The Alabama high school track and field season, which started in the winter, is now shifting to the outdoor season, which will run from March to May. The indoor state championship was held in early February, and two Gadsden area athletes won state titles in their respective events. They are looking to repeat their success in the outdoor season, along with many other talented and promising athletes from the area.
The Gadsden Times has compiled a list of 41 Gadsden area track and field athletes to watch out for in the outdoor season, based on their performance in the indoor season, their previous achievements, and their potential. The list includes athletes from various schools, such as Cherokee County, Etowah, Gadsden City, Sardis, Albertville, and more. The list also covers various events, such as sprints, hurdles, jumps, throws, and relays.
The outdoor season will be a great opportunity for these athletes to showcase their skills and talents, to compete with the best in the state and the nation, and to pursue their goals and dreams.
The State Champions: Mary Hayes Johnson and Tyler Anthony
The two Gadsden area athletes who won state titles in the indoor season are Mary Hayes Johnson from Cherokee County and Tyler Anthony from Fort Payne. They are both seniors and have signed with Division I colleges for their track and field careers.
Mary Hayes Johnson, who will join South Alabama, won the girls Class 4A-5A 400 meters and 60-meter hurdles events at the indoor state championship. She ran the 400 meters in 58.11 seconds and the 60-meter hurdles in 9.28 seconds. She also finished second in the long jump with a leap of 16 feet, 9.25 inches. She is the defending outdoor state champion in the 400 meters and the 300-meter hurdles, and she will aim to defend her titles and add more medals to her collection.
Tyler Anthony, who will join Troy, won the boys Class 6A 1,600 meters event at the indoor state championship. He ran the 1,600 meters in 4:26.62, beating his closest rival by more than four seconds. He also finished fourth in the 800 meters with a time of 2:01.04. He is the defending outdoor state champion in the 1,600 meters and the 3,200 meters, and he will try to repeat his feat and break his personal records.
The Sprinters: Zyan Gibson, Alex Johnson, and Ben Frampton
The Gadsden area has some of the fastest and most explosive sprinters in the state, who can dominate the short-distance events, such as the 100 meters, the 200 meters, and the 400 meters. They can also contribute to the relay teams, such as the 4×100-meter and the 4×400-meter relays.
Zyan Gibson from Gadsden City is one of the top sprinters in the area, who qualified for the state meet last year in the 100 meters and the 200 meters. He also ran the anchor leg for the Titans’ 4×100-meter relay team, which finished fourth at the state meet. He will look to improve his times and his rankings in the outdoor season, and to lead the Titans’ sprint squad.
Alex Johnson and Ben Frampton from Cherokee County are another pair of sprinters to watch out for in the outdoor season. They both qualified for the state meet in the indoor season, in the 60 meters and the 400 meters, respectively. They will expand their event list in the outdoor season, and compete in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, and the 400 meters. They will also join forces in the relay teams, and help the Warriors’ sprint team.
The Hurdlers: Skyler Cody, Daylan Baise, and Cooper Scott
The Gadsden area also has some of the best and most versatile hurdlers in the state, who can excel in the hurdle events, such as the 110-meter hurdles, the 300-meter hurdles, and the 400-meter hurdles. They can also perform well in other events, such as the jumps and the sprints.
Skyler Cody from Fort Payne is the reigning outdoor state champion in the boys Class 6A 110-meter hurdles, and he will try to defend his title in the outdoor season. He also finished third in the 60-meter hurdles and fourth in the long jump at the indoor state championship. He will also compete in the 300-meter hurdles and the 4×400-meter relay in the outdoor season, and help the Wildcats’ hurdle team.
Daylan Baise from Etowah is another outstanding hurdler in the area, who has made it to the state meet for the last three seasons. He specializes in the 110-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles, but he can also run the 400-meter and the long jump. He will aim to improve his times and his placements in the outdoor season, and to lead the Blue Devils’ hurdle team.
Cooper Scott from Albertville is a rising star in the boys Class 6A high jump event, who had a best jump of 5 feet, 10 inches in the indoor season. He will look to increase his height and his ranking in the outdoor season, and to qualify for the state meet. He will also participate in the 110-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles in the outdoor season, and to boost the Aggies’ hurdle team.
The Jumpers: Rashun Tatum, Connor McGee, and Jamarcus Hughley
The Gadsden area also has some of the most talented and skilled jumpers in the state, who can soar high and far in the jump events, such as the high jump, the long jump, and the triple jump. They can also compete in other events, such as the sprints and the hurdles.
Rashun Tatum from Albertville is one of the top jumpers in the area, who qualified for the state meet last year in the boys Class 6A triple jump. He also competed in the long jump and the 4×100-meter relay at the state meet. He will look to improve his distances and his scores in the outdoor season, and to lead the Aggies’ jump team.
Connor McGee from Sardis is another promising jumper in the area, who is looking to have a breakout year in the outdoor season. He will compete in the high jump, the long jump, and the triple jump, and try to qualify for the state meet. He will also run the 400-meter and the 4×400-meter relay in the outdoor season, and help the Lions’ jump team.
Jamarcus Hughley from Gadsden City is a newcomer to the boys Class 7A high jump event, who is looking to make a mark in the outdoor season. He will try to increase his height and his ranking in the outdoor season, and to qualify for the state meet. He will also participate in the long jump and the triple jump in the outdoor season, and to boost the Titans’ jump team.
The Throwers: Kilque Jones, Gage Garner, and Jose Ponce
The Gadsden area also has some of the strongest and most powerful throwers in the state, who can hurl the shot put, the discus, and the javelin far and accurately. They can also contribute to other events, such as the sprints and the relays.
Kilque Jones from Gadsden City is one of the top throwers in the area, who is one of the Titans’ best shot putters. He will look to improve his distance and his ranking in the outdoor season, and to qualify for the state meet. He will also compete in the discus and the javelin in the outdoor season, and to lead the Titans’ throw team.
Gage Garner from Sardis is another excellent thrower in the area, who qualified for the state meet in 2022 in the boys Class 5A shot put. He will aim to improve his distance and his score in the outdoor season, and to qualify for the state meet again. He will also compete in the discus and the javelin in the outdoor season, and to lead the Lions’ throw team.
Jose Ponce from Sardis is a rising star in the boys Class 5A javelin event, who qualified for the state meet in 2022. He will try to improve his distance and his ranking in the outdoor season, and to qualify for the state meet again. He will also compete in the discus and the shot put in the outdoor season, and to boost the Lions’ throw team.
