Union City boys run close to front at Jackson

The Union City boys track team placed third in a 19-team field in their first outing of the spring at the USJ Invitational in Jackson on Thursday.
The Tornadoes accumulated 70 points, behind only meet champion Munford (134) and Dyersburg (94).
Daniel Williamson highlighted UC’s effort with a pair of first-place finishes — in the 800 meter run (2:10) and the 1600 meter run (4:51).
Deandrez Williams was first in the 400-meter dash (49.7), and was part of an 800-meter relay team that included Khiry Lewis, Iora Smith and Tymaine Strickland that finished third with a time of 1:32.2.
Strickland placed second in the 100 meter dash with a time of 10.8, with Lewis fifth at 11.03.
Lewis was second in the 200 meter dash with a 23.4 time.
Donte Simpson was fifth in the 400 (54.6), while another freshman, Tristan Jernigan, was fifth in the discus with a toss of 111 feet, 1 inch.
The 3200-meter relay team of Will Thralls, Ricky Henry, Brian Dawson and Carlos Easley came in sixth.
The UC girls were well down in the final team standings, but did have a handful of noteworthy efforts.
Union City girls got a first-place finish from Jasmine Dysart in the shot put when she recorded a toss of 34’7”.
Jackie Hudson, a state tournament participant as a freshman last season in both the shot put and discus, was fourth in the former (30’7”) and second in the latter (89‘9”) in her first regular season meet this spring.
D‘LeShae Olds was second in the high jump for the Lady Tornadoes at 4‘9”, while Chloe Smithson was sixth in the 1600 meter run with a time of 6:16.
Both Obion Central and South Fulton were listed among the team field, though neither team reported their results.

Published in The Messenger 4.13.12