STEENS — The numbers were scratched on a white sheet of paper and fastened to a clipboard.
The athletes were situated under a tent that was placed under some trees to provide plenty of shade and a place to relax.
Even though Columbus Christian Academy boys track and field coach Greg Watkins had done nearly everything he could do, he still felt anxious. After all, a state championship was on the line, so he had to make sure his athletes were staying off their feet and resting and hydrating. When you’re competing for a title and have plenty of time between events, you tend to repeat yourself.
“That was the most nervous I have been at a track meet,” Watkins said Monday with a relaxed smile.
Watkins could afford to be calm because he and the Rams had weathered the nervousness and the anxiety that comes with trying to win a state championship and realized their goal.
On Saturday, the Columbus Christian Academy boys track and field team used the power of seven to win its first Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class AA State title on Saturday at Jackson Academy.
For its accomplishment, the Columbus Christian boys team is The Dispatch Prep Player of the Week.
“We always knew we would win,” Columbus Christian’s Glenn Misiak said. “We are just born champions. That is why we won.”
Columbus Christian scored 86 points to make history. It outdistanced Tallulah Academy, which finished second with 77 points, and Central Holmes and Canton Academy, which tied for third (71).
The championship is Columbus Christian’s third (cross country, boys basketball) of the school year. Watkins said Monday that the school is in second place in Class AA in the all-sports points race.
Watkins said he figured Tallulah Academy would score 77 points, Canton Academy would get 70, and Central Holmes would score 69. He told his athletes he figured Columbus Christian would score 73 points based on its seed times and marks. He encouraged them to push a little harder to improve on those times and marks to help the team make history.
“I knew what our guys were capable of in the distance events,” Watkins said. “I knew we could finish 1-2 in the mile and 1-2 in the two mile even though we were seeded two-four in the two mile and 1-4 in the mile.”
Kimarri Whitfield was fourth in the long jump (19 feet, 5 inches) and fifth in the 300 hurdles (44.82 seconds), Nate Parker won the 300 hurdles (43.47) and was third in the 400 (53.68), the 4×800 relay team of finished first (9 minutes, 16.11 seconds), Misiak won the 1,600 (5:06.71) and was third in the 800 (2:13.74), Chris Webber was second in the 1,600 (5:08.56) and first in the 3,200 (11:28.62), Aaron Meek was fifth in the 800 (2:16.75), Elijah Carlstrom was second in the 3,200 (11:29.34), and the boys 4×400 relay team of Whitfield, Aaron Meek, Jordan Meek, and Parker was fourth (3:53.70).
Watkins said Parker “has grown mentally and physically” all season, so he knew Parker’s “competitive nature” could help him improve on lower seed times. He also was confident in Webber, who finished second in the 3,200 in 2015, could shave time off his marks.
Despite all of that confidence, Columbus Christian still trailed by 25-30 points prior to its big-ticket events. Entering the 3,200, which is the next-to-last event, Columbus Christian trailed by one point and earned 18 points on the 1-2 finish. Tallulah Academy finished fourth and seventh, which left the Rams with a 10-point lead entering the 4×400 relay. Watkins told his 4×400 team not to get disqualified, which it didn’t and took eight seconds off its best time to seal the deal.
Webber said the Rams believed their success in the distance events could give them a significant boost. He admitted, though, winning a state title wasn’t on the team’s radar at the beginning of the season. He said he never had been to a meet thinking his team could win. Two years ago, Columbus Christian had entrants in three events. Last year, it was two.
“We only had seven people, but we still pulled it out,” Webber said. “It was crazy.
“It hasn’t really hit me yet that we won it with seven people.”
Watkins said the times and marks the Rams delivered in the two-day meet were almost all the best of the season. He said Misiak, who was sick for several days early last week, didn’t push himself in multiple events and helped ease his anxiety by running the time he needed to run in the 4×800 and in the 1,600. Misiak’s time in the 800 was a personal best.
“I thought I was going to die after the 4×800,” said Misiak, who slept a lot during his breaks. “I think I slept more than I ran.”
Misiak had about two hours to recover prior to the mile. He also had about an hour-and-a-half to rest before the 800.
“We juiced him up on Powerade and some fruits and stuff,” Watkins said. “I was really worried about the mile and the 800 because we were counting on those points in those events. I was worried how he would do, but after he ran the mile I felt a whole lot better. He assured me before the 800 he was going to give it all he had.”
Watkins said the program has been taking steps the last few years. He said the team’s success at the North State meet gave it a shot to go for a state title, but he felt everything came together and the athletes peaked at the right time to make it a special way to end the season.
“I think as this year has gone on they have had that confidence in themselves,” Watkins said.
On the girls side, CC Harper was second in the 300 hurdles (49.87) and fifth in the 100 (13.2).
In Class AAA, the Starkville Academy boys finished seventh, while the girls placed 11th. The Heritage Academy boys finished 12th.
For Starkville Academy, AJ Willard was fourth in the 1,600 (5:00.60) and fourth in the 3,200 (11:10.51), Jordan Crowley was fourth in the 800 (2:37.82), Will Christiansen was fifth in the 800 (2:15.37), Maris Moorehead was fifth in the high jump (4-10), Colt Chrestman was sixth in the high jump (5-6), Drake Gordman was sixth in the triple jump (40-0), Shelton Spivey was first in the 300 hurdles (47.58), Pierce Fondren was sixth in the 300 hurdles (43.80), the boys 4×800 relay team was sixth (9:22.91), and the boys 4×100 relay team was seventh (46.83)
For Heritage Academy, Eli Acker was seventh in the discus (109-5), Michael Ledbetter was sixth in the high jump (5-8) and fifth in the long jump (20-1), and Dontae Gray was first in the triple jump (40-9 1/2),
In Class AA, Oak Hill Academy’s Ann Caroline Harrell was sixth in the 300 hurdles (51.96) and fourth in the 100 hurdles (18.16).
In Class A, the Hebron Christian girls 4×400 relay team was seventh (5:15.02), the 4×200 relay team was eighth (2:12.72), and Hebron Christian’s Rachael McGrew was sixth in the discus (67-9) and sixth in the long jump (14-7 1/4).
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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