by Hunter Dawkins
Back to business on the track for the Lady Pirates of Pass Christian High School last Saturday at Northwest Rankin High School in Flowood. The Lady Pirates dominated the competition by earning 136.50 points, 50 more than the runner-up competitor. Overall, the Pass Lady Pirates qualified for 15 events in the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) State Championship at Pearl High School this Saturday.
Even with a cumulation of points, the Pass Christian Lady Pirates won 4 events, such as the 4×800-meter relay team (Kealey Skinner, Hannah Ruttledge, Avery Saulter, Emily Dedeaux), two-time state champion Kamdyn Skinner in the high jump, Maddie Greene in the triple jump, and Katherine Newman in the pole vault. Additionally, Kamdyn Skinner was runner-up in the triple jump, a member of the 4×400-meter relay team and 300-meter hurdles.
The Pass Christian Pirates qualified in eight events, where Junior Andrew Moffett was runner-up in the 300-meter hurdles, third place in the triple jump and 4×200-meter relay member.
In actions by other teams at the Pearl competition, the St. Stanislaus Rockachaws finished second to NE Lauderdale High School in the boys 4A competition while the Our Lady Academy (OLA) Crescents were runners-up in the girls 2A.
The Rocks won three events, including two by Junior Brandon Bordelon in the 110-meter hurdles and the boys long jump. Bordelon qualified for a few additional races in Pearl this weekend.
St. Stanislaus Senior William Weber easily won the pole vault event, and the boys qualified in eight categories.
The Crescents were led by Senior Olivia Gelpi crossing the victory line in the 100-meter hurdles and the triple jump. Gelpi nearly won the 300-meter hurdles, but OLA qualified for nine events finishing behind Saint Patrick Catholic of Biloxi.
90 miles south of Flowood at Hattiesburg High School, the South State 5A competition was happening and did not disappoint. The Long Beach Lady Bearcats barely lost to Brookhaven High School by 5 points earning 120.
Long Beach Lady Bearcats Freshman Phenom Brooklyn Biancamano won three individual events, nearly lapping the field in the 800, 1600, and 3200-meter categories. Besides Biancamano outstanding performance, the Lady Bearcats won four more events with Senior Destini Pickens coasting to victory in the 200 and 400-meter races, the 4×400-meter relay team, and Junior Alexandrea Segura leaping in the pole vault six inches better than the rest.
The boys finished a distant eighth, but had a victory in the pole vault from Long Beach sophomore Johnny Pham. Long Beach Boys had two boys qualify while the Lady Bearcats finished with 12.
Finally, the West Harrison Hurricanes finished 6th among girls with 70 points and tenth among the boys with 31. The boys sent three to Pearl and the girls had seven, including a victory in the discuss throw by West Harrison Junior Alexis Morris.
MHSAA will host the State Championships this Friday and Saturday at Pearl High School right outside Jackson.
