Los Angeles Laker coaching icon Pat Riley first coined the phrase “three-peat” back in the late 1980’s. The trademark phrase was in anticipation of the team’s bid for a third consecutive NBA Championship.
That Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led team fell short of Pat’s prediction. They didn’t have Mansfield’s Daisy Nelson and Joey Williams on the roster.
Different sport but the goal was just as important to the teenage Tigers that represented Mansfield at the 2A-4 Junior District Track and Field Championships in Mansfield on April 18. Their respective three-peat bids were completed for both the girls and boys dressed in Tiger red. Mansfield brought out the brooms and swept the junior high conference titles for the third consecutive season.
“Winning three district titles in a row is a special accomplishment for that group of freshmen,” expressed Mansfield men’s track coach Ethan Bowman. “To win a title you have to get contributions from everyone and that is exactly what happened. It was a total team effort and I am very proud of these teams.”
Magazine girls were a distant second with 118 points. Mountainburg (102.5), Johnson County Westside (64), Western Yell County (46), and Lavaca (5) completed the small district track meet.
Lavaca took the runner-up trophy in the boys division with 117 points. Mountainburg chased a trophy with 100 points. Magazine (90), JC Westside (79), and WYC (9) rounded out the men’s team scores.
Shining star Daisy Nelson led the Lady Tigers. Her team amassed an overwhelming 271.5 points on their way to victory.
Nelson brought the broom with 50.5 points. That individual point total gave her a fourth high point plaque for the 2023 track season. It was not without a fight as Westside freshman Olivia Pelfrey gave it a go with six individual scoring events. The Rebel runner comprised 49 of her team’s 64 points.
Nelson took four individual wins, one relay victory, and a second place pole vault score to the bank. Her near perfect score followed a perfect 52.5 point total she amassed at the last regular season meet the week before in Mena.
“Daisy had a special night,” said longtime Mansfield coach John Mackey. “So exciting that this moment took place in front of the home crowd in front of family and friends. She and her teammates brought their best tonight. Winning never gets old.”
All-State cross country runner Joey Williams was equally impressive. He led the Tiger men’s team to a runaway win. As a group, the Mansfield boys combined for 221 points.
Williams left little dirt on the ground as he too brushed the district dust into a neat pile. The ninth grade distance runner’s workload was way different compared to his sprinting counterpart from the MHS women’s team.
Williams relished in the longer races as Nelson picked apart the competition through the hurdles and short sprints.
“Joey is so motivated,” said Mackey who also serves as Williams’ cross country coach and assistant boy’s track coach. “He already has colleges looking over his resume after an impressive All-State performance at the 2022 cross country finals. Track season is yet another opportunity for him to showcase his developing talent.”
Williams was impressive winning two individual distance races. Only little brother Gunner was anywhere near as the two front ran the 1600m and 800m races to finish one-two in both.
The older of the two brothers also anchored the winning 4x800m relay and what initially looked liked the winning 4x400m relay. A mistake by a teammate in the later co-op canceled those winning points. The team was disqualified for moving out of their lane too early.
Minus the hiccup, Williams brought 28.50 points to the table. That was third in the overall individual standings on the men’s side. Again, it was Johnson County Westside sticking out a thorn. Westside’s Zane Smith took the top individual prize with 54 points.
The Tiger men had five players reach the top ten in individual scoring. Dominic Shores (28), Braxton Bartlett (25), Gunner Williams (18.5), and Dawson Robinson (18) all reached the plateau just below their leading scorer.
The Lady Tiger roster was even more formidable as they had eight players reach the top ten in individual scoring.
Nelson was top shelf. She won the long jump (15-3), 100m hurdles (17.43), 100m dash (13.38), and 200m dash (27.78). She anchored the winning 4x100m relay (56.80) and was second in pole vault (7-0) to lead the Tiger pride.
The other top ten Lady Tigers combined for an additional 160 points for the home team.
Rylan Jones (36.5), Abby Smith (30.5), and Madison Hearron (19) all offered high end production. The next four Mansfield players all tied in the individual pecking order with 18.50 points apiece. Adeline Bray, Kayla Bieker, Miley Clopton, and Payton Meyers populated that list.
“You know the winning tradition runs deep when the kids of kids you’ve coached in the past are still winning conference championships,” Mansfield’s elder mentor reflected.
“I brought out an autographed baton from a state record relay team the other day,” continued the coach. “ Danielle Clem’s (Godwin) name was prominently displayed. That’s Adeline Bray’s state championship mom. The apple doesn't fall far. I’m honored to be a link between generations of winners. I’m so proud of these junior high players for reaching their goal.”
Mansfield had a long list of All-District performances. In order to be considered All-District in junior high track, an individual or relay team must finish in the top two places in their event.
For the Mansfield boys, the 2A-4 All-District junior high team included the following Tigers. Cooper Edwards (1st - triple jump), Ethan Martin (2nd - shot put), Cadien Ore (2nd - discus), Dominic Shores (2nd - 110m hurdles, 300m - hurdles), Joey Williams (1st, - 1600m, 1st - 800m), Gunner Williams (2nd - 1600m, 2nd - 800m), and Braxton Bartlett (1st - 100m, 1st - 200m) made it through individual events.
The All-District relay rosters for the Tiger men included: 1st place 4x800m relay - Hunter Whittaker, Gunner Williams, Joseph Carter, and Joey Williams. 1st place 4x100m relay and 1st place 4x200m relay - Zander Walters, Dominic Shores, Dawson Robinson, and Braxton Bartlett.
For the Mansfield girls, the 2A-4 All-District junior high team included the following individuals. Daisy Nelson (1st - 100m hurdles, 1st - 100m dash, 1st - 200m dash, 1st - long jump, 2nd - pole vault), Abby Smith (2nd - long jump), Madison Hearron (1st - triple jump), Rylan Jones (2nd - shot put, 2nd - discus, 2nd - 800m), and Adeline Bray (2nd - 400m).
The All-District relay rosters for the Lady Tigers included: 2nd place 4x800m relay - Lilly Young, Harley Kunkel, Ashlynn Whittaker, and Adeline Bray. 1st place 4x200m relay - Payton Meyers, Madison Hearron, Summer Lyon, and Molly Beck. 1st place 4x100m relay - Kayla Bieker, Miley Clopton, Madison Hearron, and Daisy Nelson. 1st place 4x400m relay - Adeline Bray, Miley Clopton, Abby Smith, and Rylan Jones.
Collectively, Mansfield saturated the scores with point getters all across the board.
Meyers, Smith and Clopton all placed in the women’s high jump as Meyers set her new personal record with a 4’ 5” leap for third place. Meyers and Smith also placed in the pole vault.
Jones, Hearron, Beck, and Bray all cashed in at the horizontal jumps. Jones, Bailey Quick, Aubree Helms, and Addison Robles placed second through fifth in the discus. Jones, Bieker, and Quick did nearly the same thing in the shot put.
Smith, Annabelle Martin, and Hearron gave Mansfield a leg up in the hurdles with positions five through seven. Smith and Martin doubled down in the 300m hurdles for 11 more collective points.
Kerrington Quick, Emilee Parsons, Addison Howard and Chloe Beran completed the Lady Tiger championship team.
Carter, Shores, and Alex Hecox all made gains in the men’s high jump. Walters and Whittaker each scored through the horizontal hops. Bryson Elmore, Logan Ore and Clayton Garrison all placed in the throws.
Joey Williams, Robinson, Carter, and Shores registered a block of pole vault points. Shores and Hecox added 28 points through the hurdles. Robinson, Bartlett, and Dalton Knowles were consistent scorers in the sprints.
Seventh graders Treven Hattabaugh and Drake Brunson were on the active Mansfield men’s roster.
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