On Tuesday, May 4th, the 2021 3A Track State Championship was held in Prescott, Ar. This year, 41 teams showed up from all over the state of Arkansas including Waldron, Cedarville, and Hackett. From sun up to sun down these teams competed with the first half of the day consisting of prelims and the second half of the day finals. When all was said and done, Harding Academy finished 1st in the girls’ division with Ashdown as the Runner-Up, and from the boys’ division, Prescott finished first with 82 points followed by the Waldron Bulldogs as Runner-Up with 80.5 points which is the highest any guy’s team has finished in Waldron history. The Lady Bulldogs finished 7th while the Lady Pirates tied for 17th.
Only one athlete from Hackett qualified to go to State and that was sophomore, Tori Blanton who placed 5th in the 400 Meter Dash with a time of 1:05. From Cedarville, Hayden Partain represented the Pirates and finished 10th in Shot Put with a throw of 40-2. And for the Lady Pirates, Chloe Morrow placed 3rd in Triple jump with a new PR of 35’1 and the 4×400 relay team of Emily Mizell, Jordan Hightower, Chloe Morrow, and Katie McBroom placed 3rd overall with a time of 4:30.
Along with the Bulldogs rewriting school history, the 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams also rewrote State history by setting State records in both relays. The 4×100 team of Bryson Barker, Bryson Bailey, Caden Fuller, and Gabino Grano, set the record at 43.58 and are the State Champions as well as the 4×200 team of Drake Carnley, Caden Fuller, Bryson Barker, and Bryson Bailey. The 4×400 team consisting of Drake Carnley, Marco Mondragon, Tyler Wright, and Caden Fuller finished as State Runner-Up. Seniors, Bryson Bailey and Isaac “The Real” Villarreal were a double threat duo who came in a smashed their State events. Bailey finished his last high school track meet as the 3A Long Jump Champion, 200 Meter Dash Runner-Up, and 4th in the 100 Meter Dash. Villarreal concluded as State Runner-Up in the 110 Meter Hurdles, 6th in Long Jump, and 10th in the 300 Meter Hurdles.
Rounding out the Bulldogs roster was Lane Metcalf (11th) and Montana Wesley (13th) in the 800 Meter Run. Baldy Villarreal (14th) in the 1600 Meter Run. Bladyn Mays (11th) in the 3200 Meter Run. Brycen Hattabaugh (9th) in Pole Vault. Caden Fuller (4th) and Tyler Wright (6th) in the 400 Meter Dash. Drake Carnley (6th) and Kason Davis (7th) in the 110m Hurdles. And Carnley (4th) and Davis (8th) in the 300 Meter Hurdles. The Lady Bulldogs also represented their school well. The 4×400 relay team of Ryleigh Anschutz, McKenzi Stidman, Molly Richmond, and Jasmine Nelson and the 4×800 relay team of Maria Grano, Constance Richmond, McKenzi Stidman, and Ryleigh Anschutz came in as State Runner-Up.
Also making waves at State was McKenzi Stidman (8th) in the 400 Meter Dash. Ryleigh Anschutz (5th) and Maria Grano (10th) in the 800 Meter Dash. Maria Grano (7th) and Constance Richmond (10th) in the 1600 Meter Run. Erica Davis (3rd) and Hannah Jeffries (7th) in the 100 Meter Hurdles. Constance Richmond (10th) in the 3200 Meter Run. Erika Gabel (9th) and Erica Davis (10th) in the 300 Meter Hurdles. Madison Goff (5th) in Discus. And in Long Jump, Rheagan Sanford (11th) and Macie Davis (13th).
