The growth of the annual Panther Relays has been a point of pride the last couple of years for Siloam Springs head track coach Tad Davis.
The meet had steadily gotten bigger over the last few years, and last year it was split into small-school and large-school divisions.
It appears that will be the case again Thursday when the 2014 Panther Relays happen at Glenn W. Black Stadium.
"I think we'll have good participation," Davis said. "The last couple of years, we ran split divisions, and that seemed to really attract some of the smaller schools. I think that's a benefit for us."
The 32-event meet will start with field events at 3:30 p.m. and running events at 4 p.m. The deadline to enter teams is Thursday.
"The track meet is the best competitive event that there is," he said. "If you want to see kids compete, this is it. It's fun to watch. Some of the best track athletes will be here, there's no doubt."
Davis said he expects around 17 to 18 schools -- small and large schools combined -- to participate in Thursday's meet.
Davis said there is a meet in Van Buren, which may affect how many schools come up from the river valley. However, he said there should be a good mix of teams from Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma.
"We'll get all the local schools because it's the only thing going this week," Davis said.
For Siloam Springs, the meet is one of two regular season meets left before the 6A-South Conference Meet in Pine Bluff on May 1.
"We're approaching the conference meet so it's the final tuneup," Davis said.
The Gravette Lions Invitational, originally scheduled for April 3, was postponed to April 24. The Class 6A State Meet will be held in Russellville on May 8.
The Panthers and Lady Panthers track performers have participated in three meets so far: at Bentonville, at Springdale and at Fayetteville.
The Siloam Springs' boys overall team scores have been lower this year compared to last year without the top-scoring of jumper Damion Blossom from the last three years.
"Any time you lose a kid that scores 30 points a meet, that's tough," Davis said. "We're a little different than we were last year. We've got a lot of different kids competing in a lot of different events."
Two Panthers have already qualified individually for the Class 6A meet in senior thrower Blaine Crouse and junior Parker Baldwin.
Crouse has qualified in the shot put, while Baldwin has qualified in the 100-meter dash.
Crouse finished second at the Fayetteville meet last Friday with a personal record throw of 49 feet, 1 1/2 inches.
"That's the best he's ever thrown," Davis said. "He's doing a good job."
Baldwin qualified for the state meet in the 100-meter dash in his first meet of the season. He's close to qualifying in the 200-meter dash as well, Davis said.
"I don't think he's had his best meet yet, but he's done really well," Davis said. "He's not too far off."
Davis said pole vaulter Taylor Gay is close to qualifying for the state meet as well as long jumper Zach Davis.
For kids who aren't able to score automatic qualifiers at regular-season meets, they can also earn state spots through placement at the conference meet.
"We're trying to get our times and distances as good as we can for the conference meet," Davis said. "If you look at 6A times, we're competitive there. That's what it's all about."
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Much to the disappointment of Davis and several others associated with the track program, the Siloam Springs Junior High Relays meet was postponed Monday because of weather. Due to late scheduling in the year, it will not be made up, Davis said.
"We moved the date back thinking we'd have better weather," Davis said. "But that's the issue when you're further back, you don't have the days to reschedule."
Sports on 04/16/2014