FAYETTEVILLE -- Cabot seniors Lexi and Tori Weeks and Micah Huckabee did all they could to help the Lady Panthers win their first state championship, but Cabot couldn't keep up at the end Thursday at the Class 7A state track and field meet at Ramay Junior High.
Bentonville anchor Katy Kotoucek outran Tori Weeks for a third-place finish in the the 1,600-meter relay -- the final event of the meet -- as the Lady Tigers held off the Lady Panthers 141.50 to 141 to capture their fourth consecutive state championship.
"They're such a good team," Bentonville Coach Randy Ramaker said of Cabot, which also finished second to Bentonville at the indoor state championship earlier this year. "They deserved to win this meet as much as we did. It took every bit of what we had."
Bryant's boys team kept Bentonville from pulling off a Class 7A sweep, using a strong performance from its sprinter to defeat the Tigers 118-103
The Weeks sisters and Huckabee -- all of whom have signed with the University of Arkansas -- combined to win seven individual state titles Thursday.
Lexi Weeks won state titles in the pole vault, long jump and 100-meter hurdles. She cleared 14 feet in the pole vault, breaking her own state record set a year ago at the Class 7A state meet. She jumped 17 feet, 7 1/4 inches to win the long jump and won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.97 seconds.
Lexi Weeks missed on all three attempts to clear 14-4 in the pole vault, but she said she was proud of what she accomplished Thursday.
"When I got to 14-4, things fell apart a little bit," Weeks said. "But I'm really excited about what I did."
Tori Weeks won state titles in the 300-meter hurdles (45.40) and the triple jump (37-6 1/2).
Micah Huckabee won the 1,600 in 5 minutes, 10.61 seconds and followed that up with another title in the 3,200 (11:21.72).
Cabot Coach Leon White said his team executed its game plan to perfection, but it just wasn't enough to dethrone Bentonville.
"We gave it our best shot and we couldn't do it," White said. "Our hats are off to Bentonville, but it still hurts."
Lexi Weeks also finished second in the 400 (58.09) and fourth in the 200 (25.84). Tori Weeks was second in the pole vault (13-8) and long jump (17-5 3/4) and third in the 100-meter hurdles (15.43).
Bryant's boys team came up with victories in the 200- and 400-meter races as well as the 110- and 300-meter hurdles to end Bentonville's bid for a repeat championship.
Brenden Young won the 110- and 300-meter hurdles in 14.76 and 38.17 seconds, respectively.
Steven Murdock ran the 200 in 21.92 to take first place, while John Winn earned a victory in the 400 (48.62) ahead of teammate Murdock (48.96). Winn also finished second in the 100 (10.97).
Justin Combs finished second in the pole vault (14-0) for the Hornets, while Mar'Kevius Nelson finished third in the long jump (21-7 3/4) and Dany Murillo placed third in shot put (47-8 1/4).
The victory marked Bryant's first state championship in track and field in Coach Steve Oury's 18 years at the school.
"We felt like we had to have a perfect day, and we did," Oury said. "John Winn, Steven Murdock, Mar'Kevius Nelson, they stepped so big. We had some seventh- and eighth-place finishes we weren't expecting.
"I can't be any happier for these kids."
CLASS 6A
Texarkana too fast
PEARCY — Texarkana’s sprinters turned in a dominant performance Thursday, winning the 100, 200, 800 and 1,600 meters as the Razorbacks ran away with the Class 6A boys state championship.
Texarkana finished with 148 points to easily outdistance runner-up El Dorado, which finished with 98. Lake Hamilton was third with 84 points.
Tyler Braswell won the 800 meters (2:02.18) and 1,600 meters (4:36.87) while Timothy Stuckey won the 200 meters (22.52) and finished second in the 100 meters (10.81) behind teammate Andrew Bishop (10.78).
Dametrick Hall gave Texarkana another individual title with his leap of 45 feet, 3 1/4 inches in the triple jump. Texarkana also won the 400 relay (42.62) and the 3,200 relay (8:23.66) and finished second (3:31.81) to Pine Bluff (3:27.14) in the 1,600 relay.
Lake Hamilton’s girls team piled up points in the distance races to claim another championship, defeating defending champion Texarkana 123-106.
Lake Hamilton repeated as state champion in the 3,200 relay and won the 800-and 1,600-meter runs and placed second in the 3,200.
Courtney Porter won the 800 in 2:23.56 and teamed with Kami Ward, Josie Carson and Breana Darnley to win the 3,200 in 10:02.77.
Carson won the 1,600 in 5:37.14 and was second to Porter in the 800 (2:27.01). Cassidy Turner placed second in the 3,200 and fourth in the 1,600.
Sports on 05/08/2015