By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
EDMOND – The Wildcats girls and boys track and field teams combined to qualify for the 2019 Class 5A state meet in 13 events last weekend in the regional meet at Edmond North.
Both the Cats teams finished third overall with each team winning four events.
The Wildcat girls were led by Delanie Crawford who won both the 1600-meter run and the 800-meter run. Crawford finished first in the 800 with a time of 2:22.36 and the 1600 with a time of 5:30.94. Regan Crawford also qualified in the 800, finishing second with a time of 2:25.36 while Sydnei Storts qualified in the 1600 after finishing third with a time of 5:42.10.
The girls relay teams stepped up, winning both the 4×400 and the 4×800. The 4×400-meter relay team finished with a time of 4:13.42 and the 4×800-meter relay team finished with a time of 10:04.51.
Naia Sheperd qualified for state, finishing third in the 3200-meter run with a time of 13:00.37. Maddy Lee qualified in the 400-meter dash after finishing fourth with a time of 1:02.83 and Karelle Morgan qualified in the pole vault after finishing second with a mark of 8-feet-6-inches.
The Piedmont boys were led by Blake Cope who finished first in both the 1600-meter run and the 3200-meter run. He finished with a time of 4:25.75 – a school record – in the 1600 and a time of 10:03.33 in the 3200. Paul Welch also qualified in the 1600 after finishing sixth with a time of 4:45.21 while Fares Maarouf and Beckam Hartis each qualified in the 3200. Maarouf finished with a time of 10:28.15 and Hartis finished with a time of 10:30.29.
Zaire Bartee set a school record while qualifying in the long jump on a first-place finish with a mark of 21-feet-1.75 inches. Baylor Hendren qualified in the high jump after finishing first with a mark of 6-feet-6-inches and Keaton Riddle qualified in the discus throw, finishing third with a toss of 124-feet-11-inches.
Piedmont’s 4×800-meter relay team qualified for state as well after finishing third with a time of 8:32.15.
The 2019 Class 5A and Class 6A Track & Field State Championships are scheduled to begin Friday with prelims and championship races Saturday at Moore High School.
