Tornadoes again elite against larger group

The Union City High School boys’ track team continued to measure up well against top-flight competition with a fifth-place finish among 17 teams in the annual George Hancock Memorial meet in Dyersburg.
The Tornadoes, who also had a Top-5 finish among more than 15 teams in the season-opening USJ Invitational last week, accumulated 43 total points in D’burg against schools with considerably more enrollment.
Munford won the event, followed by Haywood, Dyersburg, Jackson Central-Merry and UC.
No report was received from the Lady Tornado squad for the second consecutive week.
Donte Simpson’s third-place finish in the high hurdles and a similar showing by Tristan Jernigan in the shot put throw highlighted the Union City boys’ effort at Dyersburg Friday. Simpson recorded a time of 17.7, while Jernigan’s toss traveled 44’6”.
Jernigan placed fourth in the discus, hurling it 115‘7”.
Jaylen Ware, Carlos Easley, Cody Easley and Caleb Anderson made up a relay team that finished fourth in the 3200 competition. The group posted a time of 10:30.
Two more Tornado relay quartets recorded Top-5 finishes.
The 800 meter squad that included Jamie Hyde, Khiry Lewis, Alex Reid and Simpson was fifth, while the 400 meter unit that consisted of Malachi Kidd, Lewis, Simpson and Iora Smith also come in at No. 5.
The 800 meter group recorded a time of 1:37.6, while the 400 meter team was clocked at 45.8.
Ricky Henry’s leap of 34’7.5” was good for fifth place in the triple jump.
Union City is scheduled to participate in a quad meet at USJ Thursday, then will host the 36th annual Rotary Relays at War Memorial Stadium and Dave Shatz Track on May 2.

Published in The Messenger 4.22.13