Kemper County High School track teams eye Class 2A state meet
The Kemper County High School boys were second and girls tied for fourth at the MHSAA Class 2A South State track meet at Northwest Rankin High School. The meet ended on a high note for Kemper County with victory by the boys and girls in the 1600 relay, the final event.
Amite County won the boys meet with 125 points, followed by Kemper County with 102. For girls, it was Heidelberg 100, Puckett 98, East Marion 86, Kemper County and Newton had 66 each.
At the Region 3-2A meet a week earlier, the Kemper County girls finished 26 points behind Newton and 14 points behind Mize, but was able to tie Newton and finish ahead of Mize at South State.
Kemper County boys won three events and the girls won four.
The MHSAA Class 2A State Meet is Friday at Pearl High School.
Boys winners were Sha'kenye Darden in the 800 with a time of 2:04.61 and 1600 and 3200 relay teams. Sha’kenye Darden and his twin bother Sha’kanye ran on both winning relay teams. They were joined on the 1600 by Ezekial Smoot and Semaji Ray and on the 3200 by Benquez Winston and William Brown.
Girls wins were by Kaylan Clayton in the 100 (12:55), Bry'Nesha Bourrage in the 200 (25.92) and the 800 and 1600 relays. In the 800, it was Clayton, Bry’Neshia Bourrage, Jashunti Bourrage and Zariyah Moss. For the 1600, Clayton, Moss, Bry’Neshia Bourrage and Quintayjah Reed.
The top four in each event qualified for the 4A state meet Friday at Pearl High School.
Other boys who qualified: Aaron Steele second in the 100, Jamari Scott and Steele second and third in the 200, Smoot third in the 400, Sha'Kanye Darden third and Winston fourth in the 800, Brown third in the 1600, Anthony Reed third in the 3200 and the 800 relay team was second, edged out at the tape by Amite County.
For girls, Bry’Neshia Bourrage was second and Zariyah Moss third in the 400 and Clayton finished second in the 200.
The boys 400 relay team finished fourth, but was disqualified for a runner going out of the lane at a hand off, causing Kemper County to lose five points and a qualifier for the state.
Coach Keith Cole feels the boys team has a good chance at winning the state meet. “For every race, we want to be no worse than third.”
The top teams from North State are Leflore County boys and Charleston girls.