BY JESSE SMITHEY
Farragut High School parlayed its cross-country success from the fall into some track & field success this spring.
The Admirals boys’ track & field team won its first KIL Championship since 2002, claiming the title across Monday and Tuesday at Hardin Valley Academy. Farragut won its first state title in cross country since 2001 back in the fall.
And those same distance runners came up big again at the KILs. The Admirals tallied 183 total points, excelling in field events, too. Hardin Valley (116.5) and Catholic (94) were second and third.
The Knoxville Catholic girls narrowly won a team title, 121-119, over Hardin Valley. The emergence of freshman sprinter Chloe Truss certainly helped the Lady Irish win that. The Farragut girls took third.
Here’s a look at all the individual winners…
BOYS RUNNING EVENTS
Catholic junior and Division I football prospect Braylon Harmon took the 100-meter dash in 10.86 over HVA senior Aiden Shaw (10.92) and Farragut junior Troy Lockhart (11.31).
Shaw, though, got the gold in the 200, taking first in 21.70 and narrowly edging Harmon (21.75). McKale Hayes (HVA) finished third at 22.21.
Shaw also won the 400, clocking in the win in just 49.41 seconds. Harmon took second at 50.45 while South-Doyle senior Jayden Brabson was third at 50.85.
Highly touted Catholic sophomore Keegan Smith, who won the 1-mile Saturday at the Volunteer Track Classic, won the boys’ 800 at 1:55.80. Farragut senior Michael Mendonca was runner-up in the 800 with a time of 1:56.29. HVA’s Carson Long was third (1:59.66).
Smith owned the 1600, too. He claimed that event in 4:20.26 while Farragut senior and Tennessee signee Trevor Coggin was just behind Smith at 4:21.60. Matteo Tonnos, a junior at Farragut, posted 4:22.33 for a third-place finish.
Coggin rebounded and won the 3200 in 9:20.44. His Farragut teammate, junior Braden Ebbert, just finished second at 9:20.59. Webb junior Colin Eckerman was third at 9:32.47.
Hayes, a sophomore at Hardin Valley, shone in the hurdles. He won the 110 hurdles (15.87) and the 300 hurdles (41.32). CAK’s Silas Fulford (15.95) and Farragut’s Dane Skinner (16.46) were second and third in the 110 hurdles. Farragut’s Dane Skinner (42.44) and Gibbs’ Milo Willets (42.63) were second and third in the 300 hurdles.
West won the 4 x 100 relay in 43.63 followed by Farragut (44.02) and Gibbs (44.61).
Farragut got the 4 x 200 relay in 1:32.69 while South-Doyle (1:33.80) and Central (1:34.48) finished second and third, respectively.
HVA won the 4 x 400 relay in 3:27.67. South-Doyle (3:31.00) and Farragut (3:35.28) filled the second- and third-place spots.
HVA also won the 4 x 800 relay, doing so easily in 8:15.67. Farragut was second at 8:34.43. Catholic was third (9:03.88).
BOYS FIELD EVENTS
Cayden Douglas of Bearden won the high jump with a 5-10 mark, just two inches above Domarian Noe (Halls) and Antwan Cummings-Scott.
West seniors and football standouts JaQurrius Wrenn an Brayden Latham finished first (21-2.5) and second (21-1), respectively, in the long jump. Michael Conley of Webb was third (20-4.5).
Karns junior Gavyn Duke took the triple-jump finals in 42-10.2 while Webb’s Conley (41-7.25) and Karns’ Trystan Duke (41-5.25) got silver and bronze.
Julian Gorfido, a junior at Farragut, and Bearden’s Gavin Bailey each hit 13-6 to lead the pole vault. Josh Hambrick (Farragut), Silas Fulford (CAK), Tono Vowell (Webb) all tied for third at 12-0.
Tyson Jackson, a senior at Farragut, dominated the discus. His winning throw was 169-5. Catholic freshman J.R. Fowler was second at 158-5. Austin-East senior Camden Burse was third at 149-7.
Farragut sophomore Bryce Thompson won the shot put at 51-10. Fowler, of Catholic, was second here, too. His shot put mark was 49-5.5. Burse (A-E) took third at 49-3.75.
GIRLS RUNNING
Catholic freshman Chloe Truss had a big day. She won the 100-meter dash in 12.33 over Bearden senior Laila Rudolph (12.41) and CAK senior Antiya McAlister (12.57). Truss also won the 200, doing so in 24.99 seconds. McAlister was second at 25.38 while Catholic senior Elly Jones claimed third at 25.98.
Truss didn’t stop there. She won the 400 by more than two seconds. Her winning time was 56.89. Karns junior Hannah Little was second at 59.21. West junior Emory Townsend was third in 59.29 seconds.
Maddie Archdale did Maddie Archdale things in the 800 and 1600.
The HVA junior won the 800 in 2:17.87, edging Farragut junior Parker Willis (2:17.93). Webb freshman Calysta Garmer was third (2:22.94). Archdale cruised in the 1600 with a time of 5:11.93. Webb freshman Carolina Areheart was runner-up at 5:14.39. West junior Kate Robinson was third at 5:14.88.
Rylee Gifford, a junior at Karns, ran the 3200 in 11:32.54 to win that event. StuartAnn Leath, a sophomore at HVA, was runner-up at 11:37.59. Millie Lovett, a sophomore at Bearden, was third (11:38.95).
Brianna Baker, a senior at Grace Christian, is known for her hurdles prowess and she didn’t disappoint. She won the 100 and 300 hurdles. Her 100-hurdle time was 14.94 seconds. Catholic freshman Payton Sipos was second (15.26) while CAK sophomore Amelia Wedemeyer third (16.17). Baker won the 300 hurdles in 45.63 seconds, just 0.02 ahead of Bearden junior Lydia Lively. Sipos, of Catholic, was third at 47.11.
In the girls’ 4 x 100, South-Doyle was first at 49.83. Catholic (49.88) and HVA (50.32) were second and third.
South-Doyle also won the 4 x 200, posting a 1:46.25 time. CAK (1:48.09) and Webb (1;51.45) were second and third.
Catholic finished first in the 4 x 400 with a time of 4:04.15. West was second (4:06.34) and HVA was third (4:06.71).
Webb coasted in the 4 x 800 relay, as the Lady Spartans’ mark of 9:35.82 was roughly 17 seconds ahead of runner-up HVA (9:52.63). Farragut was third at 10:27.04.
GIRLS FIELD EVENTS
Farragut senior Callie Lefler won the high jump with a 5-0 mark, two inches above Webb freshman Tallulah Carney and four above Catholic freshman Payton Sipos and Carter junior Danielle Cohen.
Webb sophomore Lennox Langham was not a surprise winner in either the long jump nor the triple jump. Langham won the long jump at 16-11. Karns junior Abby Harris (16-8) and Grace’s Baker (16-4.5) were second and third. Langham won the triple jump with a 36-5.75 mark. Farragut senior Emma Miller was second (34-2) and Farragut junior Sehynesh Coffey third (32-2.25).
Concord Christian sophomore Liliane Helton cleared 10-6 to win the pole vault. Samantha Harvey (Farragut) and Harper Allen (HVA) were at 10-0.
Gracie Waite, a junior at HVA, won the discus event at 122-3. Catholic sophomore Maggie Frana was second at 101-0. Powell senior Jazzmin Rauhuff claimed third at 95-9.
Waite also owned the shot put, tossing the winner 34-10.7. Karns junior Krickett Jones was second (31-6.75) and Catholic’s Frana third (31-0.75).
5STAR PHOTOS: KIL Track & Field Championships – Day One (Monday, May 1)