The McCallie Track Team continued its winning ways this season by capturing the DII AA Region Championship hosted by McCallie. This was McCallie’s 17th consecutive region crown. In what turned out to be a beautiful night for running McCallie was able to build on a lead after day one when field events and the 3200 meter run were contested.
McCallie’s strength this season has been field events and distance races.
Both Wyatt Hughes and Quindarius Dunnigan put the shot over 51’ to go 1, 2.
Dunnigan, Evan Smith and Dre Taylor swept the discus.
Michael May and Thompson Byrd took 1, 2 in the triple jump.
Ti Thomas was 2nd in the long jump as was Jack Braman in the pole vault.
Another highlight for McCallie was a 1, 2, 3 sweep of the high jump with Thomas and May both clearing 6’2” and Eric Rivers in 3rd, Rivers also scored 3rd in the long jump.
To cap off day one McCallie’s outstanding distance crew took to the track and ran under the lights to finish 1, 2, and 3 in the 3200 meter run. Samuel Ligon led teammates Dylan Zeller and John Arrowsmith across the line in a time of 9:47.97.
Day two began much the same as day one of the region championship with Patrick Kushman, Boniface Bizimana, Dawson Carmack and Raif Gork running away to 1st in the 4 x 800 relay.
Michael May finished 2nd in the 110 high hurdles.
Next race was a 2, 3 finish for McCallie sprinters Ty Flowers and Thompson Byrd in the 100 meter dash.
In the 1600 meter race Samuel Ligon ran 4:25.21 to once again lead Dylan Zeller and John Arrowsmith to a 1, 2, 3 sweep.
McCallie’s 4 x 100 sprint relay crew of Eric Rivers, Ti Thomas, Thompson Byrd and Ty Flowers were also winners and by scoring the winning points in their relay that put the meet out of reach.
McCallie scored well the rest of the evening with runner up finishes in the 400 by Patrick Kushman and Michael May in the 300 hurdles.
Raif Gork also qualified for the state meet as he held on for 2nd in the 800 and Ty Flowers and Owen Rutledge sprinted to 2nd and 3rd place finishes in the 200.
McCallie’s 4 x 200 relay team of Rutledge, Jackson Burns, Jackson Connell and Will Ozburn finished 2nd as did McCallie’s 4 x 400 relay of Kushman, Bizimana, Byrd and Gork.
McCallie’s head coach Mike Wood was proud of his team. He said, “We are fortunate to work with great McCallie boys and our event coaches do an incredible job. I’m very proud of what the guys have accomplished this season and now it is on to the State Meet.”
McCallie’s next track competition will be the state decathlon May 16 and 17 in Nashville.
Michael May and Ti Thomas will represent McCallie.
The TSSAA State Track Meet is May 22nd at MTSU.