Despite the threat of inclement weather and a rescheduled timeline, the MHSAA 2A Track and Field Championships witnessed an explosive showdown between Mississippi's finest athletes. Held at Pearl High School on Saturday, May 6, the event brought together a diverse group of talents from across the state, each vying for the coveted title of state champion.

High School Girls Field Events

In the Girls' Pole Vault, Cheyenne Warrington of Puckett High School soared to new heights, clearing an impressive 9-5 and securing a new personal best as well as the state title. This exceptional feat set the stage for Warrington's tremendous impact throughout the competition. Notable competitors included Sydney Turner  of Myrtle High School, Kaylee Saxton from Pisgah High School, and Kami Bear of Choctaw County High School.

Kami Beard, seeded second in the High Jump, would not be outshined. The Choctaw County athlete shattered her previous record of 4-10 with a stunning 5-0 jump, earning her first individual state title. Other top performers were Ella Johnson from East Union, Mariana Thames of Newton High, and Bianca Woods representing Potts Camp High.

Skiver Burch reigned supreme in the Discus, hurling a 95-04.5 mark that secured her first MHSAA 2A state title and an undefeated season-excluding her first meet. Pisgah's Maddi Byrd finished second with a 90-06 throw, and Shaniya Moore from Charleston High made her presence known.

The Girls' Triple Jump was a nail-biting contest between Arniecia Thomas of Riverside and Amia Wright of Charleston. Thomas ultimately triumphed, leaping a personal best of 35-03 to claim her first MHSAA 2A state title for Charleston. Wright finished close behind at 34-10. Ahnizeyah Mays from Calhoun City and Kelis Jones of Heidelberg also delivered noteworthy performances.

In the Long Jump, Cheyenne Warrington and Thomas faced off in a thrilling duel. Warrington emerged victorious, leaping 17-04 to secure her second consecutive MHSAA 2A state title. Fannie Miller from Choctaw County was another standout performer.

High School Girls Track Events

The 100m showcased the afore mentioned Wright's incredible speed, as she edged out teammate Alena Collins with a time of 12.56. The victory added another MHSAA 2A state title to her growing collection. Miller from Choctaw County was also a force to be reckoned with.

The 100mH saw Kamoria Gary of Charleston narrowly defeat Tynedija Hughes from Amite County, finishing in 17.57 seconds and claiming her first MHSAA 2A state title. Timberly Summers from Pisgah also put forth a strong effort.

Wright continued her winning streak in the 200m, claiming victory in 25.59 seconds and defeating Miller of Choctaw County, who secured three podium finishes herself. 

In the 400m, Leflore County's Terrica Coleman demonstrated her exceptional speed, crossing the finish line in 1:01.65 and besting her closest competitor, eighth-grader Keasia Goliday from Charleston, by nearly two seconds. This impressive performance marked a new personal best for Coleman. Other strong contenders included Katorrica Richards from Leflore County and Brooklynn Adams representing North Forrest.

The 1600m witnessed a stunning victory by seventh-grader Ally Murphy from Myrtle High School. Clocking in at 5:47.6, she secured a decisive win over Baldwyn's Eliza McCarley and claimed her first-ever individual state title in track and field. Notable performances in this event came from Cayden Gentry of East Webster and Madison Buckley from Calhoun City.

Murphy continued her winning streak in the 800m, setting yet another personal best with a time of 2:30.4 and earning her first MHSAA 2A title. Mallory Mitchener from Puckett also shone, finishing as runner-up with a new personal best of 2:33.7. Destiny Fields from North Side High School added her name to the list of outstanding performers.

High School Girls Team Race

In the team competition, Charleston High School emerged as the undisputed champions, amassing an impressive 118 points and outpacing Puckett High School, which finished with 66 points.

The Charleston High girls capitalized on their dominance in the sprints, capturing the state championship and avenging their narrow five-point loss to Puckett in 2022.

In the high jump, an intensely competitive field event saw Tavian Johnson from Velma Jackson narrowly clinch victory with a leap of 6-01, surpassing his nearest rivals by a mere inch. The second-place spot was shared in a remarkable three-way tie, as LaKendrick James, Terrence Marco, and Samuelle Gray each cleared 6-0. Jordan McNight from North Side and Donny Anderson of East Marion also put forth commendable performances.

The triple jump featured a thrilling reversal of fortunes as Marco from Charleston overcame high jump winner Tavian Johnson. Marco's leap of 45-07.5 outdistanced Johnson's 42-08, earning him the MHSAA 2A title and a fitting conclusion to his high school career. Daylen Ware of Newton High also made an impact in this event.

The long jump showcased the prodigious talent of freshman James Hogan from North Side High. Seeded seventh, James soared to a remarkable 22-02.25 victory, improving his personal best and outperforming his nearest competitor by almost a foot. With this triumph, James secured his first MHSAA 2A title and announced his arrival on the state stage. Other standout performers included Quinton Anderson from Amite County and Tavian Johnson representing Velma Jackson.

In the 100m race, Damian Spencer from Collins High School emerged victorious over Demarius Yates of Kemper County High, clocking a personal best of 11.05. This marked Spencer's second MHSAA 2A state title in his career. Zavion Anderson from Heidelberg High School also delivered a notable performance.

The 110mH event saw a close contest between Mikendall Morris of North Side High and Tyler Thames of Heidelberg. Morris won by a mere two hundredths of a second, posting a time of 15.55 and achieving a personal best by breaking the 16-second barrier. Other impressive performances came from Derion Dillard of O'Bannon and Ricardo Butler of North Side High.

Freshman Demarius Yates bounced back from his second-place finish in the 100m to claim the 200m title with a time of 22.30, beating Lorenzo Smith from Velma Jackson. Miner and Anderson, both from Amite County, also shone in this event.

In the 400m, Kewan Miner from Amite County bested Denoah Thompson of Velma Jackson by more than half a second, registering a personal best of 50.39 and earning his second consecutive MHSAA 2A state title. Kyntorris Williams from Charleston put forth another strong performance.

Gabe McElwain, a Mississippi College signee and MHSAA 2A record holder in the 1600m and 3200m, comfortably won the 1600m race with a time of 4:42.3, beating out Gauge Montgomery from Loyd Star.

In the 3200m, McElwain added another MHSAA 2A title to his collection, his sixth overall, by finishing in 9:44 - over a minute and a half ahead of his closest rival. This victory capped off his outstanding high school career with Walnut High School.

High School Boys Team Race

On the boys' side, the team race was closer than the girls', but Velma Jackson High School managed to secure a 21-point victory over Amite County High School, dethroning the 2022 champions.

Similar to the Charleston girls, Velma Jackson's strength lay in sprinting and jumping events, which proved sufficient to clinch the MHSAA 2A State Championship.

Section written by Preston Speed