By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com)
NIXA — The West Plains boys and Marshfield girls came away with the Class 4 District 6 team titles on Saturday at Nixa. West plains scored 162 points, which was well ahead of the 117 points from runner-up Bolivar.
Marshfield was even more dominant on the girls’ side with 167 points to 109 for runner-up Carl Junction.
Boys Recap
West Plains’ Carson King won what arguably rated as the race of the day in Class 4 District 6 action Saturday, as he took the 800 by three-hundredths of a second.
King’s winning time of 1:59.23 edged Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson and his 1:59.26.
King staged a valiant rally down the stretch to catch and overtake Lawson at the finish.
“Coming down to the last 100, I saw him dying and knew I had a chance. I had to kick it in,” King said. “Once I saw him slow down, I was thinking that I knew I could get him. As long as I have my mind to it, I can catch anybody.
“That was the closest finish of my life,” he added. “I had another 800 that came down to a half-second.”
Lawson went to King afterward and they shared a congratulatory hug.
“I thought it was a cool moment,” King said. “I normally always try to show sportsmanship to the people next to me. Everyone is out here competing to get better.”
When King and Lawson gave each other a hug, King actually thought his comeback had fallen short.
“I didn’t know I won,” King said. “I thought he beat me. I didn’t know I won until I saw my name on the scoreboard that I had won. I was excited I got it. My heart was pounding.”
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King’s win was one of six first-place finishes for the Zizzers, who captured the team championship with 162 points.
West Plains Jackson Free took both the 1,600 (4:30) and 3,200 (9:46). He had a PR in the 1,600. The Zizzers’ Lincoln Miller won the 200 (22.60). West Plains’ 4 x 100 (43.00) and 4x 200 (1:29.32) both were victorious.
Bolivar’s Maddux NeSmith beat the rest of the field in the pole vault by more than a foot, but still won in a fairly dramatic fashion. He didn’t clear 13-5 until his third attempt. He went on to clear 14-0, 14-3 and 14-6 all on his second attempt. Also, he failed to clear 12-2 on his first attempt.
Bolivar’s Damean Young won the 300 hurdles and set a PR with a 41.31. The Liberators’ 4 x 800 relay posted a winning time of 8:12
McDonald County’s Toby Moore swept the shot put and discus, thanks to a combined winning margin of less than five inches. Moore recorded a 50-2 3/4 to edge West Plains’ Jaxon Hunter and his 50-1 1/4 in the shot put. Moore won the discus with a throw of 144-3 over Nevada’s Grady Stewart and his 144-0.
McDonald County’s 4 x 400 relay had a winning time of 3:29.
Camdenton received firsts from Ty Wiethop in the long jump (22-0 1/2), Christian Herring in the 400 (52.84) and Kyle Eidson in the high jump (6-2 3/4). Wiethop is a freshman, as is the Lakers’ Mike Pitnick, who was second in the 400 (52.97).
Marshfield’s Caeden Swanner set a PR of 16.36 to win the 110 hurdles. Brayden Hicks won the triple jump (46-1 1/4).
Hillcrest’s Aiden Myers won the javelin by more than 10 feet, thanks to a throw of 167-7.
Rogersville’s Carter Athen was first in the 100 (11.11).
Dowd, Ward lead girls sprinters
Carl Junction’s Sydney Ward won the 400 (58.94), while battling blisters on her feet.
“The track is really hot, so I was focusing on my burning feet over the last 100,” Ward said. “Otherwise, I think I probably could have cut some time.”
Ward, who holds COC records in the 100 (12.12) and 200 (25.23), only began running the 400 a year ago.
“I’m glad I get to run it,“ she said. “It helps me be more versatile and also helps my 200. It’s hard. I don’t love it. But I know it’s good for me.”
McDonald County’s Samantha Dowd posted a winning time of 11.91 to edge Ward’s 12.02 in the 100. Dowd set a PR with a 24.94 while winning the 200.
Dowd also ran the anchor leg on McDonald County’s winning 4 x 200 relay (1:46.12). The Lady Mustangs’ 4 x 400 relay also was first (4:12).
Marshfield claimed the girls team championship with 167 points.
Marshfield posted a 1-2 finish in the triple jump, as Abigail McBride won with 36-3 3/4 and Tilly Greenfield was second with a 34-9. The Lady Jays also had a 1-2 finish in the high jump as Grace Kimrey won by clearing 5-3 and Greenfield was second with a 5-1.
Marshfield’s Adyson Clark won the shot put (38-11 3/4), as did Skylee Lamkey in the 800 (2:29).
The Lady Jays’ 4 x 100 relay was first in 53.05.
West Plains Audrey Oliver swept the 100 hurdles (15.49) and 300 hurdles (46.30) and set a PR in both races.
The Lady Zizzers’ Mylea Adams won the long jump (16-11 1/4), while Emily Ritter won the 1,600 (5:27), Addison Sanders won the 3,200 11:47 and their 4 x 800 relay was first (10:01).
Sanders’ winning margin in the 3,200 was :38.
Camdenton’s Alexandra Dickerson was first in discus (120-2).
Carl Junction’s Madilyn Olds (130-9) won the javelin by more than five feet, while the Lady Bulldogs Acadia Badgley (10-6 1/2) and Brooke Jasperson (10-3 1/3) were 1-2 in the pole vault.
