Raiders win NAC meet

By Luke Brantley
Staff writer
WINFIELD — The Marion County High School boys’ and girls’ varsity track and field teams won the 2024 North Alabama Conference Championship meet on Wednesday, March 13.
The meet was hosted in Winfield, with Brilliant, Hackleburg, Lynn, Marion County and Phillips high schools competing for the NAC championship.
The Lady Red Raiders won with 309 points, followed by Phillips with 90 points, Brilliant with 59 points, Hackleburg with 48 points and Lynn with 26 points.
In the boys’ meet, Marion County won with 237.5 points, followed by Hackleburg with 153 points, Brilliant with 76.5 points, Lynn with 62 points and Phillips with 58 points.
Starting with the girls meet, the top three results for each event begin with the 100-meter dash finals.
Madison Lipsey and Anna Prather took first and second place for the Lady Red Raiders with times of 14.07 and 14.19 seconds. Hackleburg’s Carson Browning placed third in 14.28.
In the 200, Marion County’s Alecia Shack-Donaldson won in 30.37 seconds. Phillips’ Lexi Morgan placed second in 31.16 and Lynn’s Kohl Tittle placed third in 31.68.
Marion County’s Prather, Zella Williams, Lily Robinson and Shack-Donaldson swept the first four spots in the girls’ 400m.
In the 800, Marion County’s Jasmine Wilson, Zoe Lucas and Alexis Webb swept the top three spots.
Lucas, Webb, Bailey Woods and Jasmine Wilson pulled off another sweep for the Lady Red Raiders in the 1600 and 3200.
Phillip’s’ Emma Kate Gilliam and Kalei Garrison were the only two girls to compete in the 100m hurdles, finishing in 20.96 seconds and 28.06 seconds respectively.
In the 300m hurdles, Marion County’s Madison Lipsey, Claire LeDuke and Zella Williams swept the podium, with Phillips’ Gilliam taking fourth place.
In the girls’ 4x100m relay, Brilliant won in 57.41 seconds. Marion County placed second in 57.46 seconds. Hackleburg was third in 1:02.90 and Phillips was fourth in 1:03.09.
In the 4x400m, Marion County’s girls won in 4:56.35 over Hackleburg’s girls (5:19.64).
Marion County’s girls were the only team to run the 4x800, completing the relay in 11:56.27.
Marion County’s Robinson won girls’ high jump with a mark of 4’8,” and Bekah Junkin placed second with a mark of 4’6.” Brilliant’s Hadlee Sanderson placed third with a mark of 4’2.”
In girls’ long jump,  Prather and Lipsey took the first two spots for the Lady Raiders with marks of 15’5.5” and 14’2.5,” Lynn’s Kohl Tittle placed third with an even 14.’
In girls’ pole vault, Marion County’s Caroline Pyron and Lilly Franks were the only pole vaulters present, clearing marks of 8’ and 7’ respectively.
Phillips’ Natalee Ward won girls discus with a total mark of 91’1.” Marion County’s Krissa Comer was second with 68’5” and Hackleburg’s Emma Murray placed third with 67.’
In girls’ javelin, Brilliant’s Karagan Stanford won with a mark of 100.’ Ward claimed second for Phillips with a mark of 96.’ Lynn’s Allie Stewart placed third with 92’2.
Finally, in girls’ shot put, Ward won with 28’5,” followed by Marion County’s Adileigh Webb (26’7”) and Jolie Kate Cox (25’5”).
In the boys’ meet, Hackleburg’s Jaquan Reeder won the 100-meter dash in 12.03 seconds, followed by Lynn’s Jakob Shotts and Marion County’s Ace Tankersley.
Reeder and fellow Panther Davin Dulaney won gold and silver in the 200, and Tankersley earned another bronze.
Phillips’ Victor Marchan won the 400 in 57.48 seconds, followed by Lynn’s Mason Wills and Hackleburg’s Daughtry Gober.
Marion County’s Carter Stephens won the 800 in 2:21.62, followed by Marchan and fellow Raider Reagan LeDuke.
Stephens, LeDuke and Max Herdzik swept the top three spots for the Raiders in the 1600.
In the 3200, only Marion County ran with Stephens, LeDuke and Kendle Clark taking the three spots.
Hackleburg’s Cameron Ingram and Timothy Stewart took the first two spots in the 110m hurdles, and Brilliant’s Jayden Higginbotham placed third.
In the 300m hurdles, Reeder earned another first place finish for Hackleburg, followed by Marion County’s Clark and Herdzik.
Hackleburg’s boys won the 4x100m relay in 48.92 seconds, followed by Lynn and Marion County.
In the 4x400, Hackleburg won once again in 4:00.85, followed by Phillips (4:07.69) and Marion County (4:14.65).
Hackleburg did not run in the 4x800, and Marion County won in 10:28.57. Brilliant was second in 11:46.62….