Russell Hedges
rhedges@bossierpress.com
Bossier Parish teams turned in an outstanding performance in the District 1-5A track and field meet Thursday at Benton.
Haughton won the boys division, and the Parkway boys and girls both finished runner-up.
Haughton scored 150 points in the boys division to 124 for Parkway. Defending champion Airline finished fourth with 102.
Byrd, which dominated the sprints, won the girls division with 175 points. Defending champion Parkway had 133. Haughton finished fourth with 70 and Airline fifth with 61.
Parish athletes claimed three of the four individual honors.
Airline’s Cameron Rice, who won the triple jump (46-8), long jump (23-4.5) and high jump (6-8), was named the boys Field MVP.
Parkway’s Hayden Kingfisher, who won the 1,600 (4:34.60) and the 3,200 (10:25.00) and finished second in the 800 (2:06.36), was named boys Track MVP.
Parkway’s Alison Ringle, who won the 800 (2:20.06), 1,600 (5:31.97) and 3,200 (12:15.19) for the second straight year, was named the girls Track MVP.
It was a windy day at Benton. Achieving personal bests was secondary to qualifying for the Region I-4A meet Wednesday at Northwestern State.
Parkway’s Cory Hamilton was a double winner in the boys division, taking the 200 in 21.98 and the 400 in 49.41.
Hamilton also ran a leg on Parkway’s winning 4X200 team (1:27.73) along with Demetrius McAtee, William McKnight and Dylan Whaley.
Airline’s Jack Wilkes finished second in the 400 in 49.69 and won the 800 in 2:03.96.
Haughton’s Micah Larkins, the defending Class 5A 100-meter dash champ, won his specialty in 10.44. He also finished third in the 200 after almost pulling up about 10 meter before the finish line.
Haughton’s Antonio Woodfork and Josh Lister finished 1-2 in the 110 hurdles in 14.58 and 14.64, respectively.
Lister, who was running at Haughton Middle School last season, played a big role in the victory.
He also finished second in the 100 (10.48) and the 200 (23.20) and ran the anchor leg on the Bucs’ winning 4X100 relay team (42.21). Other members of the team were Larkins, D’Kovin Ware and Javonte Woodard.
The Bucs’ Cody Hinson won the pole vault with a 12-6.
Haughton also got runner-up finishes from Jacorius Jeter (long jump, 21-10; triple jump, 45-11) and Ray Cole (high jump, 6-2). The Bucs also finished second in the 4X200 and 4X400 relays.
Airline’s OJ Smith (49-4) and Parkway’s Kameron Eloph (47-7.5) finished 1-2 in the shot put. Airline finished second in the 4X400.
Airline’s Jasmyn Carswell was a double winner in the girls division, taking the high jump (5-0, fewer misses) and the triple jump (36-4).
Parkway’s Rain Hall (shot put, 36-6 1/2) and Julie Anderson (pole vault, 9-6) also won district championships along with Haughton’s Mattie McCoy (shot put, 36-6 1/2).
Parkway dominated the distance events. Sara Funderburk (800), Jessica McGuffee (1,600) and Destiny McGaffey (3,200) all finished runner-up to Ringle in their respective events.
Other parish district runners-up were Airline’s January Ferguson (100 hurdles, 17.34), Haughton’s Caitlin Tibbits (300 hurdles, 51.41), Haughton’s Inez Green (shot put, 36-6), Haughton’s Chelcy Swint (discus, 102-6) and Parkway’s Jordan Hubbard (javelin, 88-5 1/2)
