STATE HIGH SCHOOL DECATHLON/HEPTATHLON

PREP TRACK: Bemis, Carranco stay on course for titles

Fayetteville’s Kessiah Bemis  (right) competes in the 800 meters during the state high school heptathlon Thursday at Fayetteville. Bemis won the heptathlon with 4,477 points.
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)
Fayetteville’s Kessiah Bemis (right) competes in the 800 meters during the state high school heptathlon Thursday at Fayetteville. Bemis won the heptathlon with 4,477 points. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)


FAYETTEVILLE -- As Kessiah Bemis prepared to compete in the 800 meters, all she had on her mind was to break her personal best in that event.

The Fayetteville senior did just that, and it allowed her to cap her career Thursday afternoon by winning the state high school heptathlon title at Ramay Junior High School. Bemis compiled 4,477 points over the seven events, while Kinleigh Hall of Springdale Har-Ber took second with 4,176.

The title was sweet vindication for Bemis, who didn't participate in the heptathlon the past two years because of the coronavirus and an injury, respectively.

"This is amazing," Bemis said. "The hep is what I love, and it was so fun to finally be able to do it. This was phenomenal, and I loved it."

Hall, who started the day in third place, was in an earlier flight and already had completed her events before Bemis stepped on the track for the 800. She trailed Hall by 445 points, which meant she needed to finish in 2 minutes, 50 seconds or better to win the event.

Bemis, unaware of what she needed to accomplish, bolted out to the early lead, then used a strong kick to turn in the second-best time of the event at 2:25.80. That was good enough for 746 points and the victory.

"I wasn't focused on what I needed to win," said Bemis, who wants to continue running in college but has not chosen where. "I just wanted to set a PR, and I knew it was going to be fast. It was my personal-best for 3 seconds.

"I didn't know how close the point totals were. I definitely went out fast, even faster than I had planned. I settled in during the second 200 meters and save enough for the end."

Fayetteville teammate Hannah Estes, who trailed Bemis by 96 points to begin the day and by only 19 points after they competed in the shot put, fell to third after her 800 time of 2:53.30 gave her 430 points. Carshaila Rozier of El Dorado fell one spot to fourth with 4,121 points, while Laylah Reese of Cabot rounded out the top five with 4,099.

Rozier turned in the best high jump, clearing 5 feet, 3 inches for 736 points, while Dallice White of Pea Ridge was the top performer in the shot put with her throw of 34-7 for 565 points. The best 800 time was turned in by Russellville's Brooklyn Nicholson, who ran a 2:24.26 time for 767 points.

Meanwhile, Adrian Carranco of Beebe continued to pull away from the rest of the competition and claimed the decathlon title. Carranco, a University of Central Arkansas signee, compiled 6,188 points over his 10 events, while Quinn Hawkins of Cabot was a distant second with 5,581.

"I kept my foot off the brake," Carranco said. "I've been working for this all year. My coaches have been doing stuff throughout the year to keep me in the right state of mind and the right athletic standing.

"Without my coaches and my parents -- people outside of just me -- I wouldn't be able to do this and not be where I'm at right now. I'm blessed to have my coach over there for what we does for me and does for my family. The mindset was clear -- finish what we started."

Carranco, who built the first-day lead by finishing in the top four in four of the five events Wednesday, picked up where he left off with the 110 hurdles. He finished fourth again, and his time of 15.89 seconds was good for 745 points.

It gave him the breathing room he needed for the next two events -- the discus and the pole vault, which turned out to be his lowest point totals. He then bounced back a big way when he won the triple jump, the event where he set the Class 5A state meet record, and picked up 725 points for his leap of 46-5.5.

"Last year, my coach or anybody will tell you that my hurdles were horrible," Carranco said. "It was embarrassing, just because somebody with long legs like me was struggling like that. Once I learned how to do them, though, it was like stepping over them.

"I didn't PR or do anything crazy. I stuck to the course and did what my coaches told me. That's truly what it takes. A prestigious meet like this, you have to stick to the course and can't get off in one event."

Shamar Easter of Ashdown, who started the day in second place, dropped one spot with 5,565 points, while Sloan Jones of Fayetteville moved up one spot and took fourth with 5,479 points. Alexander Anderson of Bentonville West rounded out the top five with 5,479, just nine points more than Rogers' Isaac Chapman.

Caden Callahan of West Fork, who finished 11th, had the best time in the 110 hurdles with 15.42 points and scored 799 points, while Robert Dover of Mountain Home was the best discus thrower, scoring 759 points with his throw of 146-5. Hawkins was the best in the pole vault and cleared 14-9 for 760 points, while River Hardman of Russellville was tops in the 1,500 with a time of 4:28.93 for 752 points.

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TOP FINISHERS

DECATHLON

Name;School;Day 1 Total;110 Hurdles;Discus;Pole Vault;Triple Jump;1,500M;Total

1. Adrian Carranco;Beebe;3,411;15.89 (745);91-6 (423);9-2.25 (309);46-5.5 (725);4:57.30 (575);6,188

2. Quinn Hawkins;Cabot;3,002;19.37 (401);102-11 (491);14-9 (760);39-8 (470);5:18.61 (4576);5,581

3. Shamar Easter;Ashdown;3,177;16.58 (669);114-11 (564);8-8.25 (275);39-8.75 (472);5:28.24 (408);5,565

4. Sloan Jones;Fayetteville;3,077;15.46 (795);78-9 (348);10-2 (381);40-11.75 (517);5:34.60 (377);5,495

5. Alexander Anderson;Bentonville West;3,148;17.28 (595);82-3 (368);9-8 (345);39-0.25 (447);4:57.27 (576);5,479

6. Isaac Chapman;Rogers;2,882;16.35 (694);142-7 (735);10-2 (381);39-1.25 (450);5:45.09 (328);5,470

7. Parker Brown;Heber Springs;3,010;16.01 (732);83-0 (373);9-2.25 (309);41-10.75 (550);5:15.11 (476);5,450

8. Cooper Williams;Fayetteville;2,988;16.83 (642);79-9 (354);8-2.5 (242);41-8.5 (543);4:44.14 (654);5,423

9. Ethan Grigg;Bentonville West;2,819;15.81 (754);81-3 (362);10-2 (381);40-9.5 (509);4:58.09 (571);5,396

10. Robert Dover;Mountain Home;2,937;18.52 (475);146-5 (759);9-2.25 (309);40-4.75 (495);5:33.58 (382);5,357

HEPTATHLON

Name;School;Day 1 Total;High Jump;Shot Put;800M;Total

1. Kessiah Bemis;Fayetteville;2,715;4-9 (566);28-9.75 (450);2:25.80 (746);4,477

2. Kinleigh Hall;Springdale Har-Ber;2,519;4-7 (512);30-0.25 (474);2:31.79 (671);4,176

3. Hannah Estes;Fayetteville;2,619;4-11 (621);30.075 (475);2:53.30 (430);4,159

4. Carshaila Rozier;El Dorado;2,510;5-3 (736);28-7 (445);2:53.30 (430);4,121

5. Laylah Reese;Cabot;2,460;4-7 (512);32-3 (518);2:36.90 (609);4,099

6. Joey Babel;Beebe;2,280;4-11 (621);33-0.25 (533);2:33.87 (645);4,079

7. Karis Martin;Cabot;2,342;5-1 (678);24-6.24 (365);2:32.01 (668);4,053

8. Paisley Hight;Bentonville;2,342;5-1 (678);20-6.25 (287);2:26.57;4,043

9. Emelia Thurston;Bentonville;2,288;4-9 (566);25-0 (375);2:29.45 (700);3,929

10. Lauren Lain;Bryant;2,230;4-9 (566);28-1.5 (436);2:31.39 (676);3,908

 


  photo  Beebe’s Adrian Carranco, shown competing in the triple jump, won the state high school decathlon Thursday in Fayetteville, finishing with 6,188 points. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)
 
 


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