With another Rotary Relays championship under their belts, Union City’s two track teams appear primed and ready for another stellar postseason.
Both the Lady Tornadoes and Twister boys repeated as champions of the 47th annual event at Dave Shatz Track on Thursday, capping their final regular season meet of 2025.
The Union City boys, who were state runners-up last year, totaled 135 points to outdistance 14 other schools. Union City’s girls, the Top-10 state finishers in each of the last three seasons, racked up 174 points to easily outdistance No. 2 Trinity Christian Academy (99). Ripley (95) placed second in the boys’ competition.
“I think we’re in a good spot collectively,” Tornado head coach Wade Maddox said following his troops’ winning effort. “Our girls’ relay teams had a good day, and we had several kids post their personal bests and seasonal bests. We still need to get a few people healthy, but I like where we are heading into the postseason.”
The Union City girls had three relay teams take first place in Thursday’s meet.
The unit of Hayden Marshall, Chloe Hubbard, Ca’Lae Ervin, and Indeya Hogsett won the 4X100, while Ervin, Ainsley Beard, Hubbard, and Jayla Turner claimed honors in the 4X400. A group made up of Turner, Beard, Ainsley Sadler, and Madie Theobald raced to victory in the 4X800.
Beard claimed two individual triumphs, leading the pack in the 1600 and the 800-meter runs, while Ervin was tagged as the best high-jumper.
Katana Bonds and Debrionna Jones each won two events, Bonds setting a school record with a leap of 17’9” in the long jump. She also took honors in the triple jump.
Jones continued her dominant senior season in the field events by claiming first in the discus and shot put.
Adrian Crawford won the long jump and triple jump to pace the Union City boys. Woodrow McKinnis beat everybody in the 3200-meter run, while Aiden Reid triumphed in the shot put.
Kyle Price had the best effort in a large discus field.
The 4X200 relay team consisting of Crawford, Rodney Jenkins, Kwinton Purifoy, and Tayshun Gentry also crossed the finish line first.
Union City will begin its postseason next week with individuals qualifying for the decathlon, pentathlon, and sub-sectionals.
(photos: Mike Hutchens – School Communications Director)
