Mansfield School District

It was in the last week of the season that Mansfield senior Laney Wood earned early entrance into the 3A State track meet. Teetering on close calls and narrow misses throughout most of the year, the Lady Tigers’ number one ranked pole vaulter reached the state standard of 9’ 0” at the Gaile Hainley Relays in Waldron to prequalify to postseason play.

Squarely in command among the small assortment of vertical jumpers at the Waldron hosted event, Wood simply asked for the crossbar to be elevated to the required height once she had already wrapped up first place. Her request involved skipping heights and moving the bar directly to nine feet. The strategy worked as the senior athlete punched her ticket to the state finals for the fourth consecutive year.

“Seeing that kind of joy come over a kid’s face makes it all worthwhile,” gleamed Mansfield’s long time coach, John Mackey, who returned to the Lady Tiger track program to help out this season. “I was Laney’s first track and field coach and now her last. I’m so happy she had this moment! She’s been a true warrior for four years.”

Wood’s eclipse of the pole vault state standard ensures that she will join at least three other Lady Tigers on their trip to Prescott for the class 3A state finals on May 6. Already entered as pre-qualifiers are Kaylee Ward, Daisy Nelson, and Danielle Lowery. When results of 3A-4 district championships (scheduled for April 28) are posted, Mansfield hopes that number will increase greatly through the advancer files.

The Lady Tigers took a small band of competitors to Waldron’s senior high relays, named for their long time Hall of Fame coach Gaile Hainley. Results were positive for the few that attended. In fact, collectively Mansfield scored enough points to finish second place in the team standings.

Waldron, equipped with a large roster and elevated freshmen, found the going even better winning their home meet with room to spare. In typical Waldron fashion, the Bulldogs dominated most of the running events and all the relays to take the win.

Mansfield countered by winning four of six field events and placed second or third in seven of nine contested racers.

Among Mansfield’s wins were Wood in the pole vault and triple jump. Then Ward took both the shot and discus by wide margins. 

Placing high for Mansfield in other individual schedules were Lowery, Abby Smith, Bailey London, and Miley Clopton. Lowery was second in the high jump at 4’ 10”. London was second and third in the 1600m and 800m runs respectively. Smith was third in the 300m hurdles. Clopton was third in the 200m dash.

Adeline Godwin, Ashlynn Whittaker, London and Lowery comprised the second place 4x200m relay team. Trinity Triska, Clopton, Smith, and Wood crossed in second behind Waldron in the 4x100m relay.

Keirstyn Hall, Stephanie Grano, Madi Edgar, and Seandraia Brown took top honors in the women’s 4x100m relay for Waldron. Brown, the anchor leg, also took gold medals in the 100m and 200m dashes.

Hall was equally successful in both the 100m and 300m hurdles. Justi Hunsucker and April Carter, also of Waldron, dominated the 800m and 400m races respectively.