Alabama high school track: 38 Gadsden area athletes to watch at the outdoor state meet

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: 38 Gadsden area track and field athletes to watch at the outdoor state meet