SPORTS WRITER

Sam Cowan

Members of the Franklin County High School track and field teams competed in the Class AAA state meet Thursday at the University of Tennessee with senior Brandon Walker finishing first in the boys high jump.

Walker tied his own school record with a height of 6 feet, 8 inches to lead the field in his event as he became the fifth athlete in FCHS history to win a state title in track and field. He is the first member of the FCHS boys track and field team to win a state championship since 1985.

Memphis Central’s Miles Nesmith also cleared the bar at 6 feet, 8 inches to tie Walker’s best mark, but a pair of faults from Nesmith at that height clinched the overall victory for Walker.

Walker said that he put in a lot of effort to reach this point with the state title feeling like an amazing payoff to round out his high school career.

“It’s been a lot of hard work and a lot of days out there at the track when no one’s out there,” he said. “It felt great. You dream of moments like this, and it felt like everything I thought it would.”

Walker also paid tribute to FCHS track coach Zack Norwood for working with him constantly to improve his jumping skills.

The mixed 4×400-meter relay team of senior Na’Kayjah Holman, juniors Parker Hill and Monte Johnson and sophomore Payton Dearing finished third in their event with a time of 3:46.79 to earn medals. Collierville finished first in the event with a mark of 3:45.28.

Junior Briley Taylor also made it onto the award podium as she finished fifth in the girls high jump with a height of 5 feet, 2 inches.

Six of the 16 competitors in the girls high jump exited the event at 5 feet, 2 inches with the tiebreaking marks ultimately landing Taylor in the middle of that pack while Collierville’s Khari Webb finished first with a height of 5 feet, 4 inches.

Johnson rounded out the performances in field events for Franklin County as he finished 10^th in the boys triple jump for the day with a distance of 43 feet, 8.25 inches. Memphis Central’s Nesmith took first place with a jump of 52 feet, 8 inches.

Franklin County’s boys 4×800-meter relay team of senior Josh Smith and juniors Jayden Smith, Austin Heath and Alex Domincio also finished 10^th in their event with a time of 8:21.93. Dobyns-Bennett finished first with a mark of 7:46.63.

Dearing competed in the girls 300-meter hurdles and placed 12^th for the day with a time of 47.37 seconds. Collierville’s Webb led the field with a time of 41.98 seconds.

Holman, Taylor, Dearing and sophomore Amarah Williams finished 16^th in the girls 4×200-meter relay with a time of 1:47.92 while Bartlett’s team took first place with a mark of 1:39.46.

The Class AAA state meet marked the end of the season for the FCHS boys and girls track and field teams.