By Rubin E. Grant
The Mountain Brook girls track team didn’t rack up a bunch of individual gold medals, but it still won the Class 6A state championship for the third consecutive year.
The Spartans amassed 114 points to claim the title comfortably in the 100th AHSAA State Track and Field Championships May 2-4 at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex. Fort Payne was a distant second with 63.5 points. Homewood finished fifth with 45 points and Briarwood sixth with 42.
“I could not be prouder of the girls’ performance,” Mountain Brook coach Michael McGovern said. “It was a true team effort. We scored in 13 different events, so everyone contributed.”
Senior Lucy Benton and junior Annie Kerr were the only two individual gold medalists for the Spartans. Benton won the 800 meters with a time of 2:13.29. Kerr set a state record while winning the pole vault, clearing 13 feet, 4 inches.
Benton, who is headed to Baylor, was second in the 1,600 meters with a time of 4:59.44 and ran the anchor leg of the winning 4×400 relay team that clocked 4:02.17. The Spartans also won gold in the 4×800 with a time of 9:25.51
Kerr finished third in the triple jump with a distance of 37-01.25, a personal record.
Mountain Brook had several other athletes who captured silver and bronze medals. Senior Mary Katherine Malone was second in the 3,200 with a time of 10:57.81. Senior Callie Kent was third in the 800 meters with a time of 2:18.32.
Junior Kennedy Hamilton finished third in the 1,600 with a time of 5:00.97 and senior Sophie Grace Rhodes was third in the javelin with a throw of 120-04.
Mountain Brook has won 13 overall state outdoor championships, and this is the second consecutive year the Spartans have captured the track triple crown, winning the cross-country state title in the fall and the indoor state title in the winter.
“Winning back-to-back triple crowns has never been done at the 6A level, so more than anything it shows the consistency and willingness to work hard that these young ladies display on a daily basis,” McGovern said.
The Mountain Brook boys won only one event, claiming gold in the 4×800 relay with a time of 7:52.73.
Altamont Girls Repeat
The Altamont School’s girls won their second straight Class 3A state title, edging Houston Academy 85-80 on May 3-4 at Cullman High School’s Oliver Woodard Stadium track.
The Knights also earned their third title in the past four years.
“It was a full-team effort to bring home the blue map, with points coming from many events, athletes and relays,” Altamont coach Jamie Rediker said.
Senior Merritt Fulmer won the pole vault, clearing 10-03.00. It was her second title in a row in outdoor track and fifth overall.
Junior Talia Floyd was third in the long jump with a leap of 16:02.25 and junior Laura Spann finished third in 3,200 with a time of 12:07.16.
The Knights’ 4×800 relay team – made up of Mary Spann, Frances Overton, Claire Nichols and Laura Spann – was second with a time of 10:28.91. The 4×400 – with Nichols, Elle Sellers, Overton and Abbey Sellers running – was third, clocking 4:21.24.
In the boys competition, Altamont junior Raju Sudarshan finished second in the 1,600 with a time of 4:35.96.
Homewood Medalists
Homewood junior Emma Brook Levering earned two gold medals in the Class 6A girls meet. She won the 3,200 meters with a time of 10:57.803, edging Malone, who finished second with a photo finish time of 10:57.806. Levering also won the 1,600 with a time of 4:59.19.
The Patriots were third in the 4×800 girls relay race with a time of 9:45.34.
The Homewood boys finished third in the Class 6A team standings with 48.25 points. Northridge won with 62.5 points and UMS-Wright was second with 57.25 points.
Patriots junior Colvin Bussey was second in the 800 meters with a time of 1:53.88 and senior Elliott Allen was second in pole vault, clearing 14-06.00.
Sophomore Davis Griffin was third in javelin with a throw of 163-04 and the Patriots’ 4×800 relay team also was third, clocking 8:06.00.
Noteworthy
John Carroll senior Arthur Langley claimed two gold medals while leading the Cavaliers to a second-place finish in the boys Class 5A meet at Gulf Shores.
Langley clocked 9:24.80 to win the 3,200-meter race and won the 1,600 with a time of 4:18.68.
Cavaliers’ senior Aden Malpass won 300-meter hurdles with a time of 38.90 and senior Ryan Redmond was third in the javelin with a throw of 159-08.
The John Carroll boys also won the 4×400 with a time of 3:25.68 and the 4×800 with a time of 8:14.17 The boys were second in the 4×100 with a time of 42.98.
Scottsboro won the team title with 141 points. John Carroll had 71 points.
The Cavs girls won the 4×400 relay with a time of 4:02.54.
Westminster-Oak Mountain freshman Pippa Hussar won the girls 800 meters with a time of 2:22.39 and the 1,600 with a time of 5:25.16. Teammate Weaver Caldwell, a sophomore, won the 3,200 meters, clocking 9:57.91 as Westminster finished third in Class 3A with 60 points.
