The Alabama high school track and field state meets are this week.
The Class 4A-7A meet starts on Thursday and the Class 1A-3A begins Friday. The 4A-7A meet is in Gulf Shores and the 1A-3A meet is in Cullman. There are plenty of Gadsden area standouts ready to compete this week and here are some of the top ones:
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Tyler Anthony, Fort Payne
Events: 800 meters, 1,600 meter
Anthony brings a top three time in Class 6A in the 1,600 meters to the state meet.
Kodie Bogle, Gaston
Events: Javelin, long jump, triple jump, high jump
Bogle will be attempting to break the Class 2A record for longest javelin throw and he's on the cusp with a best throw of 174-feet, 10-inches. He will also be battling in each of the jump competitions. Bogle comes in with the third best triple jump at 42-feet, 3-inches.
Evan Christopher, Southside
Events: 1,600, 3,200
Christopher comes to the state meet with top-10 times in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs and with the confidence of a second place finish at the state cross country meet last fall.
Skyler Cody, Fort Payne
Events: Long Jump
Cody comes into the meet with second best jump of 23-feet, 2.5-inches.
Harrison Cummings, Hokes Bluff
Events: Discus
Coming into the state meet with the eighth best throw in the discus of 118-feet and 11 inches, expect Cummings to be a threat for a big day.
Zyan Gibson, Gadsden City
Events: 100, 4x100 relay, 200
Gibson comes in running an 11.09 and runs the 4x100 with Kerrell Yow, Ka'Maruri Moore and Ty Sims but the group will need to come with a PR if they want to get on the podium.
Alex Johnson, Cherokee County
Events: 200, 300, 400, 4x400 relay
Johnson comes in with the second best time in the 400 and the best time in the 200.
Daniel Leija, Albertville
Events: 800, 1,600, 3,200
Leija has recovered from a severe car accident that saw him hospitalized and ended his cross country season early. Leija has the eighth best time in Class 7A.
DJ Mackey, Coosa Christian
Events: 100-meter
Mackey comes in with the third best 100-meter time in Class 1A but will have to upset his teammate to win gold.
Cooper Morrison, Guntersville
Events: Long jump
Morrison comes in with the second best long jump of 21-feet, 8-inches but the event looks to be wide open.
LJ Mostella, Coosa Christian
Events: 100-meter, 200-meter
Mostella should be the favorite to win the 100 meters coming in with the best time of 11.13 but will have to hold off his teammate. He also comes in with the best 200 time of 22.71, the only person listed with a sub-23-second time.
Jose Ponce, Sardis
Events: Javelin
Ponce comes in with the fourth best throw of 152-09 and should compete for a podium spot in the javelin.
Pablo Rodriguez, Fort Payne
Events: 800, 1,600
Rodriguez has the second best 800 meters so far this season in Class 6A.
Jack Watson, Sand Rock
Events: 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles
Watson comes into the state meet with the third best time of 17.23 in Class 2A and the second best 300 hurdle time of 42.70.
Conner Willingham, Hokes Bluff
Events: Discus, Javelin
Willingham should make some noise at states with the third best javelin throw of almost 165 feet and a discus throw of 115 feet.
Caleb Yoder, Sand Rock
Events: 400, 1,600, 3,200
Yoder comes into the meet with the second best time in Class 2A of 51.19 in the 400. He holds the seventh best 3,200 time and fifth best 1,600 time.
Maddox Vann, Ashville
Events: 110 hurdles
Vann will need to run a season best time if he wants to make the hurdle finals.
Kerrell Yow, Gadsden City
Events: 200, 4x100 relay
Yow has his work cut out if he wants to advance out of the prelims of the 200.
Girls
Katie Brown, Piedmont
Events: High Jump
Brown comes in with the third best high jump in Class 3A at 4-10.
Kinsey Carter, Southside
Events: 100, 4x100 relay
Carter comes into the meet with one of the better times in 5A but will have her work cut out for her if she wants to make the finals.
Ashton Childress, Pisgah
Events: Javelin
Childress comes into the state meet with the third best javelin throw of 106-9.
Aubrey Evans, Fort Payne
Events: High jump
Evans comes in two inches off the favorite in the high jump.
Cooper Garrett, Fort Payne
Events: Javelin, triple jump
Garrett has the second best javelin throw of 131-feet and the third best triple jump at almost 37-feet.
Kyndal Hughes, Fort Payne
Events: 1,600, 3,200
Hughes comes in with a top-four time in the 3,200 of 11:32 and a top-10 time in the 1,600.
Mary Hayes Johnson, Cherokee County
Events: 100, 100 hurdles, 200, 400
One of the top track athletes in the state, Johnson brings the fifth best time to the 100. She holds the second best time in the 400. Johnson holds the best time in the 100 hurdles and the 200.
Ruthie Jones, Fort Payne
Events: 200, 400
Jones comes into the state meet with the fourth best time in the 400 in Class 6A.
Cesleigh Martin, Guntersville
Events: Shot put, discus
Martin comes into the state meet with the second best throw of the season of 35-11 1/4, she also has the sixth best discus throw so far.
Kyla Price, Gadsden City
Events: 200, 4x100 relay
Price comes in with the sixth best time in the 200.
Ashton Pruett, Cherokee County
Events: Shot put
Pruett should compete for a spot on the podium with the third best throw coming in at 33-8.
Lexi Ray, Piedmont
Events: Pole Vault
Ray should be the favorite to take home the Class 3A pole vault title, coming in with the best vault by six inches at 9-6.
Je'Vohnna Sears, Gadsden City
Events: 100, 4x100 relay
Sears will have work to do but could compete for a spot in the finals in the 100-meter sprint.
Afi Sika, Coosa Christian
Events: 1,600
Sika comes into the state meet with the fourth best time of 6:34.
Addison Simmons, Hokes Bluff
Events : Long Jump
Addison should be a threat to place in the top eight for the long jump coming in with the ninth best season jump at 15-5.
Kaylee Tarpley, West End
Events: 1,600, 3,200
Tarpley will look to add some hardware in the long distance races but she has work to do.
Shelby Waters, Gaston
Events: Discus
Waters comes in with the sixth best throw in Class 2A in the discus at 92-2.
Kathryn Webb, Southside
Events: triple jump, long jump
Webb is an impressive field athlete and while she has work to do to get onto a podium position, its not out of the question.
Madeleine Wharton, Guntersville
Events: Pole Vault
Wharton has work to do to win gold but is squarely in a spot to earn a podium spot with the third best vault of 10-feet.
Lydie Varnadore, Fort Payne
Events: 300 hurdles
Varnadore comes into the event with the sixth best time in Class 6A.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Alabama high school track: 38 Gadsden area athletes to watch at the outdoor state meet
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