Kennedale girls sweep 4A relays at state, win first UIL track championship in 17 years

The Kennedale girls track team beat Canyon by 14 points to capture the UIL Class 4A state championship Thursday night at the Mike A. Myers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas.

Kennedale gets its first girls track state title since 2004.

The Ladykats finished with 84 points. Canyon came in second with 70. Melissa was third with 32.

Four state champions were secured for coach Aaron Wingfield’s squad including a sweep in the relays. Kennedale won the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 (the last event of the day).

Senior Brianna Brand, who was on two of those relays, won a third gold medal in the long jump. She also came in fourth place in the 100 meter dash and the triple jump.

Brand won the long jump with a mark of 18 feet and 8.75 inches.

The 4x100 relay team of Dekhota Sipho, Skylar Lewis, Alexus Jenkins and Brand won the race in 46:94. Sipho, Alaya Clayborn, Lewis and Brand won the 4x200 relay in 1:38.91.

Nijah Martin, Jenkins, Clayborn and Gracyn Reed won the 4x400 relay in 3:55.65.

Reed, who is the starting setter on the volleyball team, was the final leg in the 4x400. She also got a fourth place finish in the 400 meter race.

Betty Bajika finished ninth in the 3200 meter race and Lewis came in fifth in the 100 meter dash.