The Cleveland Naval Jr. ROTC Commanders continued their excellence in boys’ track and field by winning the Class 2 state championship last weekend in Jefferson City.
The Commanders won their second state title by scoring 62.2 points; which was 12 more than their nearest competitor. In the past six years, Cleveland has won two state titles, two second-place finishes and one third-place trophy.
Cleveland was led by its dynamic junior duo of James Allen and Antonio Norman. Allen finished first in the 800-meter run in 1 minute 56.79 seconds while Norman won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles in 38.11 seconds. Allen was also second in the 400 while Norman was third in the high jump. Both ran legs on the Commanders’ first-place 4×400-meter relay team and sixth-place 4×800 relay.
Junior Kelsey Cole turned in an excellent performance in the field events by winning the triple jump and finishing third in the long jump. Cole bounded 46 feet 6 ½ inches to win the triple jump. Anthony Craig and Ketron Franklin joined Norman and Allen on the first-place 4×400-meter relay team. The Commanders also finished seventh in the 4×200.
Brentwood’s Kaylon Jenkins also enjoyed a productive state meet as he finished first in the 400-meter dash and second in the 200 while running a leg on the Eagles’ first-place 4×100-meter relay team. His winning time in the 400 was 49.05 seconds. Joining Jenkins on the victorious 4×100 relay was Deandre Boykin, Joseph Clay and Justice Harris.
Sophomore Rasheed Rickets of McKinley Classical finished second in the long jump and third in the triple jump. Maplewood finished fifth in the 4×800-meter relay. On the girls’ side, junior Jayda Buchanan of Maplewood finished fifth in the 400 and seventh in the 800.
Cahokia Girls Take Second in Illinois
The Cahokia Comanches took home a second-place trophy from last weekend’s Illinois Class 2A girls’ state championships in Charleston. The Comanches scored 57 points to finish behind Dunlap’s 78 points. Cahokia was seeking a fourth consecutive state championship.
Senior Mariya Hudson had a big day as she won the 400-meter dash in 54.48 seconds. Hudson also finished second in the 100, 200 and long jump. She put down impressive marks of 11.7 in the 100, 24.68 in the 200 and 18 feet 7 inches in the long jump.
Sophomore LaQwasia Stepney earned three All-State medals as she finished fifth in the 100-meter high hurdles, fourth in the 300-meter low hurdles and eighth in the long jump. The Comanches also finished seventh in the 4×100 and fourth in the 4×200.
O’Fallon Relays Rock in Illinois 3A
The O’Fallon Panthers finished fourth at the IHSA Class 3A girls state championships in Charleston. The Panthers rolled in the sprint relays as they won the 4×100 and 4×200 state titles. The team of Kersten Douglas, Tamya Houston, Chloe Lambert and Mya Wilson-Blake won the 4×100 in 47.55 seconds. The crew of Douglas, Houston, Wilson-Blake and Dartrenetta Holman won the 4×200 in a sizzling time of 1:38.58. Houston also finished third in the 100.
East St. Louis finished in seventh place in the team standings. Evangelina Harris finished eighth in the shot put. The Flyerettes also finished third in the 4×400 and fourth in the 4×200.
