T.R. Miller’s boys’ and girls’ track teams dominated in the weekend state sectional meets in Montgomery to earn first place rankings.
The boys’ teams ended the two-day event with 154 points in front of Hillcrest-Evergreen’s 146 points and Montgomery Academy’s 129 points.
The girls’ team ended with an impressive 186 points, while Cottage Hill came in second with 162 points and Montgomery Academy third with 109 points.
Assistant Coach Rob Atkinson said both teams performed well at the meets; however, the competition will “go to the next level” this weekend’s meet in Cullman.
“We were very pleased at how both teams showed up,” Atkinson said. “State is going to be tough for us. We’ll have to step up our game.
“For our girls, Allie Nelson will have to be big for us in terms of distance. Mikayla Harrison will have to win, and we’ll need help from our shot putters and discuss throwers,” he said.”
Atkinson said TRM’s girls will face the biggest competition from Cottage Hill and Tuscaloosa’s American Christian Academy.
“It’s going to be whoever puts up the most marks, plain and simple,” he said. “For our girls, it’s going to be extremely difficult to do.”
Atkinson said the boys’ teams performed strong.
“Terry Samuel did a phenomenal job in the 400 (meter dash),” he said. “He wasn’t even seeded and won. Amhad Taylor came out strong again, and Ronald Young had a good performance.”
He described the state competition as a “toss up” among TRM, Hillcrest-Evergreen, Greensboro, Winfield and Montgomery Academy.
“It could go in any direction,” Atkinson said of the state title. “We’ve got to put the numbers up and hope for the best. For the boys, Amhad Taylor and Terri Samuel will also have to be big, and all of our relay teams will have to score.
“Both teams have a legitimate shot, and that’s all you want sometimes is a shot,” he said.
The top five scorers in the section and four wildcards advance to state. As of press time, those determinations were being calculated.
Top scorers for the boys’ team at sectionals included:
• shot put: Fabion Jones, second with a 13.52 meter throw, and Cade Castleberry, seventh with a 11.46-meter throw;
• javelin: Terry Samuel, first, 49.73 meters; Markail Mitchell, second, 48.66 meters; and Chardian Johnson, fifth, 45.56 meters.
• triple jump: Ahmad Taylor, first, 13.13 meters; Jalen Walker, third, 12.12 meters; and Michael Smith, fifth, 11.93 meters.
• high jump: Ahmad Taylor, second, 1.77 meter; Markail Mitchell, seventh, 1.67 meters; and Michael Smith, seventh, 1.67 meters.
• pole vault: Bailey Graves, third, 3.2 meters; Trin Miller, fourth, 3.04 meters; and O’Neal White, seventh, 2.89 meters.
• 400-meter dash: Terry Samuel, first, 51.82.
• 110-meter hurdles: Ahmad Taylor, third, 16.38, and Trae Walker, fifth, 16.70.
• 100-meter dash: Machenry Coleman, seventh, 11.82.
• 300-meter hurdles: Trae Walker, fourth, 44.12; Kellen Winn, fifth, 44.43; and Michael Smith, seventh, 45.47.
• discus: Ronald Young, sixth, 33.5 meters.
• long jump: Ahmad Taylor, second, 6.35 meters, and Markail Mitchell, seventh, 5.89 meters.
Top scorers for the girls’ team included:
• long jump: Makayla Harrison, third, 4.67 meters; Sarah Byrd, fourth, 4.5 meters; and Shayn Bradley, eighth, 4.3 meters.
• 1,600-meter run: Allie Nelson, third, 5:29.49.
• 400-meter dash: Tiana Stallworth, fifth, 1.05.7; and Ora Nelson, eighth, 1:08.08.
• 100-meter hurdles: Makayla Harrison, first, 15.89; Mekhia Williams, second, 17.22; and Majestie Walker, fifth, 17.98.
• 3,200-meter run: Allie Nelson, second, 12:18.69; Tarah Townsend, fifth, 13:55.9; and Madison Lum, seventh, 14:52.01.
• 300-meter hurdles: Mehia Williams, first, 49.95, and Kelsi Lum, second, 51.64
• 800-meter run: Allie Nelson, third, 2:31.09, and Madison Lum, eighth, 2:57.36.
• pole vault: Payton Baxter, fourth, 2.13 meters, and Morgan Manning, sixth, 1.98 meters.
• high jump: Makayla Harrison, first, 1.57 meters, and Majestie Walker, fifth, 1.42 meters.
• shot put: Serena Smith, second, 9.34 meters; Akiliah Brazile, fourth, 8.26 meters; and Ivory Johnson, fifth, 8.25 meters;
• triple jump: Makayla Harrison, second, 10.29 meters; Sarah Byrd, third, 9.53 meters; and Shayn Bradley, fifth, 9.09 meters.