There was Union City and then everyone else in Thursday’s 10-school track meet at War Memorial Stadium.
School Communications Director Mike Hutchens said the Tornado teams were easily the class of the field, running away with first place in an event that was completed despite challenging weather conditions.
The Union City boys recorded 14 first-place finishes, while piling up a whopping 237 points. South Gibson County was a distant second with 55 points.
The Lady Tornadoes more than doubled (154-72) their closest competitor, the Dresden Lions.
Union City’s teams combined to set four new program records.
Kameron Shade established a new mark in winning the 100 meters, clocked at 10.86 to shatter a mark he previously set. The UT Martin signee also won the 200 meters.
Freshman Woodrow McKinnis (4:47.02) set a new record in the 1600 meters and added a win in the 3200-meter run.
The 4X200 relay team, which consisted of Shade, Rodney Jenkins, Kenny Moss, and Tayehari Jones, was timed at 1:33.57 to enter the program record book.
D.J. Evans won the 110- and 300-meter hurdles, Keaten Brown led the field in the shot put and discus, and Adrian Crawford continued his dominance with first-place showings in the high jump and long jump. Tayshun Gentry won the triple jump, and Malaki Brooks took honors in the 400-meter run.
The 4X100 relay team (Moss, Jones, Jenkins, and Andre Small), along with the 4X800 quartet of Owen Wagoner, Andrew Beard, Trent Craddock, and Zak Summers added to the list of first-place efforts.
Union City’s girls posted seven first-place showings.
Blair McKinnis was clocked at 2:40.89 in the 400-meter run to establish a new program record. Jayla Turner won the 800, and Bailey Wagoner took honors in the 3200-meter run.
Debrionna Jones won the shot put and the discus.
The Lady Tornadoes won three relay races. Nakyah Yarbrough, Chloe Hubbard, Anjani Moss, and Indeya Hogsett combined to take the 4X100. Aujani Moss, Sh’Nyla Moss, Hubbard, and Yarbrough teamed to claim the 4X200, and McKinnis, Wagoner, Turner, and Ada Rogers crossed the finish line first in the 4X800.
Union City will next compete at McCracken County on Tuesday.
(photos: Mike Hutchens – School Communications Director)
