By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

The state outdoor track and field championships took place from May 5-7 in Cullman and Gulf Shores, and every AHSAA school in the county that offers track and field as a sport sent athletes to their respective meets. The 1A-3A meets were held at Cullman High School, while the 4A-7A meets were all held in Gulf Shores. The Westminster School at Oak Mountain Lady Knights and the Pelham Lady Panthers were the two highest-placing teams across the board from the county, as both teams finished second in their respective meets.

Westminster scored 103 points in the 1A meet, losing to Whitesburg by six points. Maddie Hoaglund won the 3,200-meter run, placed second in the 1,600-meter run and placed fifth in the 800-meter run, Payton Metcalf placed third in the 200-meter dash, third in the 100-meter hurdles, third in the 300-meter hurdles and fifth in the 100-meter dash, Sarah Kate Lipperd finished second in the 800-meter run, fourth in the 400-meter dash and second in the 300-meter hurdles while Katie Croushorn placed second in the pole vault to lead the Lady Knights.

Pelham scored 98.50 points in the 6A girls meet, losing to Homewood by four points as the Lady Patriots scored 102.50. Erin Hines placed second in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, second in the long jump and third in the 400-meter dash, Mary Grace Strozier won the 3,200-meter run, placed second in the 1,600-meter run and placed fourth in the 800-meter run, Erin Long placed second in the high jump, Alex Ladewig placed third in the pole vault and fifth in the triple jump and the girls 4×800-meter relay team placed second.

The Westminster boys also fared well, finishing fourth overall in the 1A boys meet with 52 points. Pierce Moffett placed third in the 800-meter run and fifth in the 300-meter hurdles, Jacob Carrell finished sixth in the 400-meter dash, Cole Callahan finished fifth in the 800-meter run, John Porterfield finished sixth in the 3,200-meter run and seventh in the 1,600-meter run, the 4×800-meter relay team placed second and the 4×100-meter relay team placed third to lead the Knights.

Elsewhere in the county, Spain Park’s Daniel Nixon won the 800-meter run in the 7A meet with a 7A-record time of 1:53.11, breaking his own record set last year. Nixon also placed second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 48.52 to lead Spain Park to a fifth-place finish in the 7A meet. Damon Wright also placed second in the shot put and Jerome Kirkland was third in the long jump.

Sarah Owen placed second in the 7A discus throw for Thompson while Ebony Butler placed eighth in the same event for the Lady Warriors. Owen also placed second in the shot put to lead Thompson to an 11^th-place finish in the 7A girls meet. Lauryn Dancy also finished fifth in the 100-meter dash for Thompson.

Zach Gaines won the 5A javelin throw for Calera with a toss of 52.50 meters and placed fourth in the discus throw with a toss of 37.16 meters, accounting for all 15 of Calera’s points in the 5A meet. Ashton Dominque of Briarwood won the 6A javelin throw with a monstrous toss of 58.14 meters while Daniel Johnston placed fifth in the discus for the Lions. Payton Youngblood and Logan Webb placed third and fifth, respectively, for Oak Mountain in the 7A javelin throw. Kaleigh Carney led the Spain Park girls with a fifth-place finish in the high jump.