The Marshall Junior High boys track team turned in an impressive performance against a strong field at the Newton Jasper County 3A Sectional Saturday, winning the Sectional Team title, its 1st since the 1990's. The event was highlighted by multiple event championships, state-qualifying performances, and numerous personal bests throughout the meet.
Marshall was led by an outstanding effort from seventh-grader Colby Claypool, who captured the 110-meter hurdles title with a winning time of 17.14 seconds, qualifying for the state meet to be held in East Peoria on May 22nd and 23rd, and posting the 3rd-fastest time in the state. Claypool also added a runner-up finish in the long jump with a leap of 5.33 meters, good enough for the 6th best jump heading into state, and helped power two Marshall relay teams to top finishes.
In the relays, Marshall’s 4x400-meter relay team of Grayson Edwards, Colby Claypool, Kale Platt, and Orsen Delp claimed the championship in a time of 4:04.42, earning a qualifying spot and will be the #1 seed as the fastest time in the state . The 4x200-meter relay team of Edwards, Kolton Mason, Claypool, and Platt also qualified with a second-place finish in 1:47.53 and will have the 5th fastest time heading into the state meet.
Marshall nearly added another relay title in the sprint medley relay as Edwards, Mason, Platt, and Delp combined for a second-place finish in 4:11.62, narrowly missing first place by just fractions of a second while still securing qualification honors and the #2 seed, which could make the state finals a really exciting weekend.
Distance events were another strength for the Cubs. Delp delivered a strong fourth-place finish in the 800 meters with a personal-best time of 2:22.55 to qualify, while sixth grader Griffin Thompson placed eighth in the same event with a personal-best 2:26.16. Thompson later earned a state qualifying performance in the 1600 meters, placing sixth overall in a personal-best time of 5:15.28, which is a new school record.
Edwards added an individual medal in the 400 meters, finishing third overall in 1:00.53, while Jace Mullen placed 12th in the event and later became an event champion in the shot put. Mullen won the shot put competition with a throw of 10.43 meters, leading a strong Marshall effort in the field events. Mason also contributed with a 12th-place finish in the shot put.
Marshall found additional success in the jumps, where Platt cleared 1.53 meters to finish third in the high jump, and Delp added a fourth-place finish by clearing 1.41 meters. Sixth grader Knox Eastin placed 10th in the long jump with a leap of 4.47 meters.
On the track, Mason finished 10th in the 200 meters with a time of 28.11 seconds, while Emmett Maurer placed 13th. Maurer also earned sixth place in the 110 hurdles finals. In the 100 meters, Sam Wernz placed 16th overall.
Marshall’s 4x100 relay squad of Wernz, Eastin, Maurer, and Lucas Sherrell narrowly missed a top-five finish, taking sixth overall in 54.57 seconds.
The Cubs also received solid performances in the discus from Lucas Stence and Sherrell, who finished 17th and 18th, respectively.
