Mansfield’s senior track teams gained traction with a home stand on March 26. The Tigers and Lady Tigers hosted 24 teams and 707 entries for the 15th annual Tiger Relays.
Big school DeQueen and recently reduced classification Waldron dominated the festivities at Mansfield. But, the home team had it’s shining moments to make significant improvements on the season.
Sophomore Makayla Strutton continued to shed time off her hurdle events. The Lady Tiger’s top point producer so far this season finished second in the 300m hurdles (54.62) and fourth in the 100m high hurdles (18.35).
Teammates Lennon Woods and Delilah McKusker each ran season bests in the 300m hurdles to give Mansfield two more spots in the top eight. Woods (55.83) and McKusker (56.71) were fifth and sixth respectively.
Renden Emery from the Mansfield men’s team went a season best in the high jump at 5’ 8”. Two days later he went a career best 39’ 7” in the triple jump at the Alma Airedale Relays.
Tiger Jaicy Griffin made progress in his rehab of a strained knee suffered before spring break. The junior sprinter collected top eight marks in the 100m, 200m, and long jump at the home meet.
Brooke Wright, Janna Coplin, and Haylie Burns added to the women’s score with 16 points through the throws.
Wright was top Lady Tiger with a 94’ 0” discus toss for second place. She was also fourth in the shot at 28’ 2.5”.
Coplin knocked on the 70 foot door with a 68’ 6” discus toss for seventh
Burns set her own personal record in the shot put. The tenth grader pushed the 4kg implement 28’ 2.5” for eighth place.
Senior Sara Willadsen claimed her personal mark in the high jump at 4’ 8”. That vertical measure was good enough for third place. She went 6’ 6” in the pole vault at Alma for another individual best after learning the event just a few weeks ago.
Exchange student Artem Zirka bettered his individual times in all three of his races. Two of those marks reduced even more with a trip to the Airedales a couple of days later.
Zirka now claims a 1600m run in the time of 5:27. He went 800m in 2:27. Finally, he averaged almost 6 minute miles in a 12:05.73 run of the 3200m distance race.
Haylee Buckner picked up points in the high jump at both the home meet and at Alma. The senior has a season best mark of 4’ 8”.
Josefin Lofving grabbed her first ribbons of the year. The Swedish exchange student ran 3.5 miles at Mansfield and 1.75 miles at Alma.
Bri Sanderson and Jacob Brown continued to make progress in the shot and discus. Sanderson, just a sophomore, went 40’ 0.5” with the 12 pound shot to score three points for his Tiger team.
