Baylark erases memories by taking heptathlon title

CABOT -- Jada Baylark finished her high school track and field career Thursday afternoon with redemption.

One year after finishing third in the state high school heptathlon, Baylark overcame a 28-point deficit and won the 19th annual event at Cabot High School.

The Little Rock Parkview senior and University of Arkansas signee trailed Pulaski Robinson junior Asia Anderson 3,820-3,792 entering the 800 meters, the seventh and final event of the heptathlon.

But Baylark ran the 800 in 2 minutes, 27.48 seconds, good for third in the event and enough to defeat Anderson. Anderson's time was 2:34.23, the ninth-best time.

Parkview Coach William Hardiman met with Baylark before the 800 and had a simple message for her.

"I said, 'You've got a heart of a champion. Go do what you do,' " Hardiman said. "It's going to come down to running and you and her, I know you're going to give it all you got. And if you come up short, I'm fine with it. But I know she's a competitor. As a coach, you love that."

Baylark earned 4,517 points, 56 points ahead of Anderson, who had 4,461. Clinton junior Allie Hensley was third with 4,126 points.

Rounding out the top 10 were Bryant senior Haley Hood (4,119 points), Rivercrest sophomore Sydney Lane (3,672), Rogers sophomore Hannah Martin (3,645), Genoa Central junior Eden Crow (3,620), Pocahontas sophomore Natalie Toney (3,572), Bryant junior Jadyn Lewis (3,567) and Vilonia senior Allie Skouras (3,525).

The 800 time of 2:32.28 a year ago forced Baylark to settle for a third-place finish behind Lexi Weeks and Tori Weeks of Cabot. That heptathlon loss, also at Cabot, motivated Baylark to win the event this year, she said.

"I definitely prepared more," Baylark said. "I started running 800s at track meets this year. I ran miles at practice. I wasn't as nervous going into it because I knew it was a hard race.

"But I was mentally and physically prepared for it this year."

Baylark led after four events Wednesday with 2,658 points. She won the 100 hurdles (15.06, 834 points) and the 200 (24.91, 895 points) on Wednesday and earned a second-place finish in the long jump (17 feet 11 1/2 inches).

Anderson, who won the long jump with a leap of 18-7 (747 points), also had a second-place finish in the high jump Thursday (5-7 1/4). Despite losing to Baylark, Anderson was still content with her effort.

"The two days were great. I felt like I pushed it to the best of my limits," Anderson said. "Jada gave me a good ride."

Lane won the high jump, clearing 5-7 1/2 for 867 points. Anderson was second, followed by Mansfield's Eden Jones (5-2 1/4).

Crow had a winning effort of 35-3 3/4 to win the shot put. She earned 579 points. Gentry's Chastery Fuamatu was second (32-2 3/4), while Baylark was third.

Rogers' Grace Risenhoover had the best 800 time, clocking in at 2:24.78. Hood, who defeated Baylark and Hensley in the 10th and final flight of the 800, had a time of 2:24.98, .20 seconds behind Risenhoover. Baylark had the third-best 800 time.

Hensley has placed in the top five in two consecutive years. She was fifth as a sophomore in 2015 and was third Thursday.

With Baylark exhausting her eligibility, next year's heptathlon could come down to Hensley and Anderson who both compete in the 4A-4 Conference.

"It's fun," Hensley said. "I like competing against her. She's a nice girl and fun to compete with."

Thursday's heptathlon crown helped cap a stellar senior season for Baylark who won five Class 6A individual state championships May 5 in Benton, earning titles in the 100 and 200, the 100 hurdles, the long jump and triple jump. She is the state record holder in the 100 (11.86) and triple jump (39-4 3/4) and the 6A record holder in the 100 hurdles (14.34).

"It's bittersweet, but I'm proud of myself," Baylark said. "I had a mindset of winning today."

Sports on 05/20/2016