PEARL — Kennedi Sanders knew she could do it.
But knowing and doing are two different things, which is why Sanders’ frustration built with each meet after she wasn’t able to reach her goal of clearing 5 feet, 2 inches in the high jump.
It only took Sanders getting a chance to compete on the state’s biggest stage for the New Hope High School junior to accomplish her goal.
Sanders cleared 5-2 on her first attempt Friday to win the state title at the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A meet at Pearl High.
“I was very nervous (before the meet),” Sanders said. “I knew some of the other girls had cleared 5-2 and I hadn’t. I normally get really nervous, but Friday I don’t know why but I wasn’t.”
Starkville High’s Kate Mattox was a double winner, taking the 3,200 meters (11 minutes, 59.68 seconds) and the 1,600 (5:31.37).
The Starkville High boys took second place with 65 points. Pearl won the boys meet with 73.
Sanders’ ability to clear 5-2, a personal best, on the first attempt helped her win the event on scratches. Canton’s Ashley Beale also cleared the same height had more scratches.
Sanders experienced that feeling in the “regular season.” With a seeded height of 4-10, Sanders entered the meet with a personal-best height of 5-0, which she recorded early in the season. She said that clearance whetted her appetite for more. A season filled with miss after miss only strengthened her commitment to going higher.
“I am actually not sure how I did it,” Sanders said. “I just did what I have been working on and I guess I got lucky,” Sanders said. “I was very surprised. It feels great.”
Sanders has worked on the high jump for the past two years with coach Justin Putnam. She said she worked in the weight room and did a lot of running to improve her leg strength. She said both areas helped her realize a goal that was a season in the making.
“I know I still have a lot of work to do,” Sanders said. “This is definitely a confidence booster. I didn’t think I would get 5-2. Now I want to do even better. I reached this goal and I want to reach even more.”
Sanders also qualified for the state meet in the 100 hurdles with a seed time of 15.91 seconds. She finished fourth with a time of 15.87.
The Starkville High girls finished fifth with 48 points, while the New Hope girls were eighth with 37 points.
In Class 1A, the East Oktibbeha boys were fifth (33 points) and the girls were 14th (16). Individual finishers were: Eric Harris (West Lowndes — sixth, 100, 11.69), Rinaldo Harris (East Oktibbeha — seventh, 11.81), boys 4×200 relay (East Oktibbeha — fourth, 1:33.71), boys 4×100 relay (East Oktibbeha — third, 45.17; West Oktibbeha — eighth, 46.08), Terrence Rice (East Oktibbeha — second, 400, 51.66), James Brown III (East Oktibbeha — sixth, 200, 25.25), boys 4×400 relay (East Oktibbeha — third, 3:42.71), Juwan Roberts (East Oktibbeha — eighth, long jump, 18-6), Korey Wilson (West Lowndes — first, shot put, 45-8 1/4), Jalen Peterson (East Oktibbeha — eighth, shot put, 43-5 1/4), and Jamarquiz Page (East Oktibbeha — eighth, discus, 99-0).
Individual girls results from Class 1A weren’t posted on the MHSAA website.
In Class 3A, the Aberdeen boys were 10th with 23 points. Demeiro Wilson was third in the 100 hurdles (16.25), the 4×100 relay team was third (44.33), the 4×200 relay team was sixth (1:32.81), and Jordan Gathings was second in the 400 (50.77).
Other scorers in the Class 5A meet are: Walker Mattox (Starkville — seventh, 3,200, 13:31.45), Mary Elizabeth Stringer (Starkville — second, 800, 2:27.99), Keisha Walker (West Point — seventh, long jump, 15-8 1/4), Taylor Brown (New Hope — seventh, pole vault, 7-0), Mercedes Mattix (New Hope — second, 100, 12.45; third, 200, 25.63), Madayshia Lofton (Starkville — fourth, 200, 26.48), girls 4×200 relay (New Hope — fourth, 1:46.23; Starkville — sixth, 1:47.85), girls 4×100 (Starkville — fifth, 50.28; New Hope — seventh, 50.91), girls 4×400 relay (Starkville — third, 4:13.33), Alex Ross (Starkville — sixth, 3,200, 10:40.42), boys 4×200 relay (Starkville — fifth, 1:29.91), Kamau Bostic (Starkville — second, 1,600, 4:36.46; second, 800, 1:59.93), Damien Grady (Starkville — third, 1,600, 4:36.79; third, 800, 2:01.03), Silvanus Johnson (New Hope — fifth, 1,600, 4:49.75), Daryl Thomas (West Point — fourth, 800, 2:06.49), boys 4×400 relay (Starkville — first, 3:23.61), Jalan Catledge (Starkville — fifth, long jump, 20-4; third, triple jump, 45-7 1/2), David Hill (New Hope — eighth, long jump, 18-11), and Charlie Henderson and Grant Woomer (Starkville — third, sixth, pole vault, 12-0, 11-0).
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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