By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
BOLIVAR, MO – Under near-perfect conditions, 25 teams descended on Bolivar’s Southwest Baptist University Monday for the High School Class 4 & 5 Bearcat Classic.
When the dust cleared, one item stood out from the day’s 40-event schedule.
The Ozark girls continue to be a problem for their southwest Missouri rivals.
The Tigers steamrolled to a victory with 134 points, posting victories in the 400m, 800m, 100m hurdles, 300m hurdles, 4x400m relay, 4x800m relay, javelin, pole vault, long jump and triple jump events.
Webb City finished second with 113 points, and Carthage rounded out the top three with 67 points.
Getting out to a fast start on the day was a key factor in Ozark’s success, according to head coach Shawn Widel.
“Right from the beginning, Coach Furtkamp kind of loaded up our 4×800 relay, and they won first place,” Widel said. “I think they kind of set the tone for everybody – they ran a really good time – and from there, we just built on it.”
“I think what’s been special about this team so far is that we have a handful of top-end girls that are scoring a lot of points,” Widel said. “But then we also have the supplementary cast. For example, both my 4×100 and 4×200 relays – I’ve got three freshmen that run on those (Abigail Wheeler, Jillian Elet and Sophia Miller), and they’re coming out here getting top three or four finishes. So, we’re getting input from young kids, and our seniors are performing, as well.”
Wright sets first place marks in four events
While Ozark enjoyed success throughout its deep and talented roster, the day belonged to Bria Wright.
The senior Wichita State signee captured victories in all four events she entered (110m hurdles, 300m hurdles, long jump, 4x400m relay) and even showcased the mark of a true champion when forced to battle through adversity.
In Wright’s third event of the day – the 300-meter hurdles – disaster struck early in the race.
As she moved to clear the very first hurdle on the course, Wright caught a spike and tumbled to the track.
“I was really trying to attack that first hurdle, and I kind of stuttered a bit,” Wright said. “Then my spike got caught on the turf, and I just smashed into that first hurdle.”
While Wright quickly moved to pick herself up off the track and rejoin the race, the fall had cost her valuable time and several positions on the leaderboard.
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At that point, instinct kicked in and Wright – sporting several rash marks from the fall – did the only thing she knew.
Grind through to the finish.
“I didn’t want to stop, obviously, because we go to the end,” Wright said. “I’ve never fallen in the 300 hurdles before, so it was different for sure. It was good to run from behind, I mean, I’ll definitely learn from it.”
While her time of 48.43 seconds is a far cry from last season’s personal best mark (44.18), Wright did manage to capture the win against a talented field by over a second.
Carthage junior Elsie Willis finished second with a time of 49.80, and Lebanon’s Bailey Cromer rounded out the top three in 50.27.
“Whenever I get to the big meets, I really just try to use that competitiveness with those other girls and just try to work on it for myself,” Wright said. “I’m just trying to get better every time and stay competitive, and there’s some good hurdlers out here that can pop off sometimes, too.”
Hale posts three victories
When both teammates and rivals noticed Gage Hale crouched over and throwing up near the 400-meter starting line, they quickly moved in to make sure he was OK.
For the Logan-Rogersville sophomore, the reaction is all part of the process and akin to flipping a switch prior to the race.
“It’s really tough,” Hale said. “Like, the nerves, it’s really tough to handle, so I dry heave a lot and spit up these things, and that’s kind of what locks me into my race. As weird as it is, I don’t know, it just gets me set and ready to run.”
In the final heat against a loaded field, Hale proved, once again, exactly why he’s the area’s top athlete in the event and holds the current No. 2 mark in the state at 48.02 seconds.
On Monday, Hale clocked a respectable 49.25 in the win, besting Branson senior William Iler (51.28) and Monett freshman Theo Smith (51.78).
A key aspect for Hale’s success is the ability to maintain proper running form down the final stretch, when everything tends to hurt and enter shut-down mode.
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“It’s tough, but it’s more like a mental thing,” Hall said. “You just have to think about it. I train pretty hard, so I’m able to keep my form.”
Following the 400-meter victory, Hale posted wins in the 200-meter dash and 4×200-meter relay.
While he’s enjoyed success this season in both the 400 and 200-meter events, Hale remains focused on one primary goal.
“Obviously, I want to win state,” Hale said. “I placed eighth last year, so I’m kind of on a redemption tour for the 400 to win it and, hopefully, win the 200, as well. Last year, the winning time was a 47.9, so I’m obviously pushing for that goal. In the 200, I’m aiming for the 20s.”
Givens captures jump double
Antwon Givens was not 100 percent heading into Monday’s jump program.
Fortunately for the Lebanon senior – the state’s No. 1 ranked triple jumper – less than perfect is often still good enough.
After posting a victory in the long jump, Givens followed it up with a second win in the triple.
“I didn’t jump my best today, but I’m just happy I won,” Givens said. “My ankle has been bothering me this past week, but I’m just trying to fight through it.”
In the long jump, Givens only managed to mark one jump on his second attempt; however, that score was more than enough for the victory.
His 6.35-meter jump bested Central junior Juelz Trinidad (6.19m) and Waynesville freshman Adrian Calloway (6.11m).
CLICK HERE FOR FULL RESULTS OF THE MEET
“I jumped a 6.3 that was good enough to win,” Givens said. “I was happy to finally get back to jumping to the mid sixes for the long jump.”
After scratching on his first attempt, Givens knew the second one was big as soon as he left the board.
“It’s just like, you get that feeling when you jump,” Givens said. “You get in the air, and you feel it; like how long you’re in the air and you think, ‘Oh yeah, that was a good jump.’ So I got in the air and I kind of knew that would be a pretty good jump.”
In the triple, Givens and Calloway found themselves locked in another hotly contested battle with the senior, once again, claiming victory.
Givens’ 13.47-meter jump bested Calloway’s 13.35-meter attempt by a narrow margin for the win. Camdenton sophomore Daysen Stanfeild finished third (13.28m).
“I’ve been winning first at every meet for triple jump, so I just want to keep that consistency,” Givens said. “That’s one of my goals – I have to make sure I win first every single meet for triple jump. For long jump, I haven’t really made goals for that, because that’s my secondary, but I’m starting to get back into a groove for long jump. I may make a goal for next meet to jump over 16.3, and I’m trying to win long jump, too.”
In the mens team competition, Webb City rolled to a decisive victory with 113 points. Logan-Rogersville finished second (66), and Ozark finished third (57).
