The state is still abuzz after St. Louis athletes dominated the MSHSAA State Track and Field Championships in Jefferson City last week.
The St. Louis American featured the athletes from the four teams that brought home state championships, which included the girls from Cardinal Ritter and Lutheran St. Charles and the boys from Festus. We also featured the boys from East St. Louis.
This week, the deserving spotlight is on other athletes from the area who came home with state championships.
In the Class 4 boys’ competition, senior Winston Moore of MICDS won the 100-meter dash in 10.69 seconds. He is a Colgate football recruit. Sophomore Melvin Sledge of Hazelwood East finished first in the 400-meter dash in 48.16 seconds and junior Brandon Johnson of McCluer won the high jump with a clearance of 6 feet 6 ¾ inches.
Area schools swept all four relay events as MICDS won the 4×100- and 4×200-meter relays. The Rams won the 4×100 in 42.14 seconds and the 4×200 in 1:26.56 seconds. Hazelwood East won the 4×400 in 3:20.72 and Hillsboro won the 4×800 in 7:49.72.
There were several girls who ended up on the podium as state champions at the Class 5 meet. Senior Maya Anderson of MICDS was a double winner in the 100-meter-high hurdles and the triple jump. The Kentucky recruit won the hurdles in 13.66 seconds and the triple jump with an effort of 39 feet 10 inches. Another double winner was senior Mason Meinershagen of Oakville who won state titles in the high jump and pole vault. She had winning efforts of 5 feet 7 inches in the high jump and 12-0 in the pole vault.
Junior Josie Baker of Kirkwood won the 1,600-meter run in a time of 4 minutes 52.78 seconds while Natalie Banard of Lafayette won the 3,200-meter run with a winning time of 10:35.60. Lafayette also won the state title in the 4×800-meter relay and Emiia Labruyere of Timberland won the discus with a throw of 138 feet 3 inches.
In the Class 3 boys meet, junior Jason Williams of Orchard Farm won the long jump with an impressive effort of 23 feet. The Lutheran North Crusaders dominated the sprint relays by winning all three sprint relays. The Crusaders won the 4×100-meter relay in 42.68 seconds, the 4×200 in 1:28.7 and the 4×400 in 3:23.51.
*Class 1 State Meet HighlightsÂ
There were several talented athletes from Class 1 schools on both sides of the river who came home with all-state medals from their respective state meets.
On the Missouri side, Crystal City brought home a team trophy after finishing third in the Class 1 boys team standings. The Hornets got a first and second place sweep from Kaden Bolton and Camden Mayes in the long jump. Bolton won the event with a jump of 21 feet 11 ¾ inches while Mayes was second with a jump of 21-11. Mays also finished fourth in the 110-meter-high hurdles while Alex Kuchera was fourth in the pole vault. The Hornets also finished in fourth place in the 4×100-meter relay.
On the Illinois side, athletes from Madison and East St. Louis (SIUE Charter) had success at the IHSA Class 1A meet in Charleston. Madison had a productive meet in the sprint relays as it finished second in the 4×200 and fourth in the 4×100. DeBryon Boyd finished eighth in the 200 while Ernest Davenport finished eighth in the high jump.
East St. Louis (SIUE Charter) had two athletes bring home all-state medals as Charles Shaw finished third in the 100 and fifth in the 200. Justin Spiller also finished fifth in the 110-meter-high hurdles.
