Bland, Allen power Missy Gators’ productive day at Division 4-5A meet
Published 2:43 pm Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Kalia Bland turned in a pretty spicy performance in the first round of the high school track and field postseason.
The Vicksburg High sophomore finished first in the 100 and 300 meter hurdles, as well as the 4×200 meter relay, to lead the Missy Gators to a second-place team finish at the MHSAA Division 4-5A Championship meet Tuesday in Jackson.
Freshman Kadajia Allen also won two events — the 800 meter run and the 4×400 relay — as the Missy Gators advanced to the Regional round of the postseason in 22 events.
The top four finishers in each event move on to the next round. The Region 2-5A meet is April 16 at Canton High School. Four teams competed at the division meet, and eight from Divisions 4-5A and 3-5A will compete at the regional meet.
Bland and Allen were Vicksburg’s only individual winners in the girls’ meet. Bland teamed up with Layla Carter, Terri Boyd and Shaniya Walker to win the 4×200 meter relay, while Allen, Carter, Walker and Boyd won the 4×400 relay.
Carter finished second to her teammate Bland in the 100 meter hurdles, Walker was second in the 400 meters, and the 4×100 relay of Carter, Bland, Rodrianna Hall and Gabby Oliver finished second as well.
Also finishing second were Jalisa Tyler in the shot put and Rekia Williams in the discus.
The Missy Gators totaled 83 points to finish as the runner-up behind Callaway (97 points) in the team standings. Ridgeland was third with 75 points.
In the boys’ meet, Vicksburg did not have nearly as good a day. It advanced to the Regional meet in only six individual events and totaled 32 points to finish a distant third in the team standings.
Callaway won the team title with 133 points, Ridgeland was second with 79, and Provine fourth with 21.
Jaevon Walker finished second in both the 110 and 300 meter hurdles, Chris Williams was second in the 400 meters, and Nicholas Mickey second in the long jump.
The Gators’ 4×400 meter relay team also placed second.
Marvin Martin (third in the 200 meters) and Derrick Rainey (fourth in the long jump) also advanced, as did the 4×200 and 4×100 relay teams that both finished fourth out of four teams.