Baylor School’s Selena Popp clears 5’2″ to win the high jump event during the Chattanooga Optimist Southeastern Track and Field Invitational at Walker Valley High School on Friday.Chattanooga-area track & field state meet qualifiersBoysClass A/AATorran Davis (Red Bank) high jumpCadarius Harris (Tyner) 100 metersChaz Hawkins (Signal Mountain) 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdlesJames McClellan (Signal Mountain) shot putJay Warren (Central) 100 metersKevin Yates (Hixson) 400 meters, long jump4x100 relay: Brianerd, Central, Red Bank4x200 relay: Central, Notre Dame, Tyner4x400 relay: Central4x800 relay: CentralClass AAABrian Armstrong (McMinn Co.) high jumpTyler Davis (Cleveland) 100 meters, 200 meters, long jumpGarrett Flores (Ooltewah) 1600 metersRashun Freeman (Ooltewah) 200 meters, long jumpCollin Gwaltney (Bradley Central) 1600 metersKeith Hall (Rhea Co.) pole vaultAdrian Hart (Ooltewah) 400 metersWill Hilliker (Cleveland) 110-meter hurdles, long jumpDalton McDonald (Cleveland) discusLogan McKenzie (McMInn Co.) 800 metersChris Ofori (Cleveland) high jump, triple jumpT.J. Parker (Cleveland) 300-meter hurdlesDaniel Rose (Ooltewah) 300-meter hurdlesRobbie Saxton (McMinn Co.) high jumpChase Sholl (Rhea Co.) 400 meters, 110-meter hurdlesHarold Smith (Bradley Central) 800 metersTravis Williams (Ooltewah) 300-meter hurdles4x100 relay: Cleveland, Ooltewah4x200 relay: Ooltewah4x400 relay: Ooltewah4x800 relay: OoltewahDivision IIJordan Ashe (McCallie) 110-meter hurdlesJames Beasley (St. Andrews-Sewanee) 300-meter hurdlesSteven Crews (Baylor) pole vaultTons Ferguson (McCallie) high jump, triple jumpC.J. Fritz (McCallie) 100 meters, 200 metersJ.J. Lewis (McCallie) 100 meters, 200 metersRyan Parker (Baylor) discusMyles Patton (McCallie) long jumpWill Raines (Baylor) 800 metersRamsay Ritchie (McCallie) 1600 meters, 3200 metersJyles Romer (McCallie) high jumpAndrew Sharpe (Rhea Co.) decathlonAlex Sumida (Baylor) 800 metersAlex Trotter (McCallie) 200 metersCam Walker (McCallie) shot put4x100 relay: McCallie4x200 relay: Baylor, McCallie4x400 relay: Baylor, McCallie4x800 relay: Baylor, McCallieGirlsClass A/AAShelby Bach (CCS) high jump, pentathlonCamryn Bowman (Signal Mountain) discusCorinna Cicci (Red Bank) pole vaultRandi Clement (Notre Dame) 200 metersMadison Drennan (Signal Mountain) 800 meters, 1600 metersMcKenzie Ethridge (Signal Mountain) 100 meters, 200 meters,Elexis Foster (Red Bank) 100 metersNicolette Gordon (CCS) pole vaultSydney Ibach (CCS) pole vaultKatie Lingle (Signal Mountain) long jumpAryn Sanders (Signal Mountain) pentathlonVivian Smith (Tyner) 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, long jump, pentathlonSandrea Sylman (Central) 400 metersBecca Umbarger (Signal Mountain) 1600 metersLennex Walker (CSAS) 100 meters, 200 metersJanelle Wigal (CSAS) 1600 metersAlexis Wilson (Tyner) 100 meters, 200 metersMallory Young (Signal Mountain) 800 meters, 1600 meters, 3200 meters4x100 relay: Signal Mountain, Tyner4x200 relay: Signal Mountain, Tyner4x800 relay: Chattanooga Christian, Signal MountainClass AAAQetuwrah Abdullah-Muhammad (Cleveland) long jump, triple jump, pentathlonJulie Brown (Rhea Co.) high jumpKiana Davis (Ooltewah) 100 meters, 200 metersMaddie Coulthard (Cleveland) pole vaultSimone Hicks (McMinn Co.) discus, shot putRachel Lawhorn (Walker Valley) discus, shot putAnna Lanter (Soddy-Daisy) 800 metersHaleigh Montgomery (East Hamilton) 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdlesGloria Pascual (Rhea Co.) 1600 metersAshley Price (Ooltewah) high jumpKacy Robertson (Soddy-Daisy) long jump4x100 relay: Ooltewah4x200 relay: Cleveland, Ooltewah4x400 relay: Cleveland4x800 relay: Soddy-DaisyDivision IISara Corum (GPS) 800 metersHannah Faith Green (GPS) high jumpAkia Harris (GPS) 100 metersKayla Hayes (Baylor) 200 metersRachel Hudson (GPS) discusKate Kaufman (Baylor) pole vault, triple jumpJulia McMahon (Baylor) discusRachel Payne (Baylor) 100-meter hurdles, pole vaultSelena Popp (Baylor) 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles, high jump, triple jump, pentathlonKatherine Ward (GPS) long jumpVictoria Wicks (Baylor) 300-meter hurdles4x100 relay: Baylor4x200 relay: Baylor, GPS4x400 relay: Baylor4x800 relay: Baylor, GPS
The starter’s gun not only signifies the beginning of today’s pentathlon and the Spring Fling state tournament, but is also the first step of a very busy week for Baylor’s Selena Popp. The junior will attempt to become the first track & field athlete in school history to repeat as pentathlon state champion when that event kicks off the week-long Spring Fling today at Middle Tennessee State University.
“She’ll have to be at her best because its a tougher field this year and it’s a long, tough day,” Baylor coach Bill McMahan said.
Popp, who won last year’s Division II state pentathlon by just one point, qualified for this year’s event with the second-highest point total, 20 behind Ensworth freshman Tyra Gitten. She is also the only area athlete to qualify in five total events, set to compete in the 100-meter hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump and triple jump in Thursday’s girls’ state track meet.
“It’s definitely going to be a big week,” Popp said. “It would mean so much to win it again and be the first from my school to do that. I’ve been looking at scores from around the state, and it will come down to who is on their game most. (Gitten) has events she’ll be better in, and I have some that I feel confident in myself.