Sports: Athens' Smith and county 4A athletes medal
May 9—Whether it was the field events in the morning or running events later in the day, Henderson County athletes came away with state meet hardware on Thursday.
Bronze medals went to McCager Smith of Athens, GeKyle Baker of Brownsboro, Korban Murphy of Mabank and Tristan Etheridge of Mabank.
Smith secured his Bronze in the Discus, with a personal record heave of 180 feet three inches in the exciting final round.
Smith began the last round in third on the strength of a 166 foot toss.
Demetrius Dean of Jasper thew it 177 feet fou inches in his final throw dropping Smith to fourth.
Evan Guardiola, of Pleasanton also passed the Athens Freshman with a 167-7.
'I saw that 177 go up there, but I knew I had it in me," Smith said. 'I just let it go.'
Smith's heave had him temporarily in second place, but Kilgore's Braydon Nelson uncorked a tremendous 188-1 to sail past Lucas Cano of Gilmer into first place.
Brownsboro's Gekyle Baker had a shot at gold as he was one of four who recorded a 6 feet 6 inch jump.
Asleep Bynum of Bridgeport finally won with a 6-8. Baker won Bronze.
The two Mabank runners have had excellent careers in track as well as Cross Country. Murphy, a senior, finished second to Alex Niemec in the boys 800, to earn a silver medal. Etheridge, a junior, won Bronze in the girls 800 meters.
