The road to Jefferson City and the Missouri State Track and Field Championships began last weekend for Class 1 and 2 schools with district meets around the state.
Area Class 2 teams competed in the District 2 meet at Monroe City. The top four finishers are headed to Troy this Saturday for sectional competition. The top four finishers from this weekend’s sectionals will qualify for next weekend’s state meet in the state’s capitol.
The boys of Cleveland Naval Jr. ROTC will be taking several qualifiers to this weekend’s sectionals at Troy. The Commanders won four events and qualified athletes in eight other events.
Sophomores Jerald and James Allen came up big in the middle distance and distance events. Jerald Allen finished first in the 800- and 1,600-meter runs while James Allen won the 400-meter dash and finished second in the 800. The Allens also led ROTC to victories in the 4×400- and 4×800-meter relays.
The Commanders also got a victory from sophomore Antonio Norman in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles. Norman also finished second in the high jump. Other ROTC sectional qualifiers included Tianneye McDaniel in the 400, Kelsie Cole in the long and triple jumps and the 4×100- and 4×200-meter relay teams.
Brentwood High enjoyed success in the sprints as Kaylon Jenkins finished first in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Senior Jacob Clay was third in the 100. The Eagles also sprinted to victories in the 4×100 and 4×200.
Sprinter Daniel Dailey of Valley Park was also a sectional qualifier after finishing second in the 100 and 200.
On the girls side, the star of the show was Brentwood High’s Sophie Riveria, who won the shot put and discus four the fourth year in succession. Riveria won the shot put with a heave of 45 feet 2 inches and the discus with a throw of 148 feet 3 inches. She is aiming to be a four-time state champion in both events.
Nature Williams-Harkin of Medical & Bio Science qualified in four events. She was first in the 100-meter high hurdles, second in the 100, third in the 300-meter low hurdles and ran a leg on the 4×100 relay team that finished second.
Sky Parker of McKinley Classical was a district champion in the 100. She also finished second in the 200. Addie Grapperhaus of Barat Academy finished first in the 200 and second in the 400.
MO Class 3,4 and 5 district meets this weekendÂ
The state series begins this weekend with district meets at the Classes 3,4 and 5 levels around the metro area. Class 5 district meets will be held on Saturday at Northwest (Cedar Hill), Ladue, Lutheran North and Troy. The top four finishers will qualify for sectional meets at Kirkwood and Lutheran South on May 14.
Class 4 district meet with area teams will be held at Hillsboro, Northwest, Ladue at Westminster. The top four finishers at those meets will qualify for sectional meets at Lutheran South and Mexico on May. 14. The Class 3 district meets will be held at Principia and Kirkwood with the top four finishers in each event headed to the sectional meet at Kirkwood on May 14.
Illinois girls sectional meets this weekendÂ
On the Illinois side, sectional competition will be held on Friday with the top qualifiers in each event headed to the IHSA State Championships in Charleston on May 20-21.
Cahokia will begin defense of its Class 2A state championship on Friday when it competes in the sectional meet at Mascoutah. Metro-east area Class 3A schools will be headed to Rock Island to compete in sectional competition. Edwardsville, East St. Louis, Alton, Belleville East and Belleville West lead the field.
