Indoor State Meet features standouts from local schools

Nicole Payne and Daniel Nixon were among the standouts at the Indoor State Track & Field Meet at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Feb. 5-6, as schools from all over the state descended on Birmingham to compete in one final event for the winter sport.

Payne, of Oak Mountain High School, won the Class 7A girls 400-meter run, setting a 7A state meet and CrossPlex record time of 55.25 seconds. She also placed fourth in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:20.48.

Spain Park's Nixon clocked a blistering, Class 7A state meet record time of 1:55.51 to clinch his second career 800-meter state title. He was the runner-up in the 400 meters, notching a time of 49.54.

The Westminster School at Oak Mountain competed in the Class 1A-3A division and produced some solid performances as well. Maddie Hoaglund placed third in the girls 3,200 meters and sixth in the 800 meters. Her best performance of the day was a runner-up finish in the 1,600-meter run, with a time of 5:26.44.

Jacob Carrell was second in the boys 800-meter run, breaking the two-minute barrier with a time of 1:59.54 for Westminster. He was also fifth in the 400 meters.

In overall team results, Westminster finished sixth in 1A-3A girls and seventh in boys. Oak Mountain's girls finished seventh and the boys ninth in 7A. Spain Park's boys placed fifth and the girls 11th, also in 7A.

Rebecca Thompson, Payton Metcalf, Hannah York, Hallie Porterfield, Rachel Faulk, Katie Croushorn, Colin Thomas, Pierce Moffett, John Porterfield, John Lusk, and Alice Boone also placed in individual events for Westminster. The girls 4x200-meter relay team took home first place. The boys 4x800-meter relay team placed second, while the 4x400-meter relay team finished third.

For Oak Mountain, Payton Youngblood, Cole Stidfole, Glynel Humphrey, Lauren Beard, Jazmyne Crumpton, Phoebe Cooper, Evie Bell, Abbie Davis, Kate VanBeek, Garrett DeAraujo, Sean Drummond, Gunner Cunningham, Kai Christenberry,  and Justice Hammond placed in their events. The girls 4x200-meter and 4x400-meter relay teams each finished fourth.

At Spain Park, Jerome Kirkland, Sarah Sims McGrath, Damon Wright, Makayla Hay, Mary Katherine Tedder, Zoe Shore, Kristen Hopkins, Kaleigh Carney, Jalen McMillan, Trey Robinson, Cole Dillard, Joseph Reese, Thomas Jordan, Shannon Lott,  and Christian Strong all placed in individuals. The boys 4x200-meter and girls 4x800-meter relay teams were fourth, and the girls 4x400-meter team was third.