The track teams counted at the Greenwood Seventh Grade Relays on April 2 numbered eight. That in itself was a bit of a problem for the Mansfield prep squads that joined in the event.
Mansfield’s seventh grade squads are lower in numbers than they have been in decades. There just aren’t many seventh grade athletes across all sport lines for the Tigers this season.
The younger Tiger teams have done well for most of this season thanks in part to relied upon rest provided by large overall attendance at those meets. The Greenwood Bull Pup playground was no such advantage.
Greenwood started the field events at 4 PM and then went immediately into the races by 4:15 PM. With a maximum of two heats per race, the event schedule flew by as many of the Tigers struggled to get to their predesignated events.
With Mansfield’s limited roster, that meant maxed out players had little time to recover before toeing yet another starting line.
Through it all Lady Tiger Kynslee Ward still had a productive night. The true seventh grader scored in four individual events and two relays. She won the high jump at 4’ 4” and placed second in the long jump with a 13’ 11.5” mark.
Ward was fourth and fifth in the two hurdle races. Similarly, she was fourth and fifth as well as a member of the 4x400m and 4x100m relays.
Harlie Fuller had the next best success for Mansfield. She placed well in both hurdle events at third and seventh places. She took second among all pole vaulters and was a member for those same relays as team member Ward.
Kalie Sysakayavong joined Fuller, Ward and Eden Mounts on the 4x100m team. She was also the third fastest 200m girl at Smith-Robinson Stadium as well as the sixth best long jumper.
Mounts took third in the 100m sprint. She was the lead leg in the 4x400m relay with Fuller, Ward, and Katelyn Corson.
Corson took fifth in the 400m run. Teammate Emilie Nelson grabbed seventh in the same one lap race.
Nelson, Rachel Johnson, Trinity Scott, and Raine Hecox combined to place fifth in the 4x800m relay.
For the boys, Mansfield received much action from twins Donovan and Ethan Walker. The pair covered most of the sprints, the horizontal jumps, and two relays.
Peyton Martin did much of the rest. The multi-talented Tiger participated in the pole vault, long jump, high jump, two hurdle races, and a relay. His best finish was third in the pole vault.
Dakota Langford and Sammy Sellers both placed in the shot put. Zach Hayslip and Jonathon Norris completed the 4x400m relay team with the Walker boys for seventh place.
