19 Bulldogs Moving on to Track Sectionals; Boys Finish 2nd at Districts

May 17th, 2026

It was a hot and humid day for the district track meet in Springfield on Saturday which may have played a part in the lower than normal PRs being set by the Boys and Girls Bulldogs track team. The Boys Squad finished just 6 points by the District Champions Ozark, to finish in 2nd place. The Girls team finished in 6th overall.

As a program, they finished as District Champions in 7 events and medaled in 17 in total. They qualified for sectionals in 19 events which will take place on Saturday the 23rd at Waynesville High School.

Sophomore Cruz Wilkins walked away with 3 medals at the District Meet. He was the District Champ in the 400m as well as part of the 4x400m Relay. He was also part of the 2nd place 4x200m relay team.

Another member of those qualifying relay teams, sophomore Bennett Duehning, also qualified in both the 110m and 300m hurdles as he finished in 2nd in both events. 

Senior distance runner and Grand Valley State signee won the 3200m event and finished 2nd in the 1600m run, sending him back to sectionals for a 4th time.

Junior Tucker Sowers punched his ticket to the next round in 2 events when he won the Shot Put and finished 3rd in the Discuss behind the District Champ senior Nash Robinson.

A pair of freshmen left the District Meet as Champions in the Pole Vault. Trenton Earl and Grace Fontenot each won first in the event while also setting PRs. Fontenot also qualified in the 400m dash with her 4th place finish.

In all, there were 19 sectional qualifiers for the Bulldogs with 14 on the Boys side and 5 from the Girls side.

Bulldog Medalists

All of the medalists as well as 4th place finishers qualify to advance to the Sectional Meet on Saturday the 23rd.

1st Place

Boys 4x400m Relay (Jay Loos, Bennett Duehning, Aaron Stallworth, Cruz Wilkins): 3:26.45

So. Cruz Wilkins Boys 400m: 50.60

Sr. Cameron Martensen Boys 3200m Run: 9:20.45

Fr. Grace Fontenot Girls PoleVault: 3.08m - PR

Fr. Trenton Earl Boys Pole Vault: 4.04m - PR

Jr. Tucker Sowers Boys Shot Put: 15.62m

Sr. Nash Robinson Boys Discuss: 47.97m - PR

2nd Place

Boys 4x200m Relay (Jay Loos, Bennett Duehning, Cruz Wilkins, Aaron Stallworth): 1:30.43

Sr. Cameron Martensen Boys 1600m Run: 4:31.09

So. Bennett Duehning Boys 110m Hurdles: 15.56

So. Bennett Duehning Boys 300m Hurdles: 40.87

So. Addison Montgomery Girls Javelin: 36.08m

3rd Place

Boys 4x800m Relay: (David Fox, Carter Brown, Scott Williams, Matthew Banta): 8:20.77 - PR

So. Madison Hutton Girls 400m: 1:02.47

Fr. Sophie Blakely Girls 1600m Run: 5:35.19

Sr. Tyeson Elliott Boys High Jump: 1.86m

Jr. Tucker Sowers Boys Discuss: 46.92m - PR

4th Place - Qualifier

Fr. Grace Fontenot Girls 400m: 1:02.48 

Jr. Daylin Williams Boys Javelin: 42.82m

UP NEXT: SECTIONALS

The Class 5 Sectional 3 meet will be held on Saturday May 23rd at Waynesville High School.  The top 4 finishers in each event will advance on to the State Track Meet. The Sectional Meet will include the top 4 finishers out of Class 5 District 6 which is compiled of many of the COC schools.

It will be a challenge put before our Bulldogs but they have shown all year that they are up for the challenge. “Sectionals are going to be much more competitive. We just have to focus on the process and see how the chips fall come Saturday,” said Head Coach Cody Sneed.

The following athletes will be competing in their first Sectional Track Meet

Final Team Standings

LINK TO OFFICIAL RESULTS

Bulldogs Setting PR’s (13)

Girls (3)

4x200m Relay (Olivia Kuchar, Kymmi Brevett, Sophia Grijalva, Arleigh Burke): 1:54.80

Fr. Grace Fontenot PoleVault: 3.08m

So. Addison Montgomery Javelin: 36.08m

Boys (10)

4x100m Relay (Marlon Darkwah, Robert Minor, Tobias Balch, O’Ryan Olusanya): 45.08

4x800m Relay: (David Fox, Carter Brown, Scott Williams, Matthew Banta): 8:20.77

Jr. Matthew Banta 800m Run: 2:01.16

Fr. Trenton Earl Pole Vault: 4.04m

Sr. Jalen Forbis Long Jump: 5.93m

So. David Fox 800m Run: 2:02.95

Sr. Nash Robinson Discuss: 47.97m

Jr. Tucker Sowers Discuss: 46.92m

Jr. Colin Thorp-Lancaster Pole Vault: 3.80m

So. Cruz Wilkins 200m: 22.47