Texarkana secures titles as records fall

BENTON -- Little Rock Parkview's Jada Baylark has long been seen as a heavy favorite to win big at the state track and field level. Baylark more than matched those lofty expectations Thursday at the 6A girls state meet at the Benton Athletic Complex.

The Arkansas-bound senior won all five individual races she entered and broke two 6A state records in the process, scoring a meet-high 50 points to lead Parkview to a third-place finish (78 points) behind Texarkana (111.83) and Lake Hamilton (94.33).

Lake Hamilton pole vaulter Nick Johnson set a state record with a jump of 17 feet, 3 inches to highlight the senior boys side.

Texarkana was too strong on the boys side, too, scoring 104 points to win its second consecutive 6A championship, just clear of Lake Hamilton's 96.5.

Texarkana won both meets with sprinting depth and each was able to overcome early deficits after the initial field events. Neither hauled in a bevy of first-place finishes, but the number of top-four finishes more than made up for it. Four Lady Razorbacks finished in the top eight in the 200 meters, led by Skylar Bailey's third-place finish.

Johnson led a Lake Hamilton sweep of the pole vault with his 17-3 mark eclipsing his indoor personal best (17-2). The senior cleared 16-9 on his second attempt to set the state record and then cleared 17-0 on his third and final attempt minutes later. Johnson wasted no time making 17-1, then on his first attempt at 17-3 he launched himself well over the bar before being mobbed by a handful of teammates.

"It's more of a blessing than it is an opportunity," Johnson said. "Most people don't have the opportunity to take advantage of the moments that they have and it's really great to know that I got to break ... the overall state record."

Baylark broke the 6A mark in the 100-meter hurdles (14.34) and the 100 (11.86). She also won the triple jump, long jump and 200.

"Most definitely I wanted to go out with a bang my senior year," Baylark said. "Getting those two state records is just icing on the cake."

Lawrence Nelson of Pine Bluff was the boys medalist with 27.5 points.

Sports on 05/06/2016

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