By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

ROCKSPRINGS —What a difference a year can make.

Running with less than a dozen players a year ago, Randy Smith returned as the South Point Pointers’ track coach this season and the result was the team finishing as runners-up in the Division 2 district meet.

‘When you talk about a one-year turnaround, that’s incredible. The kids did a great job,” said Smith.

Not only did the Pointers do well as a team, they set a few records along the win.

The 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams both set district records. The 4×200 relay broke the school record.

The 4×100 had a time of 43.11 and the 4×200 had a blistering time of 1:29.58.

The Fairland Dragons’ 4×200 team was sixth at 1:35:53 and its 4×400 team was fifth at 3:44.53. Chesapeake’s 4×400 was seventh at 3:50.97.

Kanne LeBlanc, Joe Bloeblum, and Davin Heckard were on both relay teams with Eli Wilburn the fourth member of the 4×200 team and Deshaun Garred completed the 4×100 quartet.

LeBlanc was the 100-meter dash at 11 seconds with Heckard second at 11.24. Bloebaum won the 200 at 22.56 seconds and LeBlanc was second at 22.63.

“The sprint guys loaded up,” said Smith with a chuckle. “Our two ba

Chesapeake Panthers’ Cameron Burgess won the 110-meter hurdles with a 14.95 time and teammate Jacob Harris was fourth at 16.11.

Burgess ran a 41.0 to finish second in the 300 hurdles while Fairland’s Jonathan Nida was fifth at 44.01.

In the 800 meter run, Fairland’s Dalton Griffing was fifth at 2:04.39 and Ironton’s Bryce Markins sixth with a 2:05.5 clocking.

In the first day of the district track meet on Monday, several athletes qualified for the regional meet.

Ironton Fighting Tigers’ Connor Lowe won the long jump with a leap of 20-5.75 and advanced to the regional meet.

The Pointers Carter Smith cleared 12-feet, 8-inches to place third in the pole vault and right behind in fourth place was Chesapeake Panthers Corey Davis who went 12-4.

Fairland’s Conner Black went 12-4 and was fifth while Chesapeake’s Drew Plantz was sixth at 11-feet.

South Point’s Derrick Taylor was the easy winner in the discus with a toss of 152-10. Second place was Remington George of Fairfield Union at 143-7 with Fairland’s Michael Lucas throwing 140-2 and earned a regional trip.

Taylor also took first in the shot put with a heave of 49-11. Fairland’s Nick Knight was fourth at 46-2 and Chesapeake Chris Calderon eighth at 39-9.

The Dragons’ Tristan Daily was fifth at 133-4 and Chesapeake’s Jacob Skeens was seventh at 128-6.

The Dragons’ Christian Collins cleared 6-2 and was second in the high jump while the Pointers’ Caleb Lovely was fourth at 6-foot.

Chesapeake’s Emily Duncan won the high jump as the Rio Grande recruit cleared 5-2. Teammate Adison Lovely was eighth with a height of 4-6.

South Point’s Emma Layne won the 100-meter dash at 12.74 seconds and teammate Leila Hall was fourth at 13.19.

Layne also won the 200 meters at 2618 and teammate Camille Hall was third at 27.11. Hall also placed third in the 400 meters at 1:00.7 with Chessapeake’s Laila Wentz seventh at 1:03.89.

The Lady Pointers 4×100 relay ran a winning time of 51.37 and posted a 1:46.95 to win the 4×200. Chesapeake was sixth in the 4×100 at 53.19 and seventh in the 4×200 at 1:58.36.

Fairland was fifth in the 4×400 at 4:20.56 and Rock Hill eighth at 4:36.06.

In the shot put, Ironton’s Kaegan Henderson was second with a heave of 38-4, just 3 inches behind winner Chanee Cremeens of Gallipolis. Chesapeake’s Addison Maynard was fifth at 34-5 and teammate Bailee Wilson sixth at 32-10.

Robin Isaacs was seventh in the 100-meter hurdles at 17.51 seconds.

South Point’s Saratina Jackson was seventh at 31-7 and Makinzie Luhrsen was eighth at 31-1.

Chesapeake’s Bailee Wilson was third I nthe discus with a toss of 113-9 and Luhrsen was fifth at 103-8.

Fairland’s Reece Barnitz was third in the 1600 with a 5:43.46 time. Ironton’s Anna Davis punched her ticket to the regionals with a 12:08.71 clocking to take fourth.

The regional meet will be held Thursday. May 25, and Saturday, May 27, at Muskingum University. The top 4 finishers in the regional meet advance to the state meet June 2-3 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus.