At a meet held Monday at Bryant High School, the Bethel Hornets had 11 first-place finishes in eighth grade and one first place finish in seventh grade.
“After eighth grade key injuries such as sprinter/jumper Lawson Speer and 400/800 runner Liam Babbitt out for the season, our team has embraced the ‘blue collar’-like mentality and has found ways to win,” said Bethel coach Colton Bond. “Over the course of our practices, we have embraced competition more than ever, especially with close to 75 student-athletes total for our program. Our student-athletes have embraced the ‘clock in’ motto and have had a workman-like approach to their craft with personal bests each week.
“For this meet, eighth grade, I would have to say that Blake Snyder has been surprisingly good in the hurdles,” he continued. “Last year, he was a little bit awkward in technique but this year he has put in the time it takes to improve the fundamentals involved in hurdles and it is paying dividends for him. He had a personal best and first place in the 100 hurdles (15.61) and, in the 300 hurdles, clipped one, fell, got back up to finish third. He has been great along with Blake Everett, who has been a consistent first place in the 100/300 hurdles. Both have been doing great running in separate heats of the hurdles. They are starting to develop a nice friendly competition which helps them strive to do better.
“Our 4×800 team stepped up with Babbitt out (2:16 in 800) to run a personal best 9:46. Also, Taj Van Tassel has been very consistent in 800 relay running splits of 2:11,” the coach added, “however, he loves the 400 and it shows with his time of 56.90 for a first place effort. Logan White has been jumping better each week and with 19′ long jumper Speer out, he has picked up the slack winning the long jump. Layton Dickerson, fresh off a broken leg, won the high jump with a best jump of 5’6″. Fabian Torres has been improving each week in shot put and won his heat with a throw of 36′ to go along with a 200 meter victory. Brandon Gabe also scored a blue ribbon in the 200 meters and is starting to come into his element with the race. Gage Shepard has been a consistent runner, who came in a little green being his first year in track, however he possesses a great stride and I expect good things from him in the future. He scored a blue ribbon in the 400 with a PR of 61 seconds in the 400.
Of the seventh grade, Bond said, “We have some young men who are working hard and getting better each week. The first place finishes haven’t come as easy as the eighth graders, however, personal bests are being reached and we have a group of hard workers. Success is on the horizon.
“One name, however, which sticks out has been Xaylen Curenton,” he said. “Xaylen is a North Little Rock transfer, who is starting to get into track shape and it is starting to show more and more. His time of 12.63 was a first place finish as well as a personal best. I expect him to continue improving as the season goes on.”
Here are results from the meet (times are unofficial):
8th Grade
Long Jump
1st Place- Logan White 16’4″
Shot Put
1st Place- Fabian Torres 36′
4th Place- Mason Miller
6th Place- Myles Witcher
7th Place- Kobe Perez
8th Place- Palmer Smith
Discus
2nd Place- Caden Hope 96′
3rd Place- Peyton Page
4th Place- Matthew Griffe
4th Place- Jacob Karp
5th Place- Conner Kirby
High Jump
1st Place- Layton Dickerson- 5’6″
2nd Place- Blake Everett
3rd Place- Shane Morris
4×800
1st Place- Jacob Karp, Taj Van Tassel, Drew MacIntire, Jaxon Holt- 9:46
4th Place- Dillon Hoover, Cameron Apel, Jackson Meshell, Will Taylor
100 Hurdles
1st Place- Blake Snyder- 15.61
1st Place- Blake Everett- 15.90
3rd Place- Shane Morris
7th Place- Deyvon Brewer
8th Place- David Corballis
100
2nd Place- Fabian Torres
3rd Place- Andrew Steuve
4th Place- Carson Burnett
6th Place- Layton Dickerson
7th Place- Owen Lee
1600
5th Place- Jackson Meshell- 5:37
6th Place- Drew MacEntire- 5:40
4×100
7th Place- Blake Everett, Carson Burnett, Logan White, Fabian Torres
8th Place- Owen Lee, Carson Matson, Hunter Hagan, Jacob Knowlton
400
1st Place- Taj Van Tassel- 56.90
1st Place- Gage Shepard- 61.00
2nd Place- Michael Rivera
4th Place- Braxton Praither
5th Place- Jacob Karp
6th Place- Alec Humphreys
300 Hurdles
1st Place- Blake Everett- 48.55
3rd Place- Blake Snyder
800
5th Place- Jaxon Holt 2:25
7th Place- Dillon Hoover 2:33
200
1st Place- Brandon Gabe 26.32
1st Place- Fabian Torres
2nd Place- Luis Garcia
6th Place- Mason Butler
4×400
2nd Place- Taj Van Tassel, Jacob Karp, Gage Shepard, Michael Rivera- 4:07
5th Place- Dillon Hoover, Hayden Upton, Drew MacEntire, Mason Butler
7th Grade
Long Jump
3rd Place- Brody Troyer 15’7″
Triple Jump
8th Place- Sebastian Gough
Shot Put
6th Place-Hayden Samuel
7th Place-Cole Shields
8th Place- Joseph Cerutti
Discus
3rd Place- Chaney Crosby
4th Place- Cole Skelley
5th Place- Hunter Ellis
6th Place- Shawn Walls
6th Place- Hayden Samuel
4×800
3rd Place- James Billingsley, Jason Apodaca, George Terry, Gavin Shelby-10:44
7th Place- Edwyn Delgadillo, Carter Moore, Mitchell Elmore, Chaney Crosby
100 Hurdles
8th Place- Chaney Crosby
100 Meters
1st Place- Xaylen Curenton-12.63
5th Place- David Vivar
6th Place- Brody Troyer
6th Place- Josh Luster
8th Place- James Billingsley
1600
4th Place- George Terry- 5:46
4×100
3rd Place- James Billingsley, Aiden Shaw, Joshua Luster, Xaylen Curenton
8th Place- Sebastian Gough, Evan Lamb, David Vivar, Brody Troyer
400
5th Place- Evan Lamb
6th Place- Aiden Shaw
300 Hurdles
4th Place- Mitchell Elmore
4th Place- Hunter Ellis
800 Meters
4th Place- James Billingsley- 2:45
200 Meters
2nd Place- Xaylen Curenton
5th Place- Brody Troyer
5th Place- David Vivar
8th Place- Evan Lamb
8th Place- Carter Moore
4×400 Meters
4th Place- James Billingsley, Evan Lamb, George Terry, Hunter Linn
5th Place- Cole Shields, Gavin Shelby, Cole Skelley, Caden Stovall
