Mansfield seventh grade girls were short in numbers but long in enthusiasm as the group navigated an abbreviated track and field season. So too were the Mansfield boys as each group learned the tricks of the trade across the small schedule aimed at preparing them for a rise to the junior high ranks.
The Lady Tigers saw the emergence of Danielle Lowery, Annabelle Martin, and Molly Beck. Each made the occasional appearance onto the junior high team as well as score points for the seventh grade team.
Lowery progressed through the hurdles and sprint relays. She also picked up techniques in the high jump, pole vault, and discus. At the most recent seventh grade meet in Waldron, she won the pole vault at 6’ 0” and placed second and third in the high jump and 300m hurdles respectively.
Lowery’s training partner in the hurdles was Martin. At that same Waldron event, Martin topped the 100m hurdles in 21.12 seconds for second place overall. She earned a career best 1:05 in the 300m hurdles this season.
Beck has been handling the longer sprints for the seventh grade team and anchored its surging 4x400m relay. She recently joined the junior high 4x400m team at their last meet when their lead leg was sidelined with muscle cramps.
Emilee Parsons was the first of the seventh grade athletes to master the triple jump technique. Beck later joined her teammate in the pursuit of that discipline. The two have jumped similar numbers this season as the pair have approached the 24 foot barrier.
Parsons, Beck, Lowery, Martin and Summer Lyon populated the bulk of the sprint relay teams. The last of the four names listed above dotted the 4x100m prep team. Parsons joined Ella Streets, Abbigale Boyd, and Londann Hinojos on the 4x200m relay.
Streets and Hinojos worked from the shot and discus rings as well. Boyd made her track debut in the 400m dash. Lyon typically saw action in the 100m and 200m sprints.
Whitley Boyd came to the track arena late after recovery from a basketball injury. The seventh grader learned the high jump and pole vault in a short period of time. She finished first at the Waldron and Mansfield high jump pits in back to back weeks. She was top two at the pole vault at both meets as well.
For the seventh grade boys Billy Sellers and Gunner Willimas were elevated to the junior high team as well during parts of the season.
Sellers found a home at the discus circle and long jump pit. He also took to task the short sprints. Williams made his mark in the distance events coming off an All-District cross country campaign early in the school year.
Dalton Knowles progressed in the triple jump and 200m dash. Jonathan Boswell and Brennon Collie also had times taken at the 200m distance. Ashton Strutton entered the 200m dash and 400m dash at its most recent meet for the Tiger track team.
Caden Whittaker concentrated on the pole vault early in the season. He finished the last meet of the year doubling up his efforts with a 400m dash time as well.
Cordell Stone also prepped in the pole vault. He saw action in the triple jump, high jump, and sprints team also.
Colton Lawson joined Sellers at the throwing circles. His better event event was shot put but he typically threw both implements at the meets. Weston Harrison focused on the shot put.
Some of the seventh grade athletes will continue on as junior high players as the older group prepares for the 2A-4 Conference Finals on April 19.
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