February 28, 2020
By LARRY “SCOOP” McCARTY
FAYETTEVILLE — Competing at less than full strength didn’t keep the Heber Springs Lady Panthers from finishing among the top 10 at the Class 4A indoor track and field meet.
The Lady Panthers were third in two relays, placed in five other events and captured seventh place at Randal Tyson Track Center Friday.
Three Heber Springs athletes were sidelined by injuries, while a fourth athlete missed the competition because of the flu.
“I’m pleased with the effort,” Heber Springs first-year coach Hunter Davis said. “We showed that we can still compete for a state championship without all of our athletes available.”
The 4×400- and 4×800-meter relay teams each finished third. McKenzie Bacerra, Vallie Cantrell, Samantha Gilley and Jillian Herring had a time of 4:44.66 in the 4×400 relay. Sydney Buffalo, Taylor Hammons, Cantrell, and Bacerra had a time of 11:13.30 in the 4×800 relay.
“The relay teams performed well and give us optimism for the season,” Davis said. “Jillian just came from basketball and stepped in and ran well. We had to piece our relays together. I expected our relays to do a little better, but it was a learning experience. We will do better during the outdoor season.”
Freshman Jaylea Hooten finished fifth in the high jump (4-10) and sixth in the 60-meter hurdles (10.90).
Cantrell was fourth in the 3200-meter run (13:45.95) and ninth in the high jump (4-4).
Buffalo captured seventh in the 1600-meter run (6:32.35) and eighth in the 3200-meter run (14:24.78).
Hammons finished sixth in the 1600-meter run (6:23.28).
In the 800-meter run, Becerra was seventh (2:53.44) and Sophie Lawrence claimed eighth (2:51.95).
HEBER SPRINGS SENIOR GIRLS RESULTS 4A-4 STATE INDOOR MEET at Fayetteville 60-meter dash: 13. Natalie Buffalo, 8.72; 18. Jillian Herring, 9.37. 200-meter dash: 13. Natalie Buffalo, 29.57; 17. Jillian Herring, 31.97. 400-meter dash: 11. Katherine Rojas, 1:08.03; 14. Ellie Riddle, 1:09.49. 800-meter run: 7. McKenzie Becerra, 2:51.44; 9. Sophie Lawrence, 2:51.95. 1600-meter run: 6. Taylor Hammons, 6:23.28; 7. Sydney Buffalo, 6:32.35. 3200-meter run: 4. Vallie Cantrell, 13:45.95; 8. Sydney Buffalo, 14:24.78. 60-meter hurdles: 6. Jaylea Hooten, 10.90; 11. Samantha Gilley, 11.45. 4x400-meter relay: 3. Heber Springs (McKenize Bacerra, Vallie Cantrell, Samantha Gilley, Jillian Herring), 4:44.66. 4x800-meter relay: 3. Heber Springs (Sydney Buffalo, Vallie Cantrell, Taylor Hammons, McKenzie Bacerra), 11:13.30. High jump: 5. Jaylea Hooten, 4-10; 9. Vallie Cantrell, 4-4. Long jump: 14. Natalie Buffalo, 14-0. Triple jump: 12. Katherine Rojas, 28-4. Shot put: 15. Brooklyn Barnes, 24-8.5; 17. Autumn Stewart, 13-5.5.
SENIOR BOYS
The Heber Springs Panthers placed one athlete and two relay teams among the top 10 at the Class 4A Indoor track and field meet Friday.
Dalton McCollum finished seventh in the 400-meter dash with a time of 55.44.
McCollum, Dalton Scoggins, Brad Baker and Nathan Poff captured sixth place in the 4×800-meter relay with a time of 9:23.10.
Colt Allen, Landon Leisenring, Luke Greenwald and Morgan Saltman were ninth in the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 4:02.45.
“They gave their best and performed well for the first meet,” Heber Springs coach Dale Cresswell said. “We got good performance from McCollum and Dalton Scoggins in the 400-meter dash. I believe they will do better as the season goes. The relay teams also ran well. I believe they can get under four minutes soon and 3:45 by the conference meet.”
Heber Springs will compete at the Searcy Relays on March 12 at Lion Stadium.
HEBER SPRINGS SENIOR BOYS RESULTS 4A-4 STATE INDOOR MEET at Fayetteville 60-meter dash: 22. Landon Johnson, 7.82; 27. Jacob Smith, 8.16. 200-meter dash: 18. Landon Johnson, 25.06; 26. Alex Roy, 26.56. 400-meter dash: 7. Dalton McCollum, 55.44; 13. Dalton Scoggins, 57.18. 800-meter run: 11. Parker Hill, 2:15.82; 15. Brad Baker, 2:21.67.k 1600-meter run: 11. Nathan Poff, 5:11.44; 22. Brad Baker, 5:24.45. 3200-meter run: 13. Mason Harris, 12:17.30; 14. Reagan Buell, 12:43.22. 60-meter hurdles: 13. Scott Shatterly, 10.69; 18. Trent Nantz, 11.64. 4x400-meter relay: 9. Heber Springs (Colt Allen, Landon Leisenring, Luke Greenwald, Morgan Saltman), 4:02.45. 4x800-meter relay: 6. Heber Springs (Dalton McCollum, Dalton Scoggins, Brad Baker, Nathan Poff), 9:23.10. High jump: 11. Bent McClain, 5-2. Long jump: 17. Payton Fry, 15-10; 20. Evan Burgess, 14-2. Triple jump: 13. Brad Baker, 34-7.5; 18. Trent Nantz, 33-5.24. Shot put: 17. Landon Johnson, 29-11; 18. Brandon Tate, 29-1.