Arickaree’s Jacob Jefferson definitely closed out a stellar high school track and field career in style.
The recent 2023 graduate won all four of his events at the Class 1A Track and Field Championships, last weekend at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood.
Jefferson competed in the maximum of 12 events at state during his three-year career — COVID wiped out his freshman season in 2020 — winning eight state titles, and finishing no worse than fifth.
His efforts helped the newly-named Bison to fourth place in the final team standings with 57 points. Cheraw won the team title with 85 points, while Dove Creek had 69 and Sanford 60.
Jefferson won the 800 on Friday with a time of 2 minutes, 2.2 seconds.
He then pulled off the trifecta on Saturday.
Jefferson won the 400 in 50.8 seconds. He earned the 110-meter hurdles in 15.78 seconds, and ran away with the 300-meter hurdle title in 41.55 seconds. He finished his career with three titles in the 400 and three in the 110.
“The 400 meant a lot to me because that’s what my mom used to run,” he said of Shelly Jefferson, a Flagler graduate, Jefferson told Brian Howell for CHSAANow.com. “You can call me a mama’s boy, I don’t care. I love my mom and she helped me a lot.
“Sophomore year in the 110 hurdles I came in running like high 17s. I broke 15 today and it just feels amazing. I want to give a lot of credit to her because she’s pushed me a lot. She’s been at every single track meet supporting me no matter what.”
Jefferson had help from his running mate, Hayden Page. He finished third in the 800 in 2:04.4, and seventh in the 400 in 52.26 seconds.
Plus, Bryce Shaffer, Keith Page, Austin Wright and Page placed seventh in the 4-by-400 in 3:45.24. The foursome of Shaffer, K. Page, Wright and H. Page placed seventh in the 4-by-800 in 9:13.72. Shaffer, K. Page, Wright and Clay Axtell placed ninth in the 4-by-200 relay in 1:42.62.
All in all, a great run for the Bison in Lakewood.
LONE STAR
Lone Star’s track and field program has become “Pole Vault U.”
The Longhorns claimed their third straight girls 1A pole vault title, last weekend at the 1A Track and Field Championships at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood.
Freshman Jade Kuntz cleared 9-0 to claim the pole vault title, following in the footsteps of graduate Alivia Weathers, who won the previous two titles. Aleighcea Kuntz placed seventh at 7-6 to account for all the Lone Star’s girls points. The girls finished 23rd in the team standings with 12.5 points.
The Lone Star boys had a strong run at state, scoring 29 points to finish 13th in the team standings.
Wyatt Cochran whipped the discus 136-11 to place second, and put the shot 42-4.75 for fourth place. Freshman Anderson Weathers was fourth in the 110-meter hurdles in 17.08 seconds. Abraham Martinez cleared 12-0 to place fifth in the pole vault, and Weathers placed sixth at the same height.
OTIS
Otis High School track and field athletes came up with several placing efforts at the Class 1A Track and Field Championships, last week at Jefferson County Stadium in Lakewood.
The boys finished 16th in the team standings with 19 points, while the girls had five points.
Peyton Wells led the way for the boys, whipping the discus 136-10 to place third. Maddox Hisam cleared 5-foot-7 for fourth in the high jump. Sawyer Packer triple jumped 39-4 for seventh, and Carter Wells cleared 11-6 for seventh in the pole vault.
Madelyn Willeke accounted for the girls points, clearing 8-6 for fifth in the pole vault.