A step behind Skyline and Strafford most of the spring, the Fair Grove boys finally bested their conference foes in Tuesday’s Mid-Lakes championship meet.
The Eagles (147 team points) set two school records and used their depth to edge Strafford (140) and Skyline (138) for the Mid-Lakes boys crown in a competitive three-team battle.
“We set that goal right at the beginning of the year, during the first meeting for track,” said Fair Grove coach Mark Talbert. “We wanted to win conference. All year, we’ve been going to meets with Skyline and Stockton and have come up short a couple of times against those teams. It was a big deal for our kids to be able to pull that off today.”
Fair Grove finished first in only three events on the boys’ side, two of those first-place finishes coming from senior Kyle Cavanaugh, who’s competing in track for the first time since his freshman season.
The Eagles actually finished second in events in which they set school records on the day: Derek Lampe in the 300 hurdles (41.19) and the 4×200 relay team of Garret Potter, Brent Church, Cavanaugh and anchor Joseph Caudle (1:31.80).
“Our top guys have been the top guys most of the year. They’ve done real well,” Talbert said. “It’s been our guys that finished 7th and 8th, and 5th and 6th, that made the difference for us tonight.
“Our kids that earned points, they got real into earning points as the year went on. That’s really helped us.”
Ash Grove (155 team points) topped second-place Fair Grove (138) to claim the Mid-Lakes girls’ title.
The Pirates had nine first-place finishes on the girls’ side. Ash Grove swept the sprint, mid-distance and relay events. Kayla Keene was first in the 100 (12.77) and 200 (27.53), Mallory Keith first in the 400 (1:02.60) and Melanie Hall won the 800 (2:31.87).
In addition to winning the 4×100, 4×200, 4×400 and 4×800 relay events, Ash Grove also got a first-place performance from Sydnee Cashio in the shot put (37’5”).
The Pirates have now won three straight Mid-Lakes Conference girls’ championships.
Davis finally gets the best of Mauldin, again, in 400
Skyline’s Madison Davis and Fair Grove’s Isaac Mauldin made their final race in the 400 a memorable one.
In the most exciting event of the day, Davis edged Mauldin by .02 seconds in a matchup that featured two of the area’s best for the event.
As Davis (49.07) tried to pull away in the final 100 meters, he was met with an unexpected burst from Mauldin (49.09) as the two raced toward the finish line.
“The end of the race is my strength,” Davis said. “I like to save up everything I have for the end. (Mauldin) goes at the same speed the whole time, from start to finish. Today, he had more of a kick than I was anticipating. I thought he was going to beat me near the end.”
While Davis is the defending state champ in the 400, it was actually his first victory over Mauldin this season. Mauldin had beaten Davis in three prior meetings this spring, including last Tuesday’s Bearcat Classic at SBU.
Davis recalled losing to Mauldin in an early season meet, roughly nine months after winning a state championship.
“It got my attention,” said Davis, who beat Mauldin in every 400 race in 2015. “(Mauldin) had dropped about 2-to-3 seconds from his previous time last season.”
It was a good day all-around for Davis, who was second in the 200 and helped Skyline win the 4×400 (3:32.28) and 4×200 (1:31.00) relays.
With their performances on Tuesday, Davis (49.07) and Mauldin (49.09) now own the two best 400 performances in the area this season. Davis said he’s looking forward to a potential sectionals matchup with College Heights Christian’s Jonathan Johnson, who was previously No. 1 in the 400 for the area’s honor roll list.
Since Skyline’s Class 2 and Fair Grove’s Class 3, Tuesday marked the final race between Mauldin and the senior Davis. Despite racing each other for only two years, the two have formed a bond over their close battles on the track.
“We go up to each other and say ‘Good luck’ before every race,” Davis said. “Afterwards, we’ll talk and congratulate each other. We really push each other to get better.”
Cavanaugh making impact in return to sport
Kyle Cavanaugh wants to use all of his high school sports eligibility while he still can. That’s why the senior and basketball standout returned to track and field this spring.
“It’s my senior year and I wanted to get the most out of it,” Cavanaugh said. “I felt like I could really help the team. There are a lot of good athletes on our team and I felt like I could help add to our team success.”
An all-state triple jumper as a freshman, Cavanaugh is poised for another big performance at Jefferson City in a few weeks.
He continued an impressive spring by winning Tuesday’s conference triple jump (42’1.5”) and long jump (21’0”) events, finishing second in the 100 and serving as the third leg on Fair Grove’s school-record setting 4×200 relay squad.
Cavanaugh has yet to lose in triple jump this spring and has placed in the Top 3 in long jump at every meet. Not bad for a guy who hasn’t competed in the sport since 2013.
“I’m always looking to challenge myself and prove myself,” Cavanaugh said. “I want to be the best, but I know I’m not, so I go out there trying to challenge myself and make myself better.”
Cavanaugh said he enjoyed track as a freshman, but wanted to focus on basketball going into his sophomore year. An all-state guard, Cavanaugh’s hoping to walk-on and play basketball for Drury University next school year.
Coach Mark Talbert said Cavanaugh wanted to come out for track as a junior, but had asked too late. Instead of being discouraged, Cavanaugh remained persistent in showing his interest.
“He just told me all year, every time I saw him, ‘I’ll be back out for track (in 2016).’ He came back out and that’s been a huge deal for us, a huge boost,” Talbert said.
Marionville’s Brown shows talent in another event
As a freshman, Tori Brown broke her leg at sectionals while competing in the high jump.
Taking on pole vault for the first time last year, Brown would post a surprising all-state performance (4th place) at the Class 2 state meet.
This year, she can thank a Marionville assistant coach known as “Bobcat” for helping her discover a love for the long and triple jump.
“He’s one of my friend’s older brothers who did long jump and triple jump in college,” Brown said. “I wasn’t even going to do track this year, and he talked me into it. He’s been helping me ever since.
“I get in my head a lot. He helps keep me optimistic.”
Brown won the long jump (16’3”) and triple jump (30’10.25”) at Tuesday’s MLC meet. Her long jump mark is among the 20 best in the area overall. Among Class 2 competition exclusively, it’s second only to Crane’s Madison Hicks (16’11”).
Don’t tell that to Brown, though.
“I’ve never looked at it,” Brown said. “I focus on my individual results and how good I can do. I don’t compare myself to other girls.”
