Poplar Bluff wins first sectional title since 2009

It was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon at Poplar Bluff High School for the Class, 5 Sectional 1 Track & Field meet where competitors battled it out for the chance to represent their school at the MSHSAA Class 5 Championships next week in Jefferson City.

The Poplar Bluff boys track & field team took home first overall, the first sectional title for the program since 2009, while the girls team took fourth. Both programs are sending several athletes to represent the Mules and Lady Mules at the state meet.

The boys are sending seven individuals and their 4x200-meter relay squad while the girls are sending five individuals along with their 4x100 and 4x200-meter relay teams.

“It’s everything to those kids,” boys head coach Jeff Mannon said. “They get to do it in front of their friends and everyone else. It makes it special for them. No matter how big the stage is, we always preach to the kids to do your best … Everything will take care of itself at the end.”

Lady Mules head coach Beth Lewis-Muse said Saturday taught her a lot about her team although she wasn’t able to watch them as much as she wanted.

“It was a great showing by our kids,” she said. “It’s always nice to have that home-field advantage. It makes it difficult as coach when you’re running the meet, you miss the small details of your runners and their performances. I was getting glimpses and being able to see and count numbers … It was neat in a situation like that where coaches run the main event, it shows how self-sufficient and mature your athletes are.”

The Mules are sending five field athletes to the state tournament including two in the high jump.

Poplar Bluff had two sectional champions on the day with Darius Graham (high jump) and Spencer Nunn (pole vault) taking first in their respective events.

Mannon said when Poplar Bluff moved to Class 5, he noticed where the more closely-contested events were.

“Sprints have been more challenging to get out of and relays have been more competitive,” he said. “We’ve had success in the jumps and the throws the last four or five years … I think our kids really excel at it. Another thing may be a lot of our kids are multi-sport athletes so jumping and doing everything else, it equates well to track.”

While Lewis-Muse and Mannon were helping the meet run smoothly, both relied on their teams, those competing and not, to keep order where needed.

Lewis-Muse said those that weren’t competing still wanted to be a part of the meet.

“We selected a specific group to help us out then the rest of the kids that weren’t on the list because they wanted to be there,” she said. “They’re great friends with a lot of people and they want to be involved … These kids really love track and it’s exciting.”

This week will be mostly rest and recovery for both squads as they’ll focus more on the mental game this week.

“You’re more working on the psychological aspects of things,” she said.

The Mules will head to the MSHSAA Class 5 State Track & Field in Jefferson City with the prelims starting on Friday.

Poplar Bluff State qualifiers

C5S1 Track & Field State Finalists

Boys

1st Overall

200-Meter Dash

2. Kolyn McBride

300-meter hurdles

4. Brandin Dodd

4x200-meter relay

4. Poplar Bluff

High jump

1. Darius Graham

2. Isaiah Nevel

Long Jump

2. A’Tari Amos

Triple Jump

3. Darius Graham

Pole Vault

1. Spencer Nunn

Shot Put

2. Jeridon Young

Girls

4th Overall

100-Meter Dash

3. Samantha Dowd

4x100-meter relay

3. Poplar Bluff

4x200-meter relay

2. Poplar Bluff

Long Jump

3. McKenzie Cassie

Javelin

2. Adrianne Casey

4. Kennedy Zgaynor

Shot put

2. Makyra Mead

__Area State Qualifiers__

__Jackson__

Brooklyn Williams, 4th, Long Jump

Lillian Gibbs, 1st, Discus

Briaysia Purl, 2nd, Discus

Lillian Gibbs, 1, Javelin

Cole Puls, 3rd, 800m

Cade McCadams, 3rd, 1600m

Hunter Wendel , 1st, 3200m

Mason Turley, 3rd, Pole Vault

Braeden Cain, 4th, Pole Vault

Boys' 4x800m, 1st

Girls' 4x800m, 3rd

__Perryville__

Ellie Gerler, 4th, shot put

__Cape Central__

Kent Sheridan, 2nd, Pole Vault

Ryan Seabaugh, 4th, 800m

Ryan Seabaugh, 4th, 1600m

Ryan Seabaugh, 4th, 3200m

RaKiara Bogan, 3rd, Triple Jump

Amiyah Mackins, 3rd, 400m

Girls' 4X100m, 2nd

Girls' 4X200, 2nd

Girls' 4x400, 2nd

Boys' 4x200, 4th

Boys' 4x800, 3rd

__Notre Dame__

Lauren Eftink, 3rd, 1600m

Lauren Eftink, 3rd, 3200m

Lily Carr, 3rd, 300m Hurdles

Jenna Givens, 2nd, Triple Jump

Abigail Spooler, 1st, Pole Vault

Emma Duenne, 1st, Discus

__Girls' 4x400m, 4th__

Gregory Dennis, 3rd, High Jump

Cole Bruenderman, 2nd, Long Jump

Cole Bruenderman, 3rd, Triple Jump

Jacob Brown, 2nd, 100m

Jacob Brown, 3rd, 200m

Mason Morris, 4th, 1600m

Mason Morris, 3rd, 3200m

Davis Dow, 3rd, 300m Hurdles

Boys' 4x100m, 3rd

Boys' 4x200m, 3rd

__Kelly__

Blaire Riley, 4th, Javelin

Myah Herrion, 4th, Shot Put

__Kennett__

William Gaines-Parker, 1st, 100m

William Gaines-Parker, 1st, 200m

Kierra Edmondson, 2nd, Triple Jump

Elle Vancil, 2nd, Discus

Lani Heeb, 4th, 800m

Chauncey Fobbs, 4th, High Jump

Boys' 4x200m, 2nd

__Dexter__

Allison Turnbo, 4th, 100m Hurdles

Nia Stromas, 4th, 300m Hurdles

Karis Kennedy, 2nd, Long Jump

Karis Kennedy, 3rd, Triple Jump

Abbie Lloyd, 1st, Pole Vault

Anistin Kyle, 2nd, 800m

RJ Farmer, 1st, 300m Hurdles

Andrew Saylors, 1st, Javelin

Boys' 4x400m, 1st

Boys' 4x800m, 1st

Boys' 4x200m, 4th

__New Madrid County Central__

Ja'Kwon Jones, 1st, Long Jump

Evan McClellan, 3rd, 110m Hurdles

__Sikeston__

Girls' 4x100m, 3rd

Brionna Williams, 2nd, High Jump

Kirsten Fairhurst, 3rd, Long Jump

Kyndal Steward, 4th, Long Jump