HS TRACK: Buffs qualify for state meet in several events

May 11—These Buffs are headed to the state's top event.

McAlester competed at the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association Class 5A track regional at Tahlequah on Friday, with the Buffs placing in multiple events and qualifying for the state meet.

The Buffs got the day started with Jaxon Tobey, whose 6-feet jump earned gold and advanced him to the next round.

Next, the McAlester relay teams bolted into action. The 4x200-meter squad of Erik McCary, Caleb Taylor, Grant Owens, and Gavin Johnson took the top spot with a time of 1:31.39, while the 4x100-meter group with Owens, Jaxon Walters, McCarty, and Johnson also earned gold with a time of 44.00.

Johnson would also medal in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes, earning a gold with a time of 11.18 and bronze with a time of 23.14, respectively, to qualify for the state meet in both categories.

McCarty went on to place in the long jump event, with a mark of 19-03.00 to place fourth and advance to state. Meanwhile, in the shot-put event, Chase Faber earned a bronze medal with a mark of 46-09.50 to advance to the state meet.

Later, the 4x400 meter relay team of Eli Chatman, Tobey, Cade Tidwell, and Taylor earned a gold medal in their event with a time of 3:32.42 to advance to the state meet as well.

Here is the complete list of McAlester Class 5A automatic qualifiers and their overall seeding into the state meet:

BOYS 100M DASH

Gavin Johnson, 11.18 (12)

BOYS 200M DASH

Gavin Johnson, 23.14 (10)

BOYS 4x100M RELAY

Grant Owens, Jaxon Walters, Erik McCarty, and Gavin Johnson, 44.00 (4)

BOYS 4x200M RELAY

Erik McCary, Caleb Taylor, Grant Owens, and Gavin Johnson, 1:31.39 (2)

BOYS 4x400M RELAY

Eli Chatman, Jaxon Tobey, Cade Tidwell, and Caleb Taylor, 3:32.42 (7)

BOYS HIGH JUMP

Jaxon Tobey, 6-00.00 (5)

BOYS LONG JUMP

Erik McCarty, 19-03.00 (16)

BOYS SHOT PUT

Chase Faber, 46-09.50 (5)

Contact Derek Hatridge at dhatridge@mcalesternews.com.