Kociusko girls finished second and the boys were sixth at the Region 2-4A track meet last week at Winona High School.
Senatobia, last year's 3A state boys and girls champion, moved up a class this year and easily won both 2-4A meets. For girls, Senatobia had 210 points, Kosciusko 68, Gentry 64, Louisville 52, Northeast Lauderdale 39, West Lauderdale 36, Clarksdale 31. Choctaw Central 20, Leake Central 18 and Greenwod 13.
In the boys meet, it was Senatobia 223, Northeast Lauderdale 73, Leake Central 58, Gentry 51, Yazoo City 29.5, Kosciusko 27, Choctaw Central 25, Greenwood 24.5, Clarksdale 24, and Louisville 19.
Injuries were a key for both Kosciusko teams. Vinterrious Hunt won the boys 100 and 200 at the Division 4-4A meet a week earlier but was unable to run due to a hamstring injury suffered in practice.
Girls’ coach Eleazarus Greenleaf said some members of his team competed, but were less than 100 percent physically. “That affected the outcome.”
Kosciusko girls won three field events. Although she was one of the athletes slowed by injuries, Raven Pernell outleaped the competition in the long jump at 16 feet, three inches. Aliyah Amey won the triple jump (30-11.5) and defending state champion Presley Fulgham the pole vault. (7-3).
Pernell also finished second in the 100 with a time of 13.12, a tenth of a second behind Keeli Latham of Louisville.
The top four in each event qualified for the North State meet Thursday at Pontotoc High School.
Other girls who qualified: D'Naylah Williams third in the 300 hurdles, Brianna Smith third in the discus, and Victoria Anderson fourth in the 100 hurdles. The 800-relay team with Haley Olive, Anasha Teauge, Reid Hutchinson and Pernell finished third and the 3200-relay team of Makiye Dotson, Presley Fulgham, Savannah Fulgham and Hutchinson was fourth.
The best finish for Kosciusko boys was Jaylen Washington, who cleared 8-6 to take third in the pole vault. Other qualifiers: Jaquavous Pace fourth in the 100, Jorge Orduna fourth in the 1600, Jerrell Erving fourth in the discus and the 3200 relay with Kam Dotson, Lem Whitcomb, Demond Reed and Perry Lewis was fourth.
Despite competing in a higher classification this year, Senatobia won 11 of the 18 boys events and nine of 18 for the girls.
