Four new records were set at the Jefferson County Activities Association track and field championships Thursday at Festus.
With rain forecast today through Sunday (April 28-April 30), conference officials decided to hold the varsity meet on one day, instead of two. A brilliant sunny day greeted the athletes, who took advantage of the break this stormy spring with record-setting performances.
It didn’t take long for the records to fall as the Festus boys 4x800-meter relay team of Max McDaniel, Matt Thomas, Brendan Pratt and Noah Hunter raced to a time of 8:10.50, which was three seconds faster than the time Perryville’s team set in 1995.
De Soto senior Lamont Allen, the JCAA boys most valuable athlete, broke the high jump record with a height of 6-6. The old record of 6-5 was set by Hillsboro’s Kyle Proemsey in 2005.
Windsor’s Taylor Richey and Jefferson’s Anna Heacock share this year’s JCAA most valuable athlete honor for the girls. Heacock set a new league record in the 300 hurdles with a time of 47.02. Heacock’s time in the 300 hurdles broke the oldest conference record set by Crystal City’s Kathy Meyer in 1985.
Caitlin Reed set the girls record in the pole vault last year with a height of 10-6. Windsor’s Nicole Barton tied that mark Thursday.
Hillsboro won the boys team competition with 166 points. Jefferson claimed its second straight conference title in track and field with 151 points.