By Donald Heath
Special for the Effingham Herald
Temperatures are heating up. Heights and distances are increasing and times are coming down.
“I guess it’s getting later in the season and (the athletes) are getting in shape,” South Effingham track coach Rico Campbell said.
The Mustangs competed at the 22nd-annual Derrick Plankenhorn Meet on an 83-degree Friday night at Southeast Bulloch High School.
Coach Campbell’s son Marcus Campbell tied the school record with a vault of 10 feet, six inches in the pole vault. Harrison Crofts tied his school record with a high jump of 6-8.
Sophomore Syraiah Wilkins won both hurdles and ran a leg on the winning 4 X 200 relay.
Justine Nevels won the girls’ high jump at 5-4 (the highest jump in the region this spring) and Allie Grassi won the pole vault.
And Adyn Easton continued his winning run in the distance events with a personal best 10:28.54 while capturing the 3200.
Effingham County competed in a seven-team meet at Claxton on Friday and Dakarai Walker’s 20.93 in the 200-meter dash was a Rebel school record.
Jaden Praylo turned in an impressive time of 10.78 in the 100. Jaden Howard (400), Joseph Esco (1600), Cory Dekle (triple) and Berry Randolph (discus) won events.
Chloe Adkins won the 800, 1600 and 3200 and Braylin Nease showed her versatility by winning the high jump and the 100 hurdles.
Jada Praylo won the 400.
Here’s a look at SEHS’ scorers at the Plankenhorn Meet and top-three finishers for ECHS in the Claxton Meet.
The Mustangs will be running at the Statesboro Relays on Saturday, a chance for athletes to compete on the track that will host the Region 1-5A Championships.
ECHS will be in Vidalia on Friday, the Rebels’ last meet before spring break.
At the Derrick Plankenhorn Meet
SEHS Girls – Marquavia Williams (100, 13.01, 5th; 200, 26.54, 2nd), Zoe Robinson (100, 13.28, 8th; 200, 27.45, 6th), Lyla Gergerich (400, 1:05.62, 5th), Lydia Alderman (800, 2:25.20, 2nd; 1600, 5:36.89, 2nd), Olivia Johnson (800, 2:42.30, 8th), Natalia Melegari (3200, 12:45.47, 2nd), Rebecca Long (3200, 13:30.44, 4th), Syraiah Wilkins (100H, 15.35, 1st; 300H, 45.84, 1st), 4 X 100 (49.69, 2nd), 4 X 200 (1:46.05, 1st), 4 X 400 (4:52.26, 6th), 4 X 800 (10:37.51, 3rd), Justine Nevels (HJ, 5-4, 1st), Kymberlea Coppin (HJ, 4-10, 3rd), Madison Mills (TJ, 31-6.5, 8th), Makenzi Polk (TJ, 33-8.5, 7th), Allie Grassi (Pole, 8-6, 1st), Carmen Neidlinger (Pole, 6-0, 6th), Danni Lynn (Discus, 108-1, 3rd; Shot, 34-7.5, 3rd), Brooklynn Hughes (Discus, 79-7, 8th; Shot, 31-8.5, 6th).
SEHS Boys
Jayden Hair (100, 11.27, 4th; 200, 23.19, 6th), Josh Brooks (200, 23.14, 4th, 100, 11.65, 7th), Hayden Still (400, 53.33, 4th), Ben Fluegel (800, 2:07.35, 5th), Nathaniel West (800, 2:08.47, 6th), Adyn Easton (3200, 10:28.54, 1st), Kenny Carlton (110H, 16.47, 4th), 4 X 100 (42.90, 2nd), 4 X 200 (1:37.47, 6th), 4 X 400 (3:56.23, 7th), 4 X 800 (8:43.79, 2nd), Harrison Crofts (HJ, 6-8, 1st; TJ, 42-3, 4th), Carson Cook (HJ, 5-6, 7th), Marcus Campbell (Pole, 10-6, 1st), Alarik Gibson (Pole, 8-6, 7th).
At Claxton Tiger Home Meet
ECHS Girls
Kayden Gadson (100, 12.74, 3rd), Jada Praylo (400, 1:02.23, 1st), Abigail Williamson (400, 1:09.98, 3rd), Chloe Adkins (800, 2:32.45, 1st; 1600, 5:22.00, 1st; 3200, 12:22.00, 1st), Natalie Nelson (800, 2:41.56, 2nd), Braylin Nease (100H, 17.35, 1st; HJ, 5-2, 1st), 4 X 100 (52.49, 2nd), 4 X 200 (1:51.37, 1st), 4 X 400 (4:29.44, 1st), Jessica Cooper (HJ, 4-10, 2nd), Kayden Gadson (LJ, 15-9.5, 3rd), Ashlen Messer (TJ, 32-11, 2nd), Nakera Hawkins (Shot, 32-10, 3rd).
ECHS Boys
Jaden Praylo (100, 10.78, 1st), Devaughn Jones (100, 11.28, 3rd), Dakarai Walker (200, 20.93, 1st), Jaden Howard (800, 2:20.24, 1st), Theron Claridge (800, 2:20.61, 2nd), Joseph Esco (1600, 4:52.00, 1st), Orion Dagin (1600, 5:21.00, 3rd), Brennan Gelderman (3200, 12:03.00, 2nd), 4 X 100 (44.30, 1st), 4 X 200 (1:32.87, 1st), 4 X 800 (8:52.00, 1st), Jaidyn Jones (LJ, 19-8, 3rd), Cory Dekle (TJ, 41-9, 1st), Berry Randolph (Discus, 139-2, 1st).
