State track
- Updated: May 2, 2026
Lanier takes two individual gold medals, and Anniston’s boys make it four 4A state titles in five years. Winterboro’s boys and girls dominate in 1A, and PV’s Parris sets state record.
By East Alabama Sports Today
GULF SHORES — Add another state championship Anniston’s boys’ track team.
Elijah Lanier took gold in the 110 and 300-meter hurdles, and the Bulldogs clinched their fourth Class 4A state title in five years Saturday at Gulf Shores.
Anniston finished with 82 points, beating second-place Catholic-Montgomery by 34.
Anniston won back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023, finished third in 2024 then went back-to-back again. The Bulldogs did it with nine qualifiers this year.
“This year, everybody had to work together and pull together as a team,” Anniston coach Lisa Holland said. “We just tried to make sure they were in the right events and just pushing each other.
“I had quite a few seniors on the team, and each one had to run three or four events. Some of them were close together, but they managed to get it done.”
Lanier won the 110 hurdles Saturday in 15.24 seconds after winning the 300-meter hurdles (38.69) Friday.
“Eli has been a dog, man,” Holland said. “To have Eli on your team, you will always be able to win.
“He’s unselfish. He’s coachable, and he sacrificed. How many people you know run the 110 hurdles and the 4×800 (relay). Could we have run him on the 4×1 and maximized points? Yes, but we didn’t have anybody else to put on the 4×8. He did that last year, and he did that again this year.”
The 4×400 relay team took first (3:23.65), and the 4×800 relay team took third (8:26.36) after finishing fifth at sectional.
Anniston’s Christavious Brown took third in the 110 hurdles (15.70) and 300 (39.83).
Sharontae Bailey took second in the shot put (52-07.25), and Keddrick Jordan took third in the 400 dash (50-12) and fourth in the 200 (22.98).
Alexandria’s boys, who won the Calhoun County championship, finished ninth with 29 points. Jayden Phelps led the Valley Cubs, finishing second in the 3,200 run (9:40.88) and fourth in the 1,600 (4:23.03).
Handley finished 15th with Elijah Stegall winning gold in the triple jump (48-06).
In 4A girls, Anniston led area teams in seventh place with. Liberty Lewis took second in the 400 (55.83) and second in the 200 (25.50), and she anchored Anniston’s 4×100 relay, which took first (49.61).
She also anchored the 4×400 relay team, which scored in fourth.
“As a team and coaches, it was a collaborative effort,” Holland said. “We just give God the glory. None of this could be possible without Him.
“It might sound cliched, but I do a lot of praying.”
Alexandria finished 20th, led by Anna Beth Stewart’s second-place finish in the high jump (5-02).
Class 5A
Jacksonville’s boys finished third with 49 points. Scottsboro won with 99.
Rua Mathis and Quinn Weaver took second and third, respectively, in the 1,600 and 3,200 runs. Mathis ran 4:17.36 in the 1,600 and 9:34.63 in the 3,200, and Weaver ran 4:17.77 and 9:35.15.
Mathis and Weaver took third and fourth, respectively, in the 800. Mathis ran 1:58.82, and Weaver ran 1:59.25.
The 4×100 relay took second in 43.36.
Central-Clay’s boys finished eighth with 28 points, featuring Trsitin Wilson’s state championship in the triple jump (46-11.0).
Central-Clay led area girls’ teams in fourth place with 49 points. Scottsboro won in 142.
The Vols’ Zykeria Heflin finished first in the 100 dash (12.62), 200 dash (25.85), 100 hurdles (15.38) and long jump (17-08.5).
Jacksonville’s girls finished 11th with 23 points. Rachel Sloughfy took third in the 1,600 (5:07.36) and fourth in the 3,200 (11:32.09), and Jayci Taylor took third in the 400 (59.81).
Class 6A
Oxford’s boys finished 15th with 16 points, led by Xavier Endicott’s third-place finish in the discus (157-09). Oxford’s girls, the Calhoun County champion, finished 26th with a third-place finish in the 4×400 relay (4:04.12).
Class 1A
Winterboro won boys’ and girls’ state titles.
The boys dominated with 159 points, followed by Marion County (94), Woodland (39) aand Faith Christian (32) out of a field of 36 teams.
Winterboro’s girls rolled up 132 points. Faith Christian finished fourth (56.83), and Jacksonville Christian tied Marengo for fifth (48).
Winterboro’s Carter Castleberry won the 100 dash (10.65), 200 dash (21.07), 400 dash (48.22) and high jump (6-02). Tyler Pointer won the 300 hurdles (41.99). Kavarris Duncan won the discus (164-11) and shot put (48-09), and William Shephard won the triple jump (44-04.50).
Winterboro also won the 4×100 relay (44.60).
Andrew Sanchez led Woodland with a second-place finish in the shot put (44-06), and Tye Burge took third in the 110 hurdles (16.21).
Faith Christian’s Jack Tant won the pole vault (11-06), and Brooks Earl took third (10-6).
Winterboro’s girls 4×800 relay won in 10:42.12. Skyeler Green won the triple jump (34-04) and took second in the long jump (16-05.75).
Alana Reynolds finished second in the 3,200 run (12:35.76), second in the 1,600 (5:41.13) and second in the 800 (2:29.63). Lyric McGhee finished second in the 400 dash (1:00.98).
The Bulldogs swept relays, taking first in the 4×100 (51.10), 4×400 (4:19.82) and 4×800 (10:42.12).
Faith’s Annie Ricard took first in the high jump (5-00). Kayson Cronan (8-06) and Amy Hubbard (8-00) took second and third in the pole vault. The 4×800 relay finished third (10:58.72).
Jacksonville Christian’s Mollie Mullinax won the 400 dash (1:00.23), 100 hurdles (14.73) and 300 hurdles (46.34). Cali Sexton finished third in the pole vault (8-00).
Class 2A
Pleasant Valley’s Ella Parris set the state record in the 800 (21.18.66). She also won the 400 dash (59.67) and 300 hurdles (47.23). Janette Turner took third in the shot put (31-10).
Class 3A
Westbrook Christian led area boys’ teams in 12th place. Brodey Wood won the javelin at 177-06.
Saks finished 13th, led by Damarion Slocum’s fourth-place finish in the 300 hurdles (42.45), and Karson Holley’s gold medal in the 400 dash (49.83) led Wellborn to a 14th-place finish.
Ohatchee tied B.B. Comer for 15th, with Quinn Nunnelly taking second in the discus (146-07).
Defending champion Weaver finished 19th. D.J. Marbury took third in the 110 hurdles (15.49).
Weaver leads area girls’ teams in sixth. Ali Anderson took state in the triple jump (33-06), and Jaylee Carter took third in the high jump (5-00).
You must be logged in to post a comment Login