Tracksters Walker, Holman and Taylor qualify for state meet

Members of the Franklin County High School boys and girls track and field teams competed in the Class AA middle section meet Thursday and Friday at Fairview High School with three qualifiers for the state meet.

Sophomore Brandon Walker and freshman Briley Taylor finished first in their respective high jump events Friday to land spots in the state competition, while sophomore Na’ Kayjah Holman placed second in the girls’ long jump on the same day to earn her spot. All three will be competing in the state competition for the first time at the high school level.

The top two finishers in each event qualified for the Class AA state championship with two additional spots available per event for the next best performances in Tennessee’s three Class AA sections.

Taylor continued a strong freshman campaign with a first-place finish in the girls’ high jump as she cleared the bar at a maximum height of 5 feet.

Watertown’s Shayla Allison also tied that mark, but Taylor had the scratch advantage for the event, giving her first place overall for the day.

Brandon Walker then entered the high jump zone and won first place in the men’s version of the event with a maximum height of 6 feet.

Station Camp’s Brandon Walker and Zeke Rowland both cleared the bar at that height, but like Taylor, Walker had the advantage in the final tiebreaker to complete a sweep of the high jump for Franklin County.

Holman narrowly missed giving Franklin County another first place finish as her best attempt of 17 feet, 4 inches in the long jump placed her just 0.75 inches behind Upperman’s Meiah Moss for first place.

Holman finished five inches ahead of Hume-Fogg’s Gabby Hoskins for second place and an automatic berth to the state competition.

Other performances and placements by Franklin County athletes at the sectional meet included:

— Daniel Heath, boys pole vault, 11 feet 6 inches, third

— Danica Stovall, girls triple jump, 31 feet, 10.5 inches, third

— Women’s 4×100 meter relay team, 51.59 seconds, fourth

— Kenyon Fuqua, boys 200 meters, 23.13 seconds, fourth

— Tyson Kennerly, boys pole vault, 10 feet, fourth

— Lily Heath, girls triple jump, 31 feet, 0.5 inches, fourth

— La’Karis Brown, girls high jump, 4 feet 8 inches, fifth

— Coastlon Ringer, boys 400 meters, 52.78 seconds, fifth

— Kenyon Fuqua, boys high jump, 5 feet 6 inches, fifth

— Brandon Walker, boys triple jump, 40 feet, 1 inch, fifth

— Luke Kelleher, boys 110 meter hurdles, 17.15 seconds, sixth

— Luke Kelleher, boys 300 meter hurdles, 42.92 seconds, sixth

— Shelby Walker, girls pole vault, 7 feet, sixth

— Women’s 4×200-meter relay team, 1:57.92, seventh

— Marisol Ibarra, girls discus throw, 84 feet 2 inches, seventh

— Men’s 4×200-meter relay team, 1:37.33, eighth

— Women’s 4×400-meter relay team, 4:59.02, eighth

— Men’s 4×800-meter relay team, 9:24.58, ninth

— Danica Stovall, girls 100 meters, 12.88 seconds, ninth (tie)

— Na’Kayjah Holman, girls 100 meters, 12.88 seconds, ninth (tie)

— Men’s 4×100 meter relay team, 45.76 seconds, ninth

— Lily Heath, girls long jump, 14 feet 11 inches, ninth

— Monte Johnson, boys triple jump, 38 feet, 3 inches, ninth

— Lily Heath, girls 100 meter hurdles, 17.69 seconds, 10^th

— Edquintin Scott, boys 100 meters, 11.29 seconds, 10^th

— Coastlon Ringer, boys long jump, 19 feet, 3 inches, 10^th

— Coastlon Ringer, boys 100 meters, 11.34 seconds, 12^th

— Marisol Ibarra, girls shot put, 26 feet, 12^th

— Na’Kayjah Holman, girls 200 meters, 27.5 seconds, 13^th

— Kaylin Hill, girls high jump, 4 feet, 13 years old^th

— Briley Taylor, girls long jump, 13 feet, 4 inches, 13^th

— Men’s 4×400 meter relay team, 4:01.04, 14^th

— Jena Hand, girls 300 meter hurdles, 54.28 seconds, 14^th

— Chase Trigg, boys 300 meter hurdles, 44.12 seconds, 14^th

— Tyson Kennerly, boys triple jump, 35 feet, 10 inches, 14 years old^th

— Danica Stovall, girls 200 meters, 27.73 seconds, 15^th

— Edquintin Scott, boys 200 meters, 23.89 seconds, 15^th

— Briley Taylor, girls 200 meters, 28.17 seconds, 16^th

— Paisley Millraney, girls 400 meters, 1:07.7, 17^th

— Luke Kelleher, boys long jump, 17 feet, 9 inches, 17 years old^th (tie)

— Jena Hand, girls 100 meter hurdles, 19.1 seconds, 18^th

— Catherine Money, girls 1,600 meters, 6:24.78, 18^th

— Audrey Stewart, girls 1,600 meters, 6:25.91.19^th

— Catie Hanger, girls 100 meters, 13.44 seconds, 20^th

— Jayden Smith, boys 1,600-meter run, 4:56.36.20^th

— Parker Hill, boys 400 meters, 55.33 seconds, 20^th

— Josh Smith, boys 800 meters, 2:13.69, 20^th

— Austin Heath, boys long jump, 17 feet, 2 inches, 21 years old^st

— Billie Rose Johnson, girls 1,600 meters, 6:45.57.22^sd

— Shelby Walker, girls 300 meter hurdles, 1:03.5, 23^rd

— Audrey Stewart, girls 800 meters, 2:58.17, 25^th

— Eli Kelleher, boys 400 meters, 57.4 seconds, 26^th

— Garrett Kuhar, boys 800 meters, 2:23.4, 26^th

— Ella Steele, girls 400 meters, 1:32.21, 29^th

— Billie Rose Johnson, girls 800 meters, 3:08.64.29^th

— Cristian Fravel, boys 1,600-meter run, 5:30.41.30^th

— Mason Phillips, boys 1,600-meter run, 5:52.27.33^rd

Brandon Walker, Holman and Taylor will next compete in the Class AA state championship on May 21 at Middle Tennessee State University. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.