Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Radford’s Joshua Downing placed 2nd in the 1600 m 1A West Region race, and later placed 3rd in the 800 m race.
A miscue by Patrick Henry Glade Spring in the final event of the 1A West girl’s track meet Saturday at Radford High School pushed Auburn to the region title. A runner in the 1,600meter relay cut back inside too soon and was disqualified. If that had not happened, PH-Glade Spring would have won the team title outright. Instead Auburn who finished second in the 1,600 would be elevated to first and received the 10 points that pushed them past PH for the 95 to 92 finish.
Eastern Montgomery was third in the girls’ competition with 59 points, while host Radford was fourth with 43 points.
On the boys’ side of the scoreboard, PH-Glade Spring would take first with 131 points. Covington was second at 114, Auburn third with 78.5 and Radford fourth with 53 points. Eastern Montgomery would finish in 14th.
Auburn Senior Leah Earnest continued her dominance in the girls’ shot put with a heave of 40-03, and the Eagles also picked up a win in the 3,200 relay.
Eastern Montgomery’s Destiny Sweeney tried to make things interesting on her own just like she did in the conference meet, winning both the high jump and long jump, and anchoring a second place for the 400 relay team. She also finished third in the 100 and fourth in the 200 meters, and a fourth in the triple jump.
Mary Brown led the way for Radford with first in the discus and teammate, Tyashia Gellner was first in the girls’ 300 hurdles. Eastern Montgomery’s Chayla Mullins would be fifth in the girls’ 300 meter hurdles. Mullins would also help the Mustangs’ 4X100 relay team to second place.
Auburn’s Jessica Musselman and Caitlyn Dominy were second and fifth in the 800 with Radford’s Anneliese Stewart seventh. Dominy would then finish second in the 1,600 with teammate, Laurel Miller third and Stewart fourth.
Eastern Montgomery’s Gillian Nichols would come across the line in the 3,200 for a fourth place finish with Auburn’s Jaeda Gutierrez in fifth.
Auburn would take second and third in the pole vault with Jessica Nagel’s 7-06 leap, and Ashleigh Givens at 7-0.
Madelyn Sale would finish fourth in the girls’ shot put for Auburn, and Radford’s Mary Brown was sixth. Sale was second in the discus and Earnest fourth.
Back on the boy’s side of the track, Auburn’s Brandon Justice would finish fourth in the 400, and Radford’s Josh Downing would be third in the 800 and second in the 1,600. Hunter Carter and Carter Bailey was fifth and sixth for Auburn in the 800, while Tyler Wilson was third in the 1,600 and Eastern Montgomery’s Trey Wilson fourth.
Radford’s Ben Ramsey would finish second in the 3,200 with Eastern Montgomery’s Trey Wilson fourth. Auburn would take the next three spots in the event with Adam Downs, Branson Week sand Peyton Hurd.
Radford won the 1,600 relay, and Auburn took top honors in the 3,200 relay. The Bobcat 4X100 relay would finish the day in fifth.
Auburn’s Eddie Tickle would continue his winning ways in the pole vault at a mark of 9-06 feet. Radford’s Jacob Porter was second and Auburn’s Adam Fithian third.
Alfred Shean would claim a third place finish for Auburn in the shot put.