South’s Taylor wins state title in high jump

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Four local tracksters competed in the middle school state championship meet Saturday at Austin Peay State University with South’s Briley Taylor winning a state championship in the Class A girls high jump.

Taylor finished the event with a top jump of 5 feet as Alcoa’s Ronique Garner matched that mark, but Taylor edged her out on faults by a 2-1 margin. She is the 10th South athlete to win a state title in track and field and the second to do so in a field event.

Taylor, Garner, Legacy’s Emma Rees and Soddy Daisy’s Emilie Burris were the last four competitors remaining in the high jump as the bar was set at 5 feet.

Taylor faulted on her first attempt to clear the bar at its new height, but she was successful on her second attempt to move on to the next round.

Garner was also able to clear the bar at 5 feet on her third and final attempt for the round, giving Taylor the advantage on faults while the competition continued.

After both jumpers were unsuccessful on all three of their attempts while the bar was at 5 feet, 2 inches, Taylor’s victory and state title were secured.

North’s Sadie Hill competed in a pair of Class AA events for the meet as she reached the awards podium with an eighth-place finish in the girls shot put.

Hill’s best throw in the shot put was registered at 33 feet, 9 inches. West Collierville’s Alex Haynes finished first for the day with a toss of 36 feet, 11 inches.

Hill also competed in the girls high jump where she finished 17th overall with a top jump of 4 feet, 6 inches. Grassland’s Graycen Dorr led the pack in the event with a leap of 5 feet, 2 inches.

North’s Gracen Baggett was the lone Franklin County representative in a running event at the meet as she finished 10th in the Class AA 200-meter dash with a time of 27.65 seconds.

The top time in the event belonged to West Collierville’s Ehi Aigbomian with a mark of 25.72 seconds.

South’s Joey Mensinga rounded out the performances from local athletes for the day as he finished 12th in the Class A boys high jump with a top height of 5 feet. Alcoa’s Jamir Dean took first place for the event after clearing the bar at 6 feet.

The state championship meet marked the end of the track and field season for North and South middle schools.

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