In Class 5A regional track action last week, the Durant High track and field team rode several sensational performances and qualified 12 individuals and five relay teams for the state meet this weekend at Western Heights.
The Lady Lion unit claimed third in the team standings behind only Duncan and Ardmore, while the Lions notched a fifth place showing on the boys’ side.
Laila Ahmed led the Durant charge with a school record breaking leap of 5 feet, 7 inches in the high jump while capturing the regional crown. She was also third in the 100 hurdles in a time of 17.24 seconds to punch her ticket for state in that event.
Amira Woods was a regional champ in the 400 meters, posting a personal best time of 57.09 seconds, and was also a titlist in the 200 meters in 25.06 seconds.
Avery Sager tossed in a pair of regional crowns as well, including a personal best mark of 5:39.92 in the 1600 meters. She also won the 800 meters at 2:30.82.
Iyana Wilson qualified in the 300 hurdles 50.12 seconds for another personal best time. Macee Hall checked in sixth in the 300 hurdles with a PR of 52.53 with Jamiah Allen also adding a personal best mark of 1:03.40 for sixth in the 400 meters. Macee Hall took fourth in the 100 meters at 17.86 with Zoe Jones ending fourth in the 3200 meters by notching a personal best mark of 13:14.17. Sheraya Struble ended sixth as well in the discus at 97 feet, 4 inches.
Durant’s 1600-meter relay ran away with the regional crown as Allen teamed with Woods, Xakayla Cox and Sager for a mark of 4:13.45.
The Lady Lions added a pair of thirds in the 800 relay and 3200 relay to also qualify for state. Wilson, Cox, Kaitlen Rush and Woods combined for a mark of 1:47.30 in the 800 while Allen, Judi Free, Kyra Dry and Laynee Emert tallied a mark of 10:51.65 in the 3200 relay.
Senior Kaydon Mimms was the catalyst once again for the Durant boys, winning both hurdle events in convincing fashion. In the 110 hurdles he clocked in at 15.47 seconds and notched a 39.66 regional championship time in the 300 hurdles.
Damien Almos also qualified in the 110 hurdles, placing fourth in 16.61. He also notched a personal best mark of 43.35 and Eric Williams clocked in at a personal best 42.98 for fourth in the 300 hurdles.
Aiden Sager cruised to an 800-meter regional crown in 1:58.67 and also qualified for state in the 400 meters as he ran to a personal best 49.93.
Zach Ervin narrowly missed reaching the state tournament with a personal best mark of 10:31.05 in the 3200 meters to take fourth and broke the tape at 4:54.46 in the 1600 meters for another personal best in claiming sixth place.
Tucker Dry chipped in a fourth in the discus with a toss of 136 feet, 8 inches while Shajen Davis ended sixth in the long jump despite a personal best leap of 19 feet, 3 inches.
The Lions qualified in the 1600 relay as they notched a regional runner-up mark of 3:24.97, narrowly missing the school record set in 1972. That unit was composed of Braylen Lyday, Mimms, Justin Smith and Sager.
Lyday, Sager and Mimms combined with Jaylon Saxon to break a 1957 school record in the 800-meter relay, placing fourth in 1:30.15 to also qualify for state.
Durant’s sprint relay quartet of Smith, Williams, Owen Madison and Daltry Barker captured sixth in 47.09 seconds with the 3200 relay unit of Madison Roper, Ervin, Madison and Carter Kemp checking in fourth with a time of 9:01.29.
