Long Beach Wins Region 4-5A Track & Field Title

The Long Beach Bearcats and the West Harrison Hurricanes made the long trek to Lucedale for the Region 4-5A track and field championships last week. The Bearcats won the boys title with 106 points while West Harrison was third with 92 points. The Lady Hurricanes placed second in the girls’ division with 133 points while Long Beach was fourth with 66 points. The top four finishers qualify for the South State championships that will be held this weekend.

The Bearcats were paced by event winners Landon Ahrens who won the 1600m and 800m runs with a times of 4:45.99 and 2:07.11, respectively, while the 4x100m relay team won the event with a time of 43.73 and Andre Windham won the triple jump with a leap of 43′ 5″.

Other qualifiers for the Bearcats include Exavier Johnson (4th, triple jump, 42′ 1″), the 4x400m relay team (2nd, 3:48.29), Jose Garcia (3rd, 3200m, 11:46.21), Malachi Brown (2nd, 100m, 11.33; 2nd, 200m, 23.01), the 4x200m relay team (3rd, 1:34.06), Isaac Jeansonne (2nd, 1600m, 5:08.29), Jonah Spiers (4th, shot put, 43′ 11 1/2″), and Lazerrick Brooks (2nd, discus, 135′ 11″).

The Hurricanes were led by event winner Evan Turan who won the shot put and discus with throws of 49′ 4 1/2″ and 143′ 11″, respectively. Other qualifiers include Matthew Quintero (2nd, 3200m, 11:33.71), Jahmad McGowan (2nd, 110m hurdles, 16.32; 2nd, 300m hurdles, 42.64), Josh Anderson (4th, 1600m, 5:12.84), the 4x100m relay team (4th, 46.42), Tyrone McPherson (2nd, shot put, 45′ 3′; 3rd, discus, 124′ 10″), Andrew Slaughter (3rd, pole vault, 8′ 6″), the 4x400m relay team (3rd, 3:48.97), and the 4x800m relay team (4th, 9:27.64).

The Lady Hurricanes were led by event winners Tashala Thomas who won the shot put with a throw of 32′ 1″ and Sydnei Barber who won the discus with a throw of 106′ 2″. Deasia Williams won the pole vault with a height of 8′ 4″ and the 4x400m relay team won with a time of 4:41.88.

Other qualifiers include Tiona Frick (3rd, 400m, 1:09.70; 3rd, 800m, 2:42.75), Mya Rodriguez (2nd, 300m hurdles, 51.68), Makayla Shavers (4th, 800m, 2:45.50), Christian Newton (3rd, high jump, 4′ 10″), Thomas (2nd, discus, 99′ 4″), Desiree Lacy (2nd, pole vault, 7′), Jewelz Galloway (3rd, pole vault, 6′ 6″), Tyasia Gooden (2nd, triple jump, 31′ 3″), the 4x200m relay (2nd, 1:54.82), the 4x100m relay ( 4th, 55.38), and the 4x800m relay (2nd, 13:11.56).

The Lady Bearcats were led by event winners Mya Shaffer who won the long jump with a leap of 16′ 8″ and the 4x100m relay team with a time of 50.91.

Other qualifiers include Shaffer (2nd, 100m, 13.24), Tyonna Turner (4th, 100m, 13.45), Shayla Nguyen (4th, long jump, 15′; 3rd, triple jump, 31′), and Tori Washington (2nd, shot put, 30′ 4″; 3rd, discus, 83′ 7″).