County athletes shined at the 2024 TSSAA State Track Meet.
In Class A, Happy Valley swept the top two spots in the boys’ pole vault as Tyler Bailey claimed the championship with a 12-00.00 mark. Bailey is the first state champion for the Warriors since Natalie Newsome claimed an individual state title in 2019, and he became the first male state champion since David Hughes in 2023.
Julian Pate came in second for the Warriors with a height of 11-06.00.
Both Bailey and Pate were all-state selections.
On the girls’ side, Kaydence Carroll claimed a sixth-place finish in the triple jump with a mark of 32-01.00 and was honored as all-state. Josephine Zeoli also was named all-state as she finished eighth in the long jump with a mark of 14-07.00.
In Class AA, Diesel Russell finished second in the boys’ discus throw to lead Elizabethton. The junior recorded a mark of 157-07 in the event and earned all-state honors with the finish.
Jamira Smalls claimed a podium finish for Elizabethton in the girls’ shot put. Smalls tallied a distance of 34-08.00 to finish third in the event and earned all-state honors.
Senior John Siepert also claimed a podium finish as he tallied a time of 40.37 in the 300-meter hurdles. That placed him third overall and recorded all-state honors the the senior.
Freshman Liahna Nave finished fourth in the girls’ discus throw with a mark of 121-04, while sophomore Camdyn Garland was fifth in the girls’ outdoor pentathlon. Both received all-state honors.
Jeremiah Norris recorded a time of 50.69 in the boys’ 400-meter dash to earn all-state and finish fifth in the event.