By JOSH FRYE
News Sportswriter
On Wednesday, March 11, before high school athletics were suspended, Escambia Academy hosted a 17-school track meet, the first — and possibly last — of the 2020 season.
Led by two first-place finishes from distance runner Orlando Medina (800m and 1600m runs) and one first-place showing each from Chase Bell (300-meter hurdles), Tyler Newton (shot put), Jayson Helton (discus) and Landen Sims (triple jump), the Cougars took first place in nine different events.
The school’s 4x200m, 4x400m and 4x800m relay teams also turned in winning efforts.
In action among the girls, Northside Methodist Academy of Dothan earned 14 first-place finishes to dominate the meet. EA’s best showing came from Paisley Donaldson, who took second in the 1600m run.
Along with EA and Northside, the schools that participated in the meet were Abbeville Christian Academy (Abbeville), Banks Academy (Birmingham), Bessemer Academy (Bessemer), Clarke Prep School (Grove Hill), Edgewood Academy (Elmore), Fort Dale Academy (Greenville), Glenwood School (Smiths Station), Hooper Academy (Hope Hull), Lowndes Academy (Lowndesboro), Meadowview Christian School (Selma), Patrician Academy (Butler), Pike Liberal Arts (Troy), Sparta Academy (Evergreen), Valiant Cross Academy (Montgomery) and Wilcox Academy (Camden).
Events, final placings and times for the EA boys track team are as follows:
Varsity Boys
100-Meter Dash
Shannon Wheat, 4th place, 11.73
Tyvarius Williams, 10th place, 12.15
Devin Kelly, 11th place, 12.19
Samarion Clark, 37th place, 13.81
Yadarius McNeal, 49th place, 15.80
200-Meter Dash
Devin Kelly, 6th place, 25.16
Randall Bonds, 7th place, 25.36
Samarion Clark, 40th place, 32.12
400-Meter Dash
Daughtry McGhee, 6th place, 57.07
Tyler Ray-Cloud, 8th place, 57.83
Sawyer Hayles, 12th place, 59.54
800-Meter Run
Orlando Medina, 1st place, 2:14.60
Tyler Ray-Cloud, 3rd place, 2:16.67
Shawton Riley, 8th place, 2:34.79
Austin Washington, 16th place, 2:42.61
1600-Meter Run
Orlando Medina, 1st place, 5:27.51
Ashton Ray-Cloud, 3rd place, 5:44.97
Parker Robinson, 4th place, 5:47.52
Sam Fields, 8th place, 5:58.68
3200-Meter Run
Ashton Ray-Cloud, 6th place, 13:03.57
Parker Robinson, 9th place, 13:13.76
Matt Brittingham, 14th place, 14:00.50
110-Meter Hurdles
Chase Bell, 2nd place, 17.39
Josh Spruill, 3rd place, 17.51
Maliki Haynes, 5th place, 18.72
Landon Sims, 6th place, 19.45
Kaleb Davis, 7th place, 19.45
300-Meter Hurdles
Chase Bell, 1st place, 43.79
Josh Spruill, 2nd place, 46.56
Maliki Haynes, 8th place, 50.11
Landon Sims, 9th place, 50.91
Kaleb Davis, 12th place, 51.64
4×200-Meter Relay
Escambia Academy, 1st place, 47.70
4×400 Meter Relay
Escambia Academy, 1st place, 3:56.27
4×800 Meter Relay
Escambia Academy, 1st place, 10:04.21
High Jump
Tiquale Taylor, 3rd place, 6-00.00
Maliki Haynes, 8th place, 5-02.00
Chaston Helton, 9th place, 5-02.00
Long Jump
Landon Sims, 2nd place, 20-02.75
Chase Bell, 5th place, 19-10.00
Josh Spruill, 9th place, 18-08.00
Tiquale Taylor, 10th place, 18-07.00
Randall Bonds, 11th place, 18-01.00
Shannon Wheat, 12th place, 17-10.00
Christian Crook, 21st place, 16-05.00
Triple Jump
Landon Sims, 1st place, 39-05.00
Tiquale Taylor, 5th place, 37-10.00
Chase Bell, 6th place, 36-05.00
Randall Bonds, 15th place, 31-11.00
Discus
Jayson Helton, 1st place, 120-02.00
Tyler Newton, 8th place, 100-03.00
Luke Bell, 45th place, 54-08.00
Shot Put
Tyler Newton, 1st place, 40-05.00
Jacob Reid, 11th place, 35-06.50
Chris Long, 27th place, 32-08.25
Riley Baggett, 37th place, 31-06.75
Jason Davis, 41st place, 30-05.00
Luke Bell, 49th place, 28-02.75
J.J. Stevens, 53rd place, 27-06.00
Varsity Girls
100 Meter Dash
Lea Odom, 15th place, 14.70
Tava Johnson, 17th place, 14.97
200 Meter Dash
Tava Johnson, 21st place, 32.85
Angel Hall, 24th place, 33.24
Lea Odom, 29th place, 35.16
400 Meter Dash
Disha Patel, 12th place, 1:17.76
Madelyn Smith, 19th place, 1:23.48
800 Meter Run
Anna Chelsey Robinson, 9th place, 3:23.48
Paisley Donaldson, 17th place, 3:48.65
1600 Meter Run
Paisley Donaldson, 2nd place, 6:59.32
100 Meter Hurdles
Kayla Lee, 7th place, 22.21
Hannah Stone, 8th place, 22.22
Hallie Stone, 12th place, 25.35
300 Meter Hurdles
Hannah Stone, 10th place, 1:17.06
Long Jump
Mary Ruth Dortch, 22nd, 10-05.00
Lilly Woods, 23rd place, 10-04.00
Triple Jump
Lilly Woods, 9th place, 23-08.50
Discus
Kayle Jay, 3rd place, 81-02.25
Madelyn Smith, 8th place, 60-06.50
Lea Odom, 29th place, 36-03.50
Shot Put
Kayle Jay, 3rd, 29-01.00
Imogene Flavors, 12th place, 24-00.00