*Story courtesy of www.reportertimes.com*

By Rob Downey

MOORESVILLE

The Martinsville boys track and field squad took home the team trophy at the Morgan County track and field meet on Tuesday, while the Monrovia girls team claimed the same title for the third consecutive year in an outcome that wasn’t determined until the final event of the meet.

Martinsville’s boys track team won by a comfortable margin, compiling 107 points to finish well ahead of second place Mooresville, who had a total of 75 points. Martinsville was led by Colton Slack, who won both the 200-meter (23.12) and 400-meter (49.79) dashes. Slack’s 400-meter win established a new Martinsville record for that distance, bettering teammate Adam Nay’s record that he had set the previous week in the Mid-State Conference meet.

In addition, Jace Lowry was a double winner for the Artesians, as he won both the 1600-meter (4:49.00) and 3200-meter (10:30.00) runs. Derek McCrary won the 800-meter run in a time of 2:05.00, and Justin Applegate tossed the discus 146-feet 9 1/2 inches to win the discus.

Kyle Hicks was the final Martinsville winner, as he cleared the bar at 10-feet 6-inches to capture first in the pole vault. The Artesians also took first in both the 4x100-meter and 4x400-meter relays to add to their point total.

“The best thing for us was that the kids came back from yesterday’s meet (the Artesians hosted the Koontz Relays on Monday) with some tired legs, and they fought back to get the win in a competitive fashion,” said Martinsville boys coach Carl Wagner.

The Monrovia girls, meanwhile, had to deliver a win in the final event of the meet, the 4x400-meter relay to secure a two-point win over second place Mooresville. Monrovia racked up 82 points to edge Mooresville, with Martinsville another two points back in third place.

Monrovia girls’ track and field coach Bart Cassida had resigned himself to a second-place finish, but when the team scores were announced on the public address system at the Mooresville track and field complex, the results revealed that the Bulldogs had in fact won as a result of their exciting win in the 4x400-meter relay.

The ensuing shower of Gatorade that Cassida’s team dumped on him completely changed his view from one of disappointment to elation that his squad had successfully defended its title for the second consecutive year.

“We are David to their Goliath,” Cassida said of Mooresville and Martinsville. “I am so proud of these girls. To win three county titles in a row, and to do it in what was probably the closest meet in county history, is special. These kids earned it.”

The Bulldog girls had three individual champions, and they also took first in the 4x800-meter and 4x400-meter relays.

Quincey McNelis was first in the 800-meter run in a time of 2:36.00, and Jessica Standeford cleared the bar at 5-4 to take first in the high jump. Tiffani Dillon leaped 16 feet to earn first place in the long jump for the Bulldogs, who had enough depth to secure high finishes in several events.