Republic turned in four all-state performances, including a championship by Jerney Jones, at the state track meet Friday and Saturday in Jefferson City. Tryston Ellison finished third in the 100-meter dash, Haven Lander finished fourth in the pole vault, and Brooke Stanfield tied for fourth in the high jump.
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Jones Jumps to Top of the Podium
Jerney Jones has a good explanation for why he didn’t set his sights on a state long jump title before track season began: “I can’t say (a state championship) was my goal. It’s really my first year of doing long jump. I just wanted to do good and represent myself and the school well,” he says.
He ended up doing just fine.
Jones won the long jump competition in dominating fashion, turning in the two longest jumps of the day. How good was he?
- Two of his jumps (22′ 2.25″ and 22′ 1.5″) were good enough for 1st place.
- His third-best jump (21′ 8″) would have finished 3rd overall.
- His fourth-best jump (21′ 6.5″) would have finished 3rd overall.
- His fifth-best jump (21′ 3.75″) would have finished 5th overall and earned him a medal.
- His worst jump of the day was better than the best jump of 11 competitors.
Jones says he felt confident coming into the competition, knowing his previous jumps ranked him in the top five or six competitors. He came out of the gate quickly, going 21’8″ to put him in the lead from the start. His second jump (22′ 1.5″) ended up being his best of the preliminary round and was enough to win the championship, even though he didn’t know it yet. He scratched on his third jump, but held the lead going into the finals with eight other competitors.
“I’m nervous someone’s going to beat me,” Jones says of his mindset after the prelims. “But I know that I’ve got the last shot, and I’ve got a chance to beat them if they pass me.”
Jones extended his lead on the first jump of the finals, turning in the best distance of the day (22′ 2.25″). At that point, Jones says he was just executing what he’d practiced since the start of the season.
“We’ve practiced long jump a lot, so it’s become muscle memory. I don’t really have to think about it. I just do it.”
As the other eight finalists gradually fell short, Jones found himself on the top of the championship podium.
“It feels pretty good. It hasn’t really set in yet, but I’m pretty excited,” he says.
Ellison Sprints Past Higher Seeds to All-State Finish
Tryston Ellison spent most of his senior season near the front of the pack in the 100-meter dash. He wasn’t about to stop when he got to state.
Ellison parlayed a fast start in his preliminary heat into a prime position in the finals, and sprinted to a 3rd place finish overall.
Coming into the meet, Ellison’s times had him seeded 14th overall. But a blistering start in the preliminary heat Friday helped him lead the race wire-to-wire and propelled him to the top seed going into Saturday with a time of 10.79.
“I knew that I was ranked toward the bottom and I wasn’t really a big name out there yet,” he says. “I was listening to the gun to see his rhythm, and I just kind of jumped on it. Right when he shot it, I went off. I took a chance, and it just went my way and got me on top. I got a really good start.”
Ellison was running in lane four during the finals, in front of a bigger crowd on Saturday. But his confident didn’t waver.
“I was a little big more nervous, knowing this was the biggest track event and it was my last one,” he says. I was pretty confident going into it. I knew I had a lot of speed and I knew there were a lot of fast guys in the finals, but I just relied on everything my coaches taught me and everything I’ve been doing all year. I didn’t really change anything.”
Ellison ran the championship race in 10.93, one of only three sprinters to finish under the 11 second mark.
Lander Flies Higher, to Fourth
Last year, Haven Lander finished sixth in the state in the pole vault. It’s a measure of her competitiveness that an improvement of two places left her a little disappointed. Lander finished fourth overall this year, clearing 11’0″. That tied her personal best, but didn’t improve it.
“I was kind of disappointed with how I did because I wanted to break my record,” Lander says. She had cleared 11’0″ multiple times before, most recently at sectionals last weekend. Heading into the competition Saturday, she was confident about her chances, despite on-again, off-again rain. She came closest to setting a personal mark on her second attempt at 11’3″, when she got enough height but barely grazed the bar.
“I felt good. I was feeling really good about today and how I was jumping,” she says “(The rain) affected me a little bit. It slows down your run and affects how you vault.”
Lander’s finish gives her two all-state medals in two years. Two of the three competitors who finished ahead of her were seniors, so she’ll have another chance to improve on her performance again next year.
Lander also competed in the 4×100 meter relay with Brooke Stanfield, Autumn Garner, and Molly Zinecker. She says that was a rewarding part of her weekend because of her teammates. Despite failing to qualify for the finals, the team ran one of its best times of the year.
“I felt good. I’m really happy we made it to state. I wanted to get everyone here,” Lander says.
Stanfield Earns Another All-State Medal
Through her first few attempts in the state high jump competition Friday, Brooke Stanfield didn’t slip up. Then she did, literally.
A slip on the wet surface on Stanfield’s first attempt at 5’4″ was the beginning of the end, as she missed on three straight attempts after flying over the bar on her early jumps. Even when she started strongly, Stanfield says she wasn’t feeling at the top of her game.
“I kind of felt off. I haven’t had the greatest few days of practice and wasn’t jumping well,” she says. “I was (gaining confidence), then on my first jump at 5’4”, I slipped right before I was jumping, so I was jumping and sliding at the same time. Then my knee was hurting and I was like, ‘Well, I just can’t get a break.’
“After that, I took the turn a little less sharp so I wouldn’t slip again. I don’t know if that had anything to do with not being able to make it those last two attempts.”
Stanfield says she’s happy with her all-state finish, despite going out earlier than she wanted.
“I’m glad I got all-state, but it’s really disappointing,” she says. “I didn’t jump very high at all. It just wasn’t my day.”
Both Relay Teams Run Well, But Fall Short of Finals
Both the 4×100 relay teams from Republic failed to advance to the finals. The girls team ran a time of 50.87 in their preliminary heat, not far off their best time, turned in last week at sectionals.
The boys 4×100 team, with Jake Jones, Jerney Jones, Jace Duvall, and Tryston Ellison, ran a 44.76, finishing 15th overall. The same team had broken the school record twice earlier this season.
