A handful of area athletes will be competing in four events at the Class 1-2 state track and field championships, a two-day event which begin today at Adkins Stadium.
Russellville's Harrison Frank is one of those athletes. He'll run the 4x800- and 4x400-meter relays for the Indians and the 400-meter dash today. He is the No. 2 seed in Saturday's Class 2 800-meter run.
Makenzie Schwartz will compete in three events today for the Lady Indians. A two-time all-state medalist last year, Schwartz will run today in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, as well as the 100-meter dash.
New Bloomfield has a pair of four-event state qualifiers on the boys side.
Payton Culwell and Clayten Walker are paired together in the 4x400-meter relay, the last event today. Culwell will also compete in the javelin, 4x800 and the 400-meter dash, while Walker is entered in the 100, the 4x200 and the 200-meter dash.
Tipton's Kodie Dick is also entered in the maximum of four events today. Dick will represent the Cardinals in the 4x800, the 4x100, the 400 and the 200.
There are also a pair of area athletes who enter today's competition as the No. 1 seeds in their respective events.
Eugene's Jasmine Evers posted the top throw at sectionals as she heads into today's Class 2 girls discus, which begins at 9:30 a.m. Evers will also competed today in the javelin, and then Saturday in the shot put, where she is the No. 4 seed.
Vienna's Gavin Weathers posted a throw of 160 feet, 5 inches in last Saturday's discus competition, more than 10 feet better than any of the remaining 15 state qualifiers. He'll be the frontrunner in today's Class 2 boys shot put, which is scheduled to start at 1:30 p.m.
South Callaway's Wyatt Hager will be the No. 2 seed in the Class 2 boys pole vault, which will begin at 1:30 p.m. today.
Adrian Mann, Paige Clubb and Kaci Jordan all each in three events for the Lady Bulldogs. All three are in the Class 2 girls 4x200-meter relay, while Mann is also running the 100 and 300 hurdles, Clubb in the 4x100 and the 200 and Jordan the 4x100 and the triple jump.
The bulk of Linn's events are scheduled for Saturday. Cole Stephens is seeded fifth in the boys 1,600-meter run and will also compete int he 800.
Belle qualified three individuals for four events today, with Skylar Smith in both the Class 2 boys 100 and 200.
In Class 1, St. Elizabeth has four individuals in four events. David Basiger, entered in the boys shot put, is the Hornets' lone competitor today.
Jamestown qualified for state in two events. Trenton Barbour will be in both, starting with today's 4x200 and then Saturday in the triple jump.
For a full list of area qualifiers by school and the scheduled start times for their events, see page C2.