Arp Edges Jefferson to Claim Class 2A Region III Boys Track + Field Championship

WHITEHOUSE -- Mikechell Potts won long-jump gold and Arp won the 800-meter relay to fuel the Tigers' Class 2A Region III track and field championship Saturday at Wildcat Stadium.

Potts' jump of 22 feet edged Newton's Kevin Shorter, who finished second with a jump of 21 feet, 11 inches. Arp's 800-meter relay squad finished 0.31 seconds ahead of Daingerfield with a time of 1:28.32.

Arp's 68 points led the 32-team field, which saw Jefferson (59) finish second, followed by Tatum (46), Newton (44), Daingerfield (40.5), and Hooks (39).

While Potts and the 800-meter relay team were Arp's only state qualifiers, Marcalas Johnson placed third in the discus, while teammate Gabe Reynolds claimed fourth in the pole vault. The Tigers got 12 points apiece from their sprint relay and mile relay teams. Garrett Allen was fourth in the 800-meter run.

Harmony's Daven Murphree continued his trek toward a third consecutive 2A state championship in the pole vault. Murphree vaulted 17 feet Saturday to win gold.

Tatum had a pair of first-place finishers: triple jumper Jordan Nelson (45-11) and Jaylon Shans-Sheppard, who ran a 14.60 in the 110-meter hurdles. The Eagles also got their mile relay team to state with a time of 3:22.44, which was only 0.04 seconds behind first-place Hooks.

The Hornets got an additional first-place performance from Aaron Doddy, who cleared 6 feet, 4 inches to win the high jump.

Newton also won two gold medals. Arkansas football signee D.J. Dean breezed through the 400-meter run, winning the event by more than a second with a time of 48.91. With Shorter, who leads East Texas' 2014 football class with 22 offers, running anchor, the Eagles edged Jefferson by 0.03 seconds for gold in the sprint relay with a time of 42.08. Shorter passed up a Jefferson competitor in the final 30 minutes to win the race.

Jefferson qualified for state in three events. In addition to the sprint relay, the Bulldogs' Chris Smith ran a 21.47-second 200-meter run to win gold. Deion Williams' 11.08-second 100-meter run garnered silver behind Clarksville's Devon Sanders (10.89).

Hawkins' Hunter Fair took home two golds in the distance events. Fair won the two-mile run Friday with a time of 9:50.65, then won Saturday's mile run with a 4:30.63.

The UIL state track and field championships are May 10-11 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

Team Standings

• 1. Arp -- 68
• 2. Jefferson -- 59
• 3. Tatum -- 46
• 4. Newton -- 44
• 5. Daingerfield -- 40.5
• 6. Hooks -- 39
• T-7. New Diana -- 29
• T-7. Commerce -- 29
• T-9. White Oak -- 22
• T-9. Winnsboro -- 22
• 11. Kountze -- 21
• 12. Hawkins -- 20
• T-13. Winona -- 18
• T-13. Clarksville -- 18
• T-13. Warren -- 18
• 16. Grand Saline -- 17
• T-17. Troup -- 12
• T-17. Woodville -- 12
• T-17. Frankston -- 12
• T-20. Harmony -- 10
• T-20. Franklin -- 10
• T-22. Crockett -- 9
• T-22. Hempstead -- 9
• 24. Lone Oak -- 8.5
• 25. Kirbyville -- 7
• 26.  Elkhart -- 6
• 27. Garrison -- 5
• T-28. Como-Pickton -- 2
• T-28. Cooper -- 2
• T-28. Ore City -- 2
• T-28. Woden -- 2
• 32. Union Grove -- 1

Field Events

(state qualifiers in bold)

Discus

• 1. Keilan Jones, Kountze -- 150-6
• 2. Ryan Gearner, Winnsboro -- 148-11
• 3. Marcalas Johnson, Arp -- 147-1
• 4. Josh Eppler, Jefferson -- 146-7
• 5. Cody Lawwill, Cooper -- 145-5
• 6. Deandre Glover, Hempstead -- 144-5

Shot put

• 1. Michael Davis, Troup -- 49-10 3/4
• 2. Jason Heim, White Oak -- 48-9 1/2
• 3. Marcus Harrison, Woodville -- 47-5 1/4
• 4. Tyler Parker, Kountze -- 45-11 1/4
• 5. Josh Roberts, Hempstead -- 45-9
• 6. John Frachiseur, Hooks -- 45-0 3/4

Triple jump

• 1. Jordan Nelson, Tatum -- 45-11
• 2. Buck Wilson, Commerce -- 45-2
• 3. Darion Cooper, Kirbyville -- 44-11 1/4
• 4. Kevin Shorter, Newton -- 44-7 1/2
• 5. Laquinton Sargent, Hempstead -- 44-4 1/2
• 6. Deion Williams, Jefferson -- 43-7 3/4

High jump

• 1. Aaron Doddy, Hooks -- 6-4
• 2. Dylan Elliott, Franklin -- 6-2
• 3. Kevin Kidd, Elkhart -- 6-0 1/4
• 4. William Rogers, Garrison -- 6-0
• 5. Bryce Steele, Como-Pickton -- 5-10
• T-6. Chawn Cooper, Lone Oak -- 5-8
• T-6. Jesse Biles, Daingerfield -- 5-6

Long jump

• 1. Mikechell Potts, Arp -- 22-0
• 2. Kevin Shorter, Newton -- 21-11
• 3. Benjamin Harmon, Frankston -- 21-4 3/4
• 4. Will Smith, Hempstead -- 20-10
• 5.  Buck Wilson, Commerce -- 20-8
• 6. Michael Weatherspoon, Franklin -- 20-7 1/2

Pole vault

• 1. Daven Murphree, Harmony -- 17-0
• 2. Riley Lakin, White Oak -- 14-9
• 3. Cameron Slay, Jefferson -- 14-0
• 4. Gabe Reynolds, Arp -- 13-6
• 5. Mason Barnett, Grand Saline -- 13-0 1/4
• 6. Ashton Whittle, Kountze -- 13-0

Running Events

3,200 meters

• 1. Hunter Fair, Hawkins -- 9:50.65
• 2. Brad Beckham, New Diana -- 9:52.66
• 3. Trent Phelps, Grand Saline -- 9:54.13
• 4. Garrett Mayeaux, New Diana -- 10:10.78
• 5. Brent Beckham, New Diana -- 10:12.79
• 6. Matt Moreno, Grand Saline -- 10:16.19

Sprint relay

• 1. Newton -- 42.08
• 2. Jefferson -- 42.11
• 3. Arp -- 42.50
• 4. Daingerfield -- 42.51
• 5. New Diana -- 42.99
• 6. Tatum -- 43.10

800 meters

• 1. Cody Hammond, Warren -- 1:59.96
• 2. Trevor Hemphill, Lone Oak -- 2:00.56
• 3. Alex Orsot, Kountze -- 2:00.81
• 4. Garrett Allen, Arp -- 2:05.01
• 5. Josh Benson, White Oak -- 2:05.75
• 6. Austin Edwards, Garrison -- 2:07.95

110-meter hurdles

• 1. Jaylon Shans-Sheppard, Tatum -- 14.60
• 2. Jimmie Houston, Hooks -- 15.01
• 3. Colton Chadbourne, Winona -- 15.02
• 4. Darion Barr, White Oak -- 15.16
• 5. Carl Whitaker, Tatum -- 15.36
• 6. Dylan Elliott, Franklin -- 15.50

100 meters

• 1. Devon Sanders, Clarksville -- 10.89
• 2. Deion Williams, Jefferson -- 11.08
• 3. Dominique Lockhart, Woodville -- 11.18
• 4. Tyrek Boyd, Daingerfield -- 11.19
• 5. Keynon Whetstone, Ore City -- 11.23
• 6. Raymond Owens, Crockett -- 11.31

800 relay

• 1. Arp -- 1:28.32
• 2. Daingerfield -- 1:28.63
• 3. Winnsboro -- 1:28.87
• 4. Jefferson -- 1:29.10
• 5. Crockett -- 1:29.48
• 6. Newton -- 1:29.58

400 meters

• 1. D.J. Dean, Newton -- 48.91
• 2. Cody Hammond, Warren -- 50.02
• 3. Dlance Sharp, Commerce -- 50.12
• 4. Terrence Whitaker, Jefferson -- 51.46
• 5. Jeremiah Bolton, Winona -- 51.55
• 6. Aaron Mitchell, Union Grove -- 51.56

300 hurdles

• 1. Colton Chadbourne, Winona -- 38.44
• 2. Buck Wilson, Commerce -- 39.39
• 3. Jaylon Shans-Sheppard, Tatum -- 39.76
• 4. Jordan Washington, Crockett -- 40.09
• 5. Kameron Coleman, Jefferson -- 40.25
• 6. Clayton Sexton, Kirbyville -- 41.54

200 meters

• 1. Chris Smith, Jefferson -- 21.47
• 2. Devon Sanders, Clarksville -- 21.72
• 3. Benjamin Harmon, Frankston -- 21.99
• 4. Edwin Mims, Daingerfield -- 22.04
• 5. Chris Roberts, Winnsboro -- 22.20
• 6. Dlance Sharp, Commerce -- 23.07

Mile

• 1. Hunter Fair, Hawkins -- 4:30.63
• 2. Trent Phelps, Grand Saline -- 4:31.84
• 3. Brad Beckham, New Diana -- 4:36.68
• 4. Garrett Mayeaux, New Diana -- 4:37.72
• 5. Jose Jimenez, Woden -- 4:45.33
• 6. Brent Beckham, New Diana -- 4:45.46

Mile relay

• 1. Hooks -- 3:22.40
• 2. Tatum -- 3:22.44
• 3. Arp -- 3:25.15
• 4. Daingerfield -- 3:25.59
• 5. Commerce -- 3:26.57
• 6. Troup -- 3:26.72