JACKSON — The Vicksburg Missy Gators had to settle for second place in the team standings at the MHSAA Class 5A North State track meet on Monday, but accomplished their primary goal of getting most of their athletes through to the final round of the postseason.

Layla Carter won two events and finished second in another, and Rodrianna Hall won the long jump as Vicksburg totaled 87 points as a team. Columbus won the team title with 95 points.

The top four finishers in each event advanced to Friday’s Class 5A state meet, and the Missy Gators will have a dozen entries.
Carter will lead the way with three, after winning the North State championship in the 300 meter hurdles and triple jump, and finishing second in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 16.26 seconds.

Carter won the 300 hurdles in 47.74 seconds, and triple jumped 35 feet, 11 1/2 inches.

Hall will also compete in three events on Friday. She won the long jump with a leap of 16-8, was second in the triple jump with a mark of 34-5, and fourth in the high jump with a height of 4-10.

Amiya Hall qualified in the 200 meters, Terri Boyd in the 400, and McKenzie Edmond in the 300 hurdles, all with fourth-place finishes.

The 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 meter relay teams also qualified for state.

Vicksburg had 12 top-four finishes among its 16 entries at the North State meet.

Vicksburg’s boys’ team will also send a few athletes to the final round of the postseason.
Koury Vample finished second in the 110 meter hurdles and third in the 300 hurdles to qualify in both events, while Tyler Henderson is moving on in the triple jump and long jump.

Henderson won the triple jump with a mark of 44-8 and was fourth in the long jump at 20-7 3/4.

Sophomore Malachi Drake was also a winner Monday, with a throw of 122 feet, 8 inches in the discus.

The 4×100 meter relay team advanced as well, with a time of 43.59 seconds that was good for third place.

The Gators totaled 45 points to finish sixth among the 15 boys’ teams competing Monday at Hughes Field in Jackson. Ridgeland

scored 141 points to win the team title.
The Class 1A, 3A and 5A state meet is Friday at Pearl High School. Field events and distance running events begin at 11 a.m., and all other running events at 3 p.m.