St. Aloysius’ boys’ track team began the defense of its MAIS Class AAA championship by winning seven events last week at the District 3-AAA meet.

Senior Connor Bottin led the way with three individual victories, in the 200 meters, 110 meter hurdles and 300 meter hurdles, as well as two relays.

Bottin won the 200 meters by three-tenths of a second over Central Hinds’ Prentice Brown; and the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles by 1.3 and 1.5 seconds, respectively, over Park Place’s Jamal Hughes.

Bottin was also on the winning 4×100 meter relay team with Ketrez Brown, Preston McGowan and Brennon Williams, and the winning 4×400 meter relay team with Brown, McGowan and Garrett Vincent.

Bottin, Brown, McGowan and Williams also had the top seed time in the 4×200 meter relay, but were disqualified for an illegal exchange. They would have been guaranteed to advance to the Class AAA South State meet since there were only three teams entered in the race, and the top four in each event move on.

The Flashes will, however, send 20 entries on to the South State meet Saturday at Silliman Institute in Clinton, La.

Evan Fedell won the 1,600 meters at the District 3-AAA meet, with a time of 5 minutes, 16.17 seconds, and was third in the 800 meters.
Andrew Ulmer was second in the 3,200 meters, and Brayden Roesch was second in the pole vault.

Brown qualified in the 100 meters, high jump and discus, Williams in the 400 and 110 meter hurdles, and Vincent in the high jump, triple jump and pole vault.
Tyrese Burroughs and McGowan both moved on in the long jump.

For St. Al’s girls’ team, Natalie Burke won the long jump, and also advanced to South State in the triple jump and 300 meter hurdles.

Dede Apenyo advanced in the 100, 200 and 400 meters, Ally Doiron in the 800 and 1,600 meters, and Cati Matthews in the high jump.

The 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 meter relay teams also advanced.

Porter’s Chapel Academy sent two athletes on to South State.

Shelby Barwick finished second in the long jump with a distance of 15 feet, 8 1/2 inches, and Heaven Lee Golsberry was third in the discus.