Running away with it

By Staff
Falkville boys win Class 2A title at state track meet; girls finish 2nd
Staff Reports, Hartselle Enquirer
The Falkville boys track team ran away with the Class 2A title at the Alabama track and field championships in Troy this past weekend. The Blue Devils won the team title on the strength of seven individual first-place finishes and two relay first-place finishes.
Falkville's total of 193 points placed the Blue Devils well ahead of second-place Lanett, which finished with 72.5 points. The girls competed well also, finishing in second place in the team standings with 113.33 points, just barely behind first place American Christian Academy's 118 points.
"These kids are all good friends," Falkville track co-coach Karen Wilemon said. "They work hard together and they've really established a tradition here now. Some of my older ones who have been here for a few years – it's almost like having extra coaches on the team."
Nine members of the Falkville track teams won an individual gold medal at the meet. On the boys side, Shane Edge took first in the 400 meters (50.50 seconds) and 800 meters (1:58.31); Cody Sewell was first in the 110 hurdles (15.63) and the long jump (21 feet, 5.5 inches); Justin Blanchard was first in the 1,600 meters (4:42.72); Jace Wilemon won the 300 hurdles (40.84); Steven Lindsey took first in the high jump (6 feet, 4 inches); Josh Henderson won the pole vault (11 feet) and Michael Dekich took first in the javelin (167 feet, 10.5 inches). On the girls side, Krystal Gibbs won the 800 meters (2:25.27) and Paige McCarley took first in the triple jump (33 feet, 5.5 inches).
Falkville also had three relay teams finish in first place – two boys teams and one girls team. For the boys, the 4-by-400 (3:28.44) and 4-by-800 (8:53.97) teams both took first and the girls' 4-by-400 (4:24.55) team also took first place. The boys 4-by-400 relay team was Edge, Blanchard, Jonathan McNatt and Wilemon; the boys 4-by-800 team was Evan Burgess, Blanchard, McNatt and Cory Hill and the girls 4-by-400 team was Grace Wilhite, Tara Tucker, Nichole Lee and Gibbs.
Several records were set at the meet. Edge broke the state record for the 800-meter run and Dekich broke the state mark for the javelin throw. In addition, the Falkville boys also set a new total points record, beating the old mark by more than 70 points.
Dekich, in addition to setting a new record, also qualified for the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Greensboro, N.C., in June.
The Blue Devils also won the boys indoor track Class 1A-4A championship in early February.
TRACK RESULTS FOR ALL LOCAL TEAMS
Boys:
Falkville – 200 meters: Shane Edge (2nd); 400 meters: Shane Edge (1st), Jace Wilemon (6th), Jonathan McNatt (7th); 800 meters: Shane Edge (1st), Jace Wilemon (3rd), Justin Blanchard (4th); 1,600 meters: Justin Blanchard (1st); 3,200 meters: Cory Hill (5th); 110 hurdles: Cody Sewell (1st), Anthony Stidham (3rd), Josh Henderson (5th); 300 hurdles: Jace Wilemon (1st), Anthony Stidham (5th); 4-by-400 relay: Falkville (1st); 4-by-800 relay: Falkville (1st); high jump: Steven Lindsey (1st), Cody Sewell (2nd); pole vault: Josh Henderson (1st), Jonathan McNatt (2nd); long jump: Cody Sewell (1st), Steven Lindsey (11th); triple jump: Cody Sewell (3rd), Josh Henderson (12th), Austin Murphy (14th); shot put: Jonathan Lindsey (2nd), Aaron Pitt (3rd); discus throw: Aaron Pitt (6th), Jonathan Lindsey (7th); javelin throw: Michael Dekich (1st), Frankie Millious (11th).
Danville – 4-by-400 relay: Danville (11th); high jump: Zack Orr (2nd).
Priceville – 200 meters: Garrett Bailey (9th); 110 hurdles: Lonny Sutton (7th); 300 hurdles: Lonny Sutton (9th); 4-by-100 relay: Priceville (7th); shot put: Will Halbrooks (15th).
Brewer – long jump: Rodney Childs (4th); triple jump: Rodney Childs (8th).
Hartselle – javelin throw: Michael Reed (14th).
Girls:
Falkville – 100 meters: Alesia Smith (8th); 200 meters: Alesia Smith (7th), Lauren Estes (8th); 400 meters: Krystal Gibbs (3rd), Nichole Lee (5th), Grace Wilhite (6th); 800 meters: Krystal Gibbs (1st); 1,600 meters: Krystal Gibbs (4th), Stephanie Koerber (12th); 3,200 meters: Diana Holt (10th); 100 hurdles: Alisha Sparkman (6th), Lauren Estes (7th); 300 hurdles: Lauren Estes (5th); 4-by-100 relay: Falkville (3rd); 4-by-400 relay: Falkville (1st); 4-by-800 relay: Falkville (3rd); high jump: Paige McCarley (2nd), Caylor Sewell (5th), Hannah Blevins (11th); pole vault: Alisha Sparkman (6th); long jump: Paige McCarley (4th), Caylor Sewell (6th); triple jump: Paige McCarley (1st), Alesia Smith (2nd), Lauren Estes (6th); shot put: Katrina Barnett (8th), Raegan Jackson (11th); discus throw: Raegan Jackson (9th), Angela Robbins (10th); javelin throw: Alisha Sparkman (3rd), Diana Holt (8th), Katrina Barnett (13th).
Danville – 800 meters: Megan Cross (13th), 1,600 meters: Megan Cross (14th); 4-by-100 relay: Danville (8th); high jump: Hannah McClung (13th); shot put: Ashley Nance (13th).
Priceville – shot put: Mary Atchley (4th); discus throw: Meagan Harper (5th); javelin throw: Mary Atchley (3rd).
Brewer – 800 meters: Morgan Crawley (10th); 1,600 meters: Morgan Crawley (10th); 4-by-800 relay: Brewer (4th); shot put: Courtney Scott (6th); discus throw: Courtney Scott (7th), Heather Steelman (13th); javelin throw: Courtney Scott (3rd).