SUBMITTED BY COACHING STAFF OF BMS TRACK AND FIELD:

 

The Bridgeport Middle School Boys Track and Field Team captured the 2017 Harrison County Championship.  The BMS Girls Track and Field Team placed second in the county by the closest margin in history losing by one point (192-191) to Mountaineer Middle School.  Both teams also shattered some of the longest held BMS records in a number of events this season.

 

In the County Championship the BMS boys’ team held off all challengers as they were led by a strong eighth grade class of Tyler Blythe, Cole Bracken, Nathan Brazier, Landon Burns, Wes Cotter, Joseph Daugherty, Josh Gervais, Peyton Henderson, Devin Hill, Gaven Jackson, Nathan Jackson, Andrew Liu, Kyle McCarthy, Levi Starkey and Bradley Taylor.

 

BMS swept the podium in the 1600 with Bracken taking the gold, Ty Gandy the silver and Burns the bronze.  Burns also took second in the 3200, and sixth in the pole vault, while Bracken placed third in the 3200, and tied for third in the high jump.

 

Kyle McCarthy won the county championship in the 400, and placed fifth in the 200.  Nathan Jackson appeared to be everywhere as he took third in the 400, fourth in the 100, sixth in the 200, and fourth in the long jump.  Another solid outing by multi-event athlete Levi Starkey saw him jump to a second place finish in the high jump, place third in the 75 meter hurdles and the 200 meter hurdles, and anchored the fourth place shuttle hurdle relay with Daugherty, Lucas Anderson, and Ty Martin.  Hill captured third place finish in the shot put and fifth in discus respectively and Taylor tied for sixth in the high jump.

The BMS middle distance runners kept the pressure on the rest of the county with Gervais capturing third in the 800 and fourth in the 400, as Blythe placed fourth 800, and Gandy fifth in the 800.  The team captured second in the 4x400 with

Bracken, Taylor, Gaven Jackson, and AJ Dinoldo, and second in the 4x800 with a team of Blythe, Gervais, Gandy and Trey Martin.

 

Several seventh graders were key contributors as Ezra Myers ran fourth in the 3200, and Dinoldo paced three relay teams for all important points and placed fifth in the pole vault.  Haden McCarthy and Dinoldo teamed with Taylor and Anderson for a second place finish in the 4x200, and Josh Jackson and Brazier for a third in the 4x100.  The rest of the seventh graders included Brock Amos, Gage Clifton, Bailey DeMoss, Joey Goddard, Clayton Hammond, Ashton Nardella, and Jack Wood.

The sixth graders Anderson, Josh Jackson, and Ty Martin were key to each of the relay teams, as were the rest of the sixth grade class of Brennan Cropp, Cameron Jones, Trey Oldaker and Connor Sandreth.

 

The Girls Track Team gave maximum team effort and were led by overall County Championship meet High Point winner Elizabeth Deniker.  Deniker earned 30 points for the team by winning the 3200 meter run, placing second in the 1600 meter run and pole vault, and fourth in the 800 meter run.  Anaiya Jackson earned the title of the fastest middle school girl in the county by capturing the 100 and 200 titles, taking third in the high jump, and anchoring the first place 4x200 relay team along with Andie McCall, Shelby Lambert, and Samantha Olivio.  Braelynne Sandreth won the county championship in the 1600, placed second in the 400, and second in the 800 behind teammate and county champion Darian Spencer.

  

The 4x800 relay team of Hannah Bartlett, Alexis Bombarderie, Alex Chumley, and Spencer captured first.  Also capturing first was the 4x400 relay team of Bartlett, Bombarderie, Spencer and Mia George.  Virginia Noone took fourth and George fifth respectively in the pole vault and Bartlett placed fourth in the 400.

 

The 4x100 relay team of Meadow Stumpf, Kaylee Spinks, McCall, and Olivio captured second.  Stumpf also placed third in the 400 and sixth in the 100.  Madison Chumley placed fourth in the 75 meter hurdles, sixth in the 200 meter hurdles, and anchored the third place shuttle hurdle relay team of Rylee Mullins, Maizze Christie and Lambert.

 

Jayda Coombs captured second in the shot put and fourth in the discus, and Sam Gibson snagged sixth in the 1600.  Rounding out the eighth graders were Jamie Giguere, Annabelle Goddard, Verina Guirguis, Rachel Morgan, and Dakota Swiger.  Bella Spatafore soared to a fourth place finish in the high jump. Other seventh grade teammates included Adeley Barker, Lilly Madden, Jade Nguyen, Janie Prunty, and Violet Sickles.

 

The sixth grade class acquitted itself quite well as Madison Looker took fourth in the 3200, McCall was sixth in long jump, Bombarderie’s relay performances, and Gabby Reep placed third in the 200, and fifth in the 100 and 200 meter hurdles.  Other sixth graders included MacKenzie Henderson, Sydney Hogue, Avery Sprouse and Jenna Wood.

 

This season both teams broke more records than any other BMS team in recent history.  The boys’ 4x400 meter relay quartet of Kyle McCarthy, Nathan Jackson, Bradley Taylor and Josh Gervais led the way by shattering the old record of 4:05.90 done in 2009 by posting a blistering time of 3:54.39 at the Harry Green Invitational.  The boys’ 4x200 meter relay team of McCarthy, Jackson, Taylor and Dinoldo broke a 16 year old record of 1:45.14 by posting a time of 1:45.03. 

 

Not to be outdone, the girls’ 4x200 meter relay team of Anaiya Jackson, Samantha Olivio, Brealynne Sandreth, and Meadow Stumpf broke a 15 year old record of 1:58.44 by almost two full seconds by running a time of 1:56.54.  Just as impressive was their record in the 4x100 meter 55.73 set by Jackson, Olivio, Stumpf, and sixth grader Gabby Reep.  The 2015 record of 55.79 seconds was turned in by Isabella Bowen, Jordan Cole, Rory Marple and McKenna Eddy, all of whom are current BHS athletic standouts.

 

Several athletes just missed breaking other long-standing records.  Anaiya Jackson missed the 200 meter record of 27.67 by an eyelash when she ran 27.70 seconds.  Whereas, Sandreth and Deniker just missed breaking the 1600 meter BMS record of 5:49.10 by less than a fraction of second.  Sandreth posted a 5:49.35 and Deniker ran a 5:49.68.  The 4x400 relay team of Deniker, Olivio, Sandreth, and Stumpf posted a time of 4:37.38 and just missed the current record of 4:36.90.

 

This year’s team competed successfully in every meet with athletes winning many individual events, relays, and placing in the top two as a team on numerous occasions.  The team couldn't have done it without the support of Mrs. Crawford, Mr. Mazza, Mr. Petitto, Mr. Richter and Assistant Coach Morganne Phillips.  All Bridgeport Middle School students are encouraged to come out next year and give track a try. 

 

Editor's Note: Pictured from top are BMS boys and girls track and field team members, boys 4x200 team, girls 4x400 team, girls 4x200 team, 4x100 team.