By James Dubuisson | Special to the Advertiser

Though several of the Thorsby track team members set personal bests in their respective events at the sectional meet, only junior Sade’ Archie and THS’s 400-meter relay team qualified for state.

Archie on Friday and Saturday will compete for her fifth and sixth state championships, having previously claimed titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes the past two years.

On Monday, she placed second in the 100 meter, running a 13.22 second race. Francis Marion’s Brianna Billingsley won that race a mere tenth of a second in front of Archie, running a 13.12.

Archie would then win the 200-meter dash with a 27.44.

The relay consists of Cain Castleberry, Nolan Hayes, Trent McClain and Zack Hensley.

The relay team finished fourth in their race with a 4:06.72 time, which coach Ginger Williams said was their best time so far this season.

Other local athletes qualify for state meet

Verbena’s track and field team had eight athletes qualify for the state meet—including Marqueska Deramus, who at the Class 1A, Section 1 meet this week recorded the best shot put in the state in Class 1A.

Deramus recorded a put of 32’4 3/4”, and also won the discus throw with a distance of 80’7”.

On the girls side, Lacey Short finished fifth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 29.37 and fifth in the javelin throw with a distance of 67’1”.

Allyson Brown won the 1,600-meter run with a time of 7:09.62 and won the 3,200-meter run with a time of 16:48.

Kaelyn Mims finished second in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 17:51 and fifth in the 800-meter run with a time 3:14.76.

The girls finished third in the sectional with 69 points.

Verbena also had four boys qualify for state.

Coy Lucas won the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:31.47.

Raymond Bulger finished third in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:37.83.

Christian Agee finished second in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 12:57.

Fred Wright won the 3,200-meter run with a time of 12:31 and finished four in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:55.46.

Maplesville also competed in the sectional with Verbena.

Cameron Morrow finished second in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.63 and fourth in the 200-meter dash with a 24.07.

Demetrius was eighth in the 200 with a 24.73.

Apollos Abercrombie won the 400-meter dash with a 54.18 and won the 800-meter run with a 2:12.74.

Alex Smith was third in the 800 with a 2:19.41.

Adam Harrison was seventh in the 1,600-meter run with a 6:17.37.

Dylan Wallace won the shot put with a 44’1.75” and won the discus with a throw of 100’6”.

Maplesville finished third in the sectional with 62 points.

Verbena finished fifth with 41 points.

Isabella had 11 athletes qualify for state—and three sectional winners.

The boys 400-meter relay team (Brandon Green, Christian Littleton, Trey Calfee and Bobby Knox) finished fourth; Blake Edwards finished fifth in the pole vault; Drew Parker fifth in the high jump; Green won the pole vault; and Austin Haigler was fourth in the javelin, third in the shot put and second in the discus.

The girls 400-meter relay team (Katelyn Ramsey, Savannah Kissel, Sarah Graham and Khadijah Craig) also qualified, finishing sixth.

Craig was sixth in the javelin and won the shot put; and Graham was fourth in the 400, second in the 1,600 and won the 800.

The state meet for Classes 1A and 2A will be held Friday and Saturday at Birmingham-Southern College.

–Assistant Managing Editor Stephen Dawkins contributed to this report.