The 2023 track and field season has been a breeze for some athletes. Cy Springs will be well represented at the Area meet this Friday, April 21 at Klein Oak Memorial.

Twelve Panthers went all out at the district meet setting multiple records to qualify for area.

Qualifiers for the 23’ Area meet are Autum Sims,  Aniyah Lincoln, Abigail West, Amiah Terrell, Tamia Hoyt and Sydney Henry for the girls team. The boys qualifiers are Jacoby Harmon, Nate
Thomas, Eli Jacobs, Manny Vela, Caden Grover and Nick Brown.

The girls 4×2 team finished third and PR’d to advance. Hoyt finished 4th in the 300 hurdles to qualify while Henry had two 4th places finishes in the high jump and triple jump.

The boys highlights included Jacoby Harmon setting a school record in the 800 with a time of 1:54:.08 for 1st place. This came after a record with a time of 1:54:87 for first place at the Panther Relays a week earlier. Jacoby has been shedding seconds for weeks in a row. His goal for Area is a time of 1:53:.5 or lower.

“Getting first at district was a big confidence booster going into area. I prayed about it frequently and for it to actually happen I had to trust my training, and coaches to get me  here,” Harmon said. “This sets the standard for what is to come at Area, and hopefully by the grace of God I am able to represent my school at the state track meet.”

He was also a part of the 4×4 relay team including Jones, Thomas and Brown that qualified with a 2nd place finish.

Thomas was also captured a second place finish in 400 m dash to qualify while Vela also had two second places finishes in the mile and two mile to advance. Vela has been breaking school records since his 8th grade year in 2021 running cross country. He went to State in Cross Country the last two years in a row and would love to go for State. ‘’I am feeling extremely excited for the area meet, great competition hopefully we get good weather for a great atmosphere in the stadium,” Vela said.

Jones rounded out the qualifying runners with a PR in the 800 for 4th place. Grover was the lone throwing events area qualifier. He captured 2nd in discus and 4th in the shot put.

Coach Watson is the girls coach and Coach Jacobs is the boys coach and under their guidance both teams have had lots of success this year. The week before district we held the Panther Relays and our athletes had another successful meet.

The girls best long distance runner Alayjah Martin (aka LayLay) took 9th in 1600 and tenth in 3200 while Bianca Frank finished 9th in the 200 meter dash. Temilayo Adedipe captured 9th in the long jump while Henry continued to shine taking second place in both the high jump and triple jump. Hoyt finished 5th in the 300 hurdles and once again the girls relay teams remained in top ten mix.  The 4×2 took second, the 4×1 third and 4×4 finished fourth at the Panther Relays.

Meanwhile the boys left their mark as well Jacoby Harmon taking 3rd in the 400 and 1st in 800 while Jacobs finished 5th in the 800.Thomas has good meet with a 6th in 100 dash and a 7th place in the 200 dash. Manny Vela lead the pack in 1600 and 3200 to capture first place in both events. Ahmadre Miller captured 2nd place in the 110 hurdles and 7th in the triple jump. Grover maded the finals for discus and finished in 5th place. The relays did well with a 7th place finish in both the 4×100 and 4×200 with the 4×4  taking 8th place.