because it's been several years since we've had this many girls going, especially in the class five level,” said girls head coach Beth Lewis. “They are ready and a lot of girls missed out last year, so they're super excited for the opportunity.”

Lewis said having both relay teams qualify for state is a great feeling. She said they mesh well, and they respect each other. To Lewis, that’s what it takes to have a working relay team, and she’s ready to see how they perform on the big stage.

Dowd said getting to state has been her dream since junior high.

“I'm just going to try my best,” Dowd said. “I know I have three more years ahead, so I'm not expecting to win, although that would be great. I'm just going to try and PR and have fun.

Dowd said Lewis is super supportive and has prepared them for this moment. For Williams, Lewis has become a second mom to all of them.

“We are truly lucky to have her as a coach,” Williams said. “She literally does everything for us, and she’s worked nonstop to get us to this point.”

Williams will be a part of the relay team and believes strong team chemistry helped them punch their ticket to the state tournament.

“There were some little hiccups in the beginning, but we just got over them because at the end of the day, we knew the long-term goal, and we achieved it,” she said. “We have burned off three seconds of our time, which is really good and hard to do. I think we have all individually put in work on the track, and I’m so proud of us.”