Cove advances 4; qualifies 7 for finals on Day 1 of District 8-6A Track and Field Meet in Belton

By TJ MAXWELL

Cove Leader-Press

BELTON - After the first Day of action at the District 8-6A Track and Field meet held at Belton’s Tiger Stadium, Cove had several athletes move on to the District 7-6A/8-6A Area Track and Field meet to be held Thursday, April 20 at Midway High School and several more qualified for the finals on day two (results not available at press time).

Cove sophomore Kyle Stifflemire took the only gold medal of the day for the Cove varsity with his first-place finish in the pole vault. Stifflemire cleared the 13-feet mark to edge out Ellison’s James Turner (12-feet, 6-inches) and Cove teammate Darious Fuselier (12-feet-6). Belton’s Matt Mahler (12-feet) also qualified for the Area Meet.

Senior Josh Canete will also be moving on to the Area meet with a silver-medal finish in the high jump. His leap of 6-feet-5 was just bested by Belton’s Garrison Vaughn (6-feet-6). Midway’s Xavier Harris (6-feet-3) finished third and Killeen’s Monte Muckelvaney captured the final 8-6A spot for the Area meet.

Cove sophomore Quinton Ford will also be moving on to Area with his bronze finish in the triple jump. His leap of 45-feet-3 was enough to move on, along with Killeen’s Devonte Cochran (48-feet-2) Ellison’s Jayden Smith (46-feet-5) and Harker Heights’ Marlon Cooper (44-feet-10 ½).

Several more Cove athletes moved on to yesterday’s finals in the running events. 

Senior Dahmir Pearson finished second in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles with a time of 40.86 seconds, behind Shoemaker’s Landen Gray (40.37).

Senior Eric Caine finished first in his heat and third overall to qualify for the 100-meter dash finals behind Killeen’s Carlos Wilson (10.71 seconds) and Harker Heights’ A.J. Pemberton (10.74). 

Sophomore Shontez Simmons finished first in his heat and fifth in the 200m dash to make Thursday’s finals with a time of 22.71 seconds. Harker Heights’ Mikel Stone set the top qualifying time at 21.99.

Senior Reginald Mouton also qualified for the finals in the 400m dash with a time of 51.30. Cinque Sambula of Killeen set the top time of 49.87.

Nate Murphree also advanced to the finals in the 110m hurdles with a seventh-place finish and time of 15.84. Shoemaker’s Gray took the top spot with a 14.82 mark.

Moving on to Thursday’s finals for the girls’ varsity were Anayah Copeland and Mahal Thorpe.

Copeland qualified by finishing second in her heat and third overall in the 400m dash with a time of 59.41 with Shoemaker’s Mikayla Koester setting the pace at 57.35.

Thorpe finished third in the 100m hurdles with a time of 15.58 to qualify for the finals. Jazzman Clare of Harker Heights had the top time of 14.97. 

The girls’ varsity had several more chances to qualify on Thursday with the triple jump, high jump, discus, 800m run, 1,600m run, 4x100m relay, 4x200m relay, and 4x400m relay still to compete.

The boys’ varsity will attempt to add those already qualified on Wednesday as well as competitors in the long jump, shot put, 800m run, 1,600m run, 4x100m relay, 4x200m relay, and 4x400m relay.

Full results of the District 8-6A Track and Field Meet to come in Tuesday’s Copperas Cove Leader-Press.