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Byng runners set school records at 4A State

jeff cali, the ada news, okla.
·4 min read

May 8—CATOOSA — Byng head track coach Josh Sawyer said everyone seemed faster at the Class 4A State Track Meet in Catoosa than he's witnessed in a long time, especially in the long-distance events.

Of course, Byng's specialty is long-distance running.

"This year was an unusually fast year in the mid-distance and distance events. The times our kids ran this year would have put all of them on the podium any of the previous six years and in some cases would have been state champions in those events," Sawyer told The Ada News. "I could not be more proud of my athletes this year."

GIRLS

Sophomore Ava Thompson paced the Lady Pirates with a couple of record-setting performances. She finished fifth in the 3200-meter run with a school-record time of 11:32.42. Kenzi Readnour of Pauls Valley won that race with a time of 11:02.81 and Amaya Grant of Cushing was second at 11;17.06.

Cadence Carlos finished 12th with a time of 12:30.32.

Thompson finished sixth in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:19.84, another school record. Readnour again won the gold medal with a time of 5:09.58. Amidat Olokunola of Cache was runner-up at 5:14.43 and Mazee Southward of Cleveland finished third at 5:16.36.

Carlos landed in the 11th spot with a time of 5:37.69.

In the 4x800 Meter Relay, the Byng group of Thompson, Brylee Baird, Blakely Miller and Carlos finished 11th with a time of 10:14.95. Pauls Valley won that race in 9:39.28 and Kingfisher was second at 9:48.17.

Byng's Haley Ellison finished 11th in the Long Jump with a distance of 15'-2.25". Payton Jackson of Elk City won that even with a jump of 16'-7.75". Jeanetta Martinez of Skiatook was runner-up at 16'-7".

BOYS

Byng freshman True Cooper finished sixth in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:59.38. Demarion Dean of Heritage Hall won the gold medal with a time of 1:55.18 and Levi Johnson of Bethany was second in 1:56.28.

In the 4x800-meter relay, the Byng group of Cooper, Michael Ellison, Blaise Manuel and Aden Evans finished seventh with a time of 8:25.40. Heritage Hall captured the gold medal with a time of 8:05.14, Bethany was second in 8:07.42 and Plainview finished third with a time of 8:08.66.

Evans finished 11th in the 3200-meter run with a time of 9:50.04, breaking his own school record. Teammate Dax Frazier followed in 15th with a time of 10:20.19. Zachary Williams of Cache won the championship with a time of 9:23.75 and Corbin Galt of Perkins-Tryon was second in 9:24.29.

Evans placed 12th in the 1600 Meter Run with a time of 4:37.66. Jaden Rodriguez of Bridge Creek was the winner of the race with a time of 4:22.93. Galt finished second at 4:24.41 and Williams was third in 4:25.63.

"Although we lose some key members of our teams next year — Cadence Carlos, Brylee Baird, Blakely Miller and A.J. Herrera — we are young and extremely talented. The majority of our teams are sophomores and freshmen who work hard and have a ton of talent. They are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the near future," Sawyer said.

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Sawyer said his track teams have had a strong 2024 spring season. Sawyer said several school records were broken throughout the year and are listed below: RECORD BREAKERS

400 Meter Run: Held by Daniel Walker since 2008 with a time of 52.91, broken by freshman True Cooper at the Dorsey Reirdon Invitational at Ada High School with a time of 52.48.

3200 Meter Run: Held by Josh Stewart since 2004 with a time of 9:56.83, broken by sophomore Aden Evans at the OBU Bison Invitational with a time of 9:53.59. He broke it again at the Class 4A State Meet with a time of 9:50.04.

Girls 4x800 Relay: Record set in 2017 with a time of 10:08.86, broken by Ava Thompson, Brylee Baird, Blakely Miller and Cadence Carlos at the Class 4A Regional Meet in Madill with a time of 10:05.73.

3200 Meter Run: Held by Cadence Carlos in 2021, broken by Ava Thompson at the Class 4A State meet with a time of 11:32.42.

1600 Meter Run: Held by Cadence Carlos in 2021, broken by Ava Thompson at the Class 4A State meet with a time of 5:19.84