After another exciting week of racing, we are here to look back at some of the top meets and performances throughout the Natural State.
Fayetteville Bulldog Relays
It was a jam packed Thursday in Fayetteville for the 2023 Bulldog Relays, which played host to the most competitive meet of the week and some of the best performances across the state.
Solara Koser from Fayetteville High School continued her hot streak, picking up two wins in the 100m and 300m hurdle events. With her performance, Koser sets a new Arkansas #1 in the 300m hurdles while she remains the fastest in the 100m hurdles.
The girl's 800m was a thrilling event. Malaya Johnson from Bentonville West took home the win over Russellville High School's Brooklyn Nicholson. Johnson ran a 2:17.96, which is a new Arkansas #2, while Nicholson's 2:19.88 ranks her 5th in the state in the event.
The shot put was another hotly contested event, which saw Ashley Rangel from Bentonville West pick up her third win in the event this season. Rangel threw for a personal best of 40-4.25. Nadia Clark from Bentonville High School finished second, also throwing a new personal best of 37-2.
Katherine Toney from Rogers Heritage shined in the triple jump, picking up her second win on the season, jumping a new personal best of 36-7. Toney currently owns the 6th-best mark in the state in the event.
Fayetteville High School really shined at their home meet this week, posting many notable performances on the girl's side. Ava Goetz won the high jump, jumping 5-5, which is a new Arkansas #1. Julia Gunnell won the long jump, jumping a 17-9, while Hannah Estes also continued her winning ways in the pole vault, en route to a season-best in the event, jumping 12-6.
On the boy's side, the 3200m contested three of the best distance runners in the state. Hudson Betts from Fayetteville took home the win, running a 9:20.47 while his teammate Hunter Kemp finished in second, beating out Elias Found from Catholic High School by 0.08 seconds.
River Hardman from Russellville stayed hot, running a 1:52.83 en route to his seventh victory of the season and setting a new Arkansas #1 in the event.
JJ Lockett from Rogers Heritage and Cooper Williams from Fayetteville both jumped 6-6 in the high jump, but it would be Lockett who secured the victory. The pair would also find success elsewhere. Lockett would go on to win the long jump, jumping a 22-9.5, while Williams would go on to win the 300m hurdles, running an impressive 40.67, setting a new personal best.
Bentonville West had a few standout performances on the boy's side on Thursday, starting with Nick Bell in the 100m dash. Bell raced to his third victory in the event this season, running a new personal best of 10.74. His teammate Cade DeWitt also won the pole vault, jumping a 16-2 for his 4th win of the year.
Lake Hamilton Sr. High Invitational
Olivia Pielemeier continued her hot start to the season this week, winning the 800m and 1600m races. The superstar senior set a new Arkansas #1, running a 2:17.66 en route to her victory in the 800m.
The pole vault competition in the girl's meet was hotly contested between three individuals this week. Sophia Allen from Sheridan High School picked up her 4th win of the season, jumping 11-6. Mia Fortson from Vilonia High School and Allie Quast from Lakeside High School both jumped 11-0 and finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Braeden Bell from White Hall High School raced to an impressive 10.77 in the 100m dash en route to his second victory in the event this season.
Arkansas #1 Garrion Curry from Magnolia High School won his third straight race in the 110m hurdles, setting a new personal best of 14.58.
University of Central Arkansas commit Aaron Webb from Sheridan High School dipped below the 50-second barrier in the 400m dash, winning the event and running a 49.35, nearly dipping below 49 in the process
Joseph Bariola from Lakeside posted the third fastest time in Arkansas in the 1600m this season, racing to a win in the 1600m, running a 4:15.38.
While Embrey's double was impressive, Hardman was able to complete his, winning the 800m race as well, running a 1:55.19, holding off Ky Bickford from Mountain Home High School, who ran a personal best 1:56.67 to finish second.
Senior Billie Relays
The Senior Billie Relays featured two very competitive competitions, one on the girl's side and one on the boy's side.
In the girls' meet, the shot put competition was razor thin, but it was Modesty Smith from Bastrop High School taking home her second win of the season, throwing a new personal best of 40-9. Smith's teammate Antansia Armstrong finished second, throwing nearly 6 feet further than she ever has, setting a new personal best of 39-3. The duo now sits in the top 6 in the event in the state.
In the long jump event, Taylin Paskel from Crossett High School narrowly defeated Jamarri Heard from Bastrop. Paskel jumped 23-5 while Heard jumped 23-0. Paskel's mark puts him as the Arkansas #3 in the event, while Heard will move into 4th in the state just behind Paskel.
Other Notable Performances:
DeAndra Burns Jr. from El Dorado High School had another outstanding week, winning the 200m, 400m, and long jump events at the 53rd Annual Cardinal Relays. Burns is currently ranked 1st in the state in all three events, cementing himself as a legitimate threat to win a state title in all three events this season.
Rocco Patrick from Prescott High School finds himself here once again after winning the discus and shot put competitions at the Genoa Central Senior Dragon Relays. The junior collected his 9th and 10th victory on the season, remaining unbeaten and #1 in the state in the discus.
Trey Haworth from Genoa Central High School showed out at his home meet this week. At the Genoa Central Senior Dragon Relays, the senior jumped for a personal best of 6-8 in the high jump, collecting his third straight win of the season. Haworth would later go on to collect his 4th win later in the week at the Collin Raye Leopard Relays, jumping 6-7.
Donna Douglas from Nettleton High School continues her incredible season, setting yet another personal best in the shot put, throwing a 44-0 en route to her fourth consecutive victory in the event at the Sr. High Wellman Relays.