The Mansfield Junior High Lady Tigers built a solid foundation from the throwing events and the distance races. Added to solid marks from the other events, Mansfield pushed past all but Waldron for second place at the Waldron Junior Bulldog Relays on April 9.
It was the one-two-three kick start from the shot put event that gave Mansfield real momentum. Lady Tiger freshman Addison Howard surprised with a career best 37’ 4” to win the field event. In only her second track meet of the season, the up and coming ninth grader blasted her big time toss to outduel a large list of competitors including Mansfield’s number one producer Rylan Jones.
Jones, another Mansfield freshman and typically the top placing shot put thrower throughout the area, had her best day as well. It just wasn’t enough on this night.
Jones did heave the six pound steel ball a whopping 37’ 0”. It was her career best and in most cases easily the winning toss of most junior high meets. However, the cards didn’t fall in expected order as Howard came up aces with the largest toss by four full inches.
Closing fast and slightly ahead of the rest of the field was Mansfield's third scoring thrower Kaylynn Piyapho. Piyapho lifted her best attempt of the year to a distance of 32’ 9”. It was good enough to give Mansfield the top three podium places and 24 early team points.
Jones and Kamryn Bolin, just a seventh grader, also went one-two in the discus. Both cleared over 70 feet with Jones winning at 74’ 0” and Bolin taking second at 72’ 11”.
Mansfield’s distance crew, although not overall winners in any of the Waldron events, still came through with solid showings with their sights set at the conference title on April 22 looming ahead. Edging all competitors from the 3A-4 District, the red and white Tigers were in ribbon contention at Waldron.
Hadley Shores, Lillianna Porter, Allie Hattabugh, and Jones turned the 8 lap, 3200m relay in 12:27.99. The time was good enough for second place behind only Waldron, and well ahead of league rival Booneville who came in third.
Later, Porter and Shores were the conference’s top placing milers in the 1600m run. The two league leaders went 6:47.42 and 6:48.82 respectively to finish as the sixth and seventh place finishers among all classifications.
Porter also clicked off a 2:56.65 half mile in the 800m run for third place. Jones, who is preparing for a move to the high school ranks once the junior high season is over, ran a 3:03.36 in the 800m. She was sixth place.
Miley Clopton once again showed she is one of the top sprinters in the area. Only a speedster from Heavener, Oklahoma was able to eclipse the Lady Tiger runner in the 100m dash. Clopton took second place’s eight points with a 13.84 clocking in the shortest race of the evening. Later, the Mansfield freshman went 28.84 in the 200m dash for third place.
Abby Smith had another solid night for the Tigers taking second in the 100m hurdles at 17.60. She was third in the pole vault and fourth in the high jump with respective marks of 7’ 6” and 4’ 8” in the two vertical leaps.
Mayce Phillips, MiraBella Dorrell, and Shores also scored in the hurdles. Dorrell took eighth in the 100m style while Phillips and Shores went third and seventh respectively in the 300m style.
Mansfield’s Bentley Hoover and Bethany Mounts pushed the gas giving production in the long sprints. Both placed top eight in the 400m dash as well as joining Hattabaugh and Jones in the runner-up 4x400m relay.
Waldron won their home meet with 193.5 points. Mansfield came in second with 144.5. Mena closed fast at 131 points while Heavener, Acorn, Charleston, Booneville, Legacy Academy, Hackett, and Umpire all scored in the top ten.
Additional settings for Safari Browser.
