By Steve Williams
As for the top position on the awards’ podium, Knox County’s girls outnumbered the boys in TSSAA State Track and Field this year.
Lennox Langham, a talented 8th grader at Webb School, twice had a first place medal hung around her neck and was among six local girls to win last week at Rockvale High.
Langham won the Division II-A’s long jump event at 16 feet, 8¾ inches and the triple jump at 36-5. With four more years to go in her prep career, there’s no telling how many wins she will rack up.
Two others in that classification also were victorious, with Grace Christian Academy’s Brianna Baker taking the 300-meter hurdles event in 47.07, which was over two seconds faster than the runner-up. The GCA sophomore also finished second in the 100 hurdles (16.67).
Christian Academy of Knoxville senior Olivia Rodgers won the 400-meter race with a time of 58.9.
Webb’s 4×800 relay team prevailed in 10:03.31 and the Lady Spartans’ 4×100 team placed third.
Webb freshman Anna Graves placed second in the 3200 run and was third in the 800.
McKenna Monger of The King’s Academy placed second in the discus event and CAK’s Antiya McAlister finished third in the 200.
Hardin Valley Academy got a first place performance from junior Sidnee Stanton in the triple jump (37-8½) as the Lady Hawks placed second in the Large Class team standings.
Ariya Rice was a big point-getter for Austin-East in the Small Class meet, winning the 400 in a photo finish as she and a Union City sprinter were both timed in 1:00.37. Rice also took fourth place in the 200 and long jump and was sixth in the 100 as she totaled 23 points for the Lady Roadrunners.
In the Large Class meet, Hardin Valley’s Dominique Romain placed second in the long jump (18-4½), third in the 100 and seventh in the 200.
The Lady Hawks also got a second place showing by Madison Romain in the 300 hurdles (45.44). HVA’s Brooke Taylor placed fourth in the triple jump and teammate Gracie Waite was fourth in the shot put. Lady Hawk freshman Maddie Archdale placed sixth in the 3200 run.
Hardin Valley also scored big in the relays, placing second in the 4×100, third in the 4×200 and fifth in the 4×800.
Farragut went 2-3 in the pole vault with Laura Speth and Samantha Harvey both clearing the bar at 10 feet. The Lady Admirals’ Parker Willis was fourth in the 800.
Karns freshman Hannah Little finished fifth in the 400 (58.65) and West’s Emma Dewant was fifth in the 800. Halls’ Kendall Moles placed seventh in the shot put event.
Brentwood captured the Large Class team title with 73 points. Hardin Valley was a close second with 66 points. Signal Mountain (126) placed first in the Small Class.
Harding Academy earned the team title in Division II-A with 102 points. Webb was fourth with 71 points. Ensworth (166) took first place in II-AA.
