Storms were coming. Mansfield tried moving up the start times, reducing attempts, and pushing through the rain. In the end it just wasn’t enough. The junior high edition of the Mansfield Tiger Relays on March 30 had to be cut short as nearby lightning ended the event in the midst of the 100m dash.
Mansfield was able to get 22 teams and approximately 25 volunteer workers to the stadium early. The start times for the 19th annual Junior Tiger Relays moved up 30 minutes for the field events and one hour for the races. But, the rains were coming. Then a lightning strike 10 miles away forced meet officials to end the proceedings with only 9 of 17 events partially in the books.
“The weather was playing havoc with our electronic timer,” confessed meet director and Mansfield head coach John Mackey. “We were having trouble timing the sprint races. The radio waves wouldn’t carry more than 80 meters. That slowed us down, then the rains, then the lightning off in the distance forced the pause.”
The Mansfield head coach sent the teams to the buses and a coaching representative to the gym. After a lengthy discussion it was decided that the mandatory 30 minutes delay may not be enough to wait out the weather. From that discussion, it was decided most teams were ready to call it a no contest and go home.
Mansfield’s men and women both were having a fair amount of success when the meet was called. In fact, with partial results the two hometown teams were sitting in second place. Booneville was on top in the men’s rankings and Waldron was hoving in first for the women.
Lady Tiger Daisy Nelson was already building a resume for the high point award. The freshman sprinter had already completed four of her scheduled six events.
Nelson won the 100m hurdles and pole vault. She was second in the 100m dash and fourth in the long jump. After four events, the high point candidate who had also won the Van Buren plaque earlier in the season was already at 34 points and in control of the individual point standings.
Mansfield cashed in on Madison Hearron’s triple jump personal record. The freshman covered 30’ 1.5 inches on her last leap in the rain to take the 10 point victory. Seventh grade teammate Adeline Bray was inching closer with a third place personal record of her own at 27’ 7”.
The seventh graders gave the Mansfield girls a boost in a few areas before the meet was shut down. Rylan Jones scored third in the discus. Addison Howard took fourth in the shot. Miley Clopton ran up to seventh place in the 100m dash. Payton Meyers grabbed a point in the high jump.
Mansfield’s 4x800m relay grabbed another point with Bray along with Danielle Lowery, Harley Kunkel, and Chloe Whiley. Lowery also scored in the discus toss.
For the Mansfield junior boys, Dominic Shores won the 110m hurdles and took second in the high jump. Alex Hecox followed in the 110m hurdles giving the Tigers a 1-2 finish in that sprinters race.
Zander Walters had a solid night in the long jump and triple jump by the 2A-4 conference standards. He went 17’ 0.5” in the long jump to lead the league and finish fourth overall. The freshman also went 33’ 1” in his first triple jump attempts of the season to top the conference contenders and finish ninth overall.
Cadien Ore and Bryson Elmore scored 13 points in the men's discus. Ore covered 115’ 6” for second place. Elmore went 112’ 10” for fourth.
The Tiger’s 4x800m relay team was second. The combination of Gunner Williams, Billy Vanelli, Hunter Whittaker, and Josiah Williams posted a 10:34.01 clocking for the red ribbon.
Dawson Robinson offered a sixth place leap of 7’ in the pole vault. It was the freshman’s first attempt at the event. Ethan Martin threw 36’ 2” in the shot put before rushing off to play baseball next door at the Tiger diamond.
Next up on the track circuit will be Waldron. The Bulldogs are scheduled to host the Gaile Hainley Relays on Monday, April 3, the Junior Bulldog Relays on Tuesday, April 4, and the Seventh Grade Relays on Thursday, April 6.
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