Simply qualify

Finishing in the top 4 is all Sikeston wants at sectionals

sports@standard-democrat.com

ST. LOUIS -- The name of the game for Sikeston is qualify.

There's no plaques or medals to give out this time around and all the Sikeston track team wants to do is finish in the top four during the Class 3, Sectional 1 track meet Saturday at Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day (MICDS) High School.

Finishing in the top four will guarantee a spot at the Class 3 state meet next week at Dwight T. Reed Stadium in Jefferson City.

"We've already talked about going into this round is 'fourth or better'. That's all that matter's right now," Sikeston track coach Terry Flannigan said. "We just need to have that opportunity to get to state and then we'll take care of business when we get up there."

They have a great chance at doing so too.

The Bulldogs are seeded first in four events on the boys side and have legitimate shots in three events with the girls.

After dominating the speed relay events at the district tournament, the Sikeston boys are hoping to do the same at sectionals.

They hold the top seed in the 4x100, 4x200 and 4x400 relay events. Their closest competitor in each of those relays are nearly a second behind the Bulldogs. The 4x800 relay team has the seventh seed as well.

"The big thing about relays is dropping your stick and false starts," Flannigan said. "Right now, we know we sit in a good spot. If we run our race we should be alright."

Steven Baker, who finished the district championship with four titles, participates in each of the three relays and is seeded fourth inside the 100-meter dash, along with teammate Aundrea Golden who sits at seventh.

"He's really been working hard," Flannigan said about Baker. "He's become a guy that wants to do more in practice and keep getting better. He's been in this situation before and he knows what it's going to take."

Although their relay teams have took over as their most profitable events the last two years, Sikeston's claim to fame in the jumps may still be alive.

Tyler McClinton has a great shot at qualifying for state in both the high jump and long jump. The sophomore is the No. 1 seed in the long jump, right in front of senior Kyland Gross' second place standing, and tied for third in the high jump.

"There's a log jam in the high jump," said Flannigan. "That one will come down to misses. Tyler's got a chance to get to state there."

Freshman Earnest Fobbs is also sitting pretty in the triple jump as the second seed.

"Fobbs has a good chance," Flannigan said. "He's a young one whose getting better each week.

"We're going to need those guys to help us in points for state," Flannigan said. "They can get out in those events. If we get to state, we'll need those guys to help us in points so we'll have the opportunity to finish in the top four as a team."

Spenser Clark, who also competes in two relay events, is seeded third in the 110-hurdles and fourth in the 300-hurdles.

Nick Nichols sits just outside the top four as far as seeds go in the 400-meter dash with the fifth seed.

The Sikeston girls sit inside the top four in both the 4x100 and 4x200 relay's. They hold the third spot in the 4x200 and fourth in the 4x100, just a spot behind Dexter who is the No. 3 seed.

They are also seeded seventh in the 4x400 relay.

"They're kind of on the bubble in the 4x100. But if they just run their race in the 4x200, they'll be alright," said Flannigan. "Last week during districts, I don't want to say we got cocky or thought it was going to be easy, but we had a couple teams beat us last week that hadn't in the past. They're wanting to redeem themselves and finish in first during these qualifying races."

Allisha Oglesby, who anchors both the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams, is the second seed in the triple jump and fourth seed in the long jump as well.

Also, Dexter's Makayla Waldner is seeded second in the 100-hurdles, 300-hurdles and long jump. She's also the lead leg in Dexter's 4x100 relay team whose seeded third.

New Madrid County Central's Rashaundra Summers is seeded second in the shot put. Fellow teammate Alecia Nelson holds the fifth spot in the discus.

The following are the seed positions for the upcoming sectional.

Girls

100 -- 7. Samantha Midgett (D), 13.50

4x100 relay -- 3. Dexter (Makayla Waldner, Booke Baker, Samantha Midgett, Melanie McCuin), 51.92; 4. Sikeston (Brandy Peet, Chazeton Redd, Tyra Bonner, Allisha Oglesby), 52.01.

4x200 relay -- 3. Sikeston (Brandy Peet, Ailena Stovall, Tyra Bonner, Allisha Oglesby), 1:47.40.

4x400 relay -- 7. Sikeston (Ailena Stovall, Yolanda Johnson, Tyra Bonner, Brandy Peet), 4:29.53.

200 -- 5. Brandy Peet (S), 27.87.

100-hurdles -- 2. Makayla Waldner (D), 15.79.

300-hurdles -- 2. Makayla Waldner (D), 47.34.

Long jump -- 2. Makayla Waldner (D), 16-6; 4. Allisha Oglesby (S), 15-9 1/4.

Triple jump -- 2. Allisha Oglesby (S), 35-1 1/4.

Shot put -- 2. Rashaunda Summers (N), 41-6 1/2.

Discus -- 5. Alecia Nelson (N), 114-8.

Boys

100 -- 4. Steven Baker (S), 11.20; 7. Aundrea Golden (S), 11.72.

200 -- 5. Aundrea Golden (S), 23.57; 8. Zach Harrison (S), 23.84.

400 -- 5. Nick Nichols (S), 51.39.

800 -- 7. Deterio Newman (S), 2:04.39.

110-hurdles -- 3. Spenser Clark (S), 15.91.

300-hurdles -- 4. Spenser Clark (S), 42.30.

4x100 relay -- 1. Sikeston (Steven Baker, Kyland Gross, Spenser Clark, Nick Nichols), 43.58.

4x200 relay -- 1. Sikeston (Steven Baker, Spenser Clark, Kyland Gross, Nick Nichols), 1:30.63.

4x400 relay -- 1. Sikeston (Deterio Newman, Nick Nichols, Zach Harrison, Steven Baker), 3:31.01.

4x800 relay -- 7. Sikeston (Deterio Newman, Austin Brown, Javeon Bonner, Mark Swanson), 8:39.28.

High jump -- 3(t). Tyler McClinton (S), 6-0.

Long jump -- 1. Tyler McClinton (S), 22-0 1/2; 2. Kyland Gross (S), 21-4 3/4.

Triple jump -- 2. Earnest Fobbs (S), 42-7.