Thompson High track and field teams chase success at state meet
Earlier this week, Chris Schmidt shared the ultimate goal for his Thompson High track and field teams as they prepared for the Class 7A State Championships.
“I’d love to bring home one of those maps – I don’t care if it’s blue, red, purple or what,” Schmidt said. “That’s the ultimate dream, the ultimate goal as a team, all coaches have that.”
The truth is, though, neither Thompson track team needs a championship trophy – which includes the outline of the map of Alabama – to put a stamp on a successful season. In a bunch of important ways, the Warriors arrived on the state track and field scene before they arrived at Gulf Shores High for the three-day state championships.
“I’m proud of what we accomplished so far,” Schmidt said. “I like to believe, we’re in the conversation now. (Head coach Devon Hind of perennial power Hoover High) actually said that to me this weekend and that means so much to me. I said I just want to be part of it, he said, ‘You guys are in this conversation.’ That meant a lot. We’ve made it to the big show now. We are a top five program. That’s huge. Kids don’t understand that, but coaches and adults realize that.”
School records have fallen each time the Warriors competed this season. In last week’s Class 7A Section 3 championships, the Warriors broke eight school records and set 54 personal records. By the end of the two-day meet, the Warriors were section runner ups for the first time in both boys and girls competition and had qualified 31 athletes for the state championships. It took a big bus to transport the athletes to Gulf Shores.
“We have kids in all but maybe three or four events,” Schmidt said. “I was like, ‘Man, we’ve got a lot of people going.’ That’s great things right there.”
Five Thompson athletes – McKenzie Hogue, Zakiria Holifield, Alandria McCurdy, Van Smitherman and Samuel Holmes – qualified for four events. Schmidt said several others will compete in three events. But, his excitement over what could happen this weekend, centers around more than simply depth.
“I feel that we have an opportunity to have a lot of our kids score at state (top eight) and, of course, a pretty good amount of all-state (top three) athletes too,” Schmidt said.
That type of representation would make up a good recipe for a fun weekend.
“This could be huge for our program and a start of more to come,” Schmidt said. “We’re real excited with the direction our program is going and how quickly we’ve gotten there. Good things are happening here at Thompson. Hopefully, we can seal the deal and have a great performance this weekend.”
GIRLS
THURSDAY
100 meters*
Prelims
Zakiria Holifield
Niya Oden
Alandria McCurdy
1,600 meters
McKenzie Hogue
4 x 100
Thompson
Discus
Olivia Coleman
Ebony Butler
Triple jump
Niya Oden
Alayah King
Tyara Irvin
FRIDAY
100 meter hurdles*
Prelims
Madison Wright
200 meters*
Prelims
Zakiria Holifield
Alandria McCurdy
Alayah King
3,200 meters
McKenzie Hogue
Long jump
Niya Oden
High jump
London Wooley
Julianne Knight
Javelin
Zoria Miller
Pole vault
Elizabeth Sutton
SATURDAY
800 meters
McKenzie Hogue
300 meter hurdles
Madison Wright
4 x 400 Relay
Thompson
Shot put
Zoria Miller
Ebony Butler
Boys
THURSDAY
1,600 meters
Jace Jones
Brandon DeMarcus Lee
4 x 100 Relay*
Prelims
Thompson
Shot put
Steve Villegas
Viktor Turek
Pole vault
Blake Ellis
Dominique Hall
FRIDAY
110 meters*
Prelims
Cameron Childs
Timothy Osborne
200 meters*
Prelims
Samuel Holmes
Van Smitherman
400 meters
Van Smitherman
Samuel Holmes
4 X 800 Relay
Thompson
Discus
Viktor Turek
Triple jump
Phillip Lewis
Julian Woods
High jump
Phillip Lewis
Jared Hurst
SATURDAY
300 meter hurdles
Timothy Osborne
800 meters
Thomas Cousins
Jace Jones
4 x 400 Relay
Thompson
