Siloam Springs head track coaches Chuck and Sharon Jones were pleased with how the Panthers and Lady Panthers ended their season last week at the state meet in Lake Hamilton.
A small boys squad finished 12th out of 16 teams, while the girls finished seventh in their field of teams.
Boys
Siloam Springs qualified 11 boys for the state meet and finished with 14 points overall.
"We probably ran and completed a little better than I anticipated we would based on our times going into the meet," said Chuck Jones, head boys coach.
The Panthers had a pair of third-place finishes to score 12 of their points.
The 4x800-meter relay team of Chandler Stewart, Charlie Jones, Dillon Ferguson and Miguel Paz finished third at 8:55.94 and scored six points.
"The 4x800-meter relay started the day off well," Chuck Jones said. "The boys ran a great race finishing third. Early in the season we lost one of our faster runners and struggled to find that fourth runner most of season. After junior high conference, we moved up freshmen Miguel Paz and he was just what the doctor ordered. Chandler Stewart, Charlie Jones, and Dillon Ferguson steadily improved all season and were running strong. With Miguel, we became a pretty formidable group."
Senior Blake Jackson finished third in the pole vault with a new personal record height of 12 feet, 6 inches.
"I am so happy for Blake Jackson," Chuck Jones said. "He has vaulted so well and consistent this season. What a way to wrap up your career."
The Panthers' 4x400-meter relay of Agbehi, Jones, Paz and Beever placed seventh and scored two points at 3:41.84.
The 4x100-meter relay of J.D. Horn, Kaiden Thrailkill, Steven Iglesias and Primo Agbehi just missed qualifying for the finals at 46.13, finishing ninth.
"These guys worked hard this season to improve their speed and explosiveness," Chuck Jones said. "I think (head football) Coach (Bryan) Ross will appreciate what these younger guys have done."
Isaac Knudson placed 10th in the discus at 112-03, while Ryke Beever was ninth in the 300-meter hurdles.
"Isaac Knudsen represented a young group of throwers making the finals in the discus in his first season of throwing," Chuck Jones said. "Coach Henry Janes took a very inexperienced group and did an out standing job of teaching. Isaac probably improved 40 feet this season from his first few weeks of practice. I am so happy for him to advance to the state finals. This experience will pay big dividends Isaac next season.
"Ryke Beever, who will continue to run track in college, finished seventh in the 300 hurdles and anchored the 4x400-meter relay of Jones, Stewart and Paz to a seventh-place finish. There were some pretty impressive performances at the finals by some gifted athletes. It was good for our kids to show that they can compete and in many cases outperform some of the best in the state in track and field."
Girls
The Lady Panthers finished with 42 points overall to finish seventh at the state meet.
"I'm proud of how the girl's team competed," Sharon Jones said. "We qualified 10 girls to compete at the state meet and all 10 girls placed in their events."
Alexis Roach placed third in the girls triple jump with a new school record of 34 feet, 6.5 inches and scored six points, besting the previous record from last year.
"Alexis Roach probably had the best performance of the day setting a new school record in the triple jump," Sharon Jones said. "She was in first place waiting on two girls competing in the high jump. Both those girls came back hot and jumped far enough to take first and second, giving Alexis a third place finish. It was disappointing at first, but I hope she realizes how proud Chuck and I are of her. Placing third, setting a new personal record and pushing the school record a little farther out there makes a great day."
Siloam Springs' 4x800-meter relay team of Allika Pearson, Caroline Farine, Jasmine Guillen and Chloe McGooden finished second with a time of 10 minutes, 39.63 seconds and scored eight points.
Despite the second place finish, Sharon Jones said the team was disappointed because all four ran slower times than expected.
"I expected that with the wind conditions being horrible, but I didn't expect so much of a decrease," Sharon Jones said. "Russellville put together a great team and just beat us. It was a great race to watch and the girls gave a great effort, especially Chloe McGooden who tried her best to make up the gap in the anchor leg."
Jones was pleased with Pearson's third place finish in the 1,600-meter run and proud of Guillen for placing in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs to finish out her high school career.
Chloe Price, a sophomore, was third in the 400-meter dash at 1:03.14.
"Chloe Price is so fun to watch run the 400," Sharon Jones said. "I thought her time was really good again considering the wind. She placed third against some really fast girls."
Chloe McGooden, Candy Dubon and Emma Hulbert finished fifth, seventh and eighth, respectively in the 800-meter run.
"I was excited to see all three of our girls place in the 800-meter run," Sharon Jones said. "Chloe didn't have her best race and neither did the two freshmen, but gosh they ran hard. I personally love to watch the 800 and the 400, because they are absolutely gut races. And our girls are good at them. I have to credit Coach Erin Portmann for preparing them and inspiring them this year. She's been a great addition to our coaching staff."
The Lady Panthers' 4x100-meter relay team of Sidney Henry, Hadlee Hollenback, Roach and Chloe Price finished eighth in preliminaries at 53.20 and then dropped their time to 52.81 and scored one point.
"Chuck works with the sprinters," Sharon Jones said. "He did a good job getting those 4x100 girls ready. They were almost out-manned against the sprinters from down south, but they ran hard, had great exchanges, and pulled out the eighth place finish."
Sports on 05/10/2017