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Athletes, PHS facilities shine at state meet
By Chad Miller
cmiller@paragoulddailypress.com
Some of the best high school track and field athletes in Arkansas gathered at Paragould High School Saturday for the Class 5A track and field championships. Several coaches and officials commented about the top-notch facilities at PHS and the fierce competition the athletes were up against.
Joe Wessell, who has worked as a starter at several high school and NCAA track meets for the last 40 years, said PHS is one of the best schools in the state to host these events.
“They do a really good job of organizing. I think that’s why Paragould was asked to host (the state meet) again this year,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of good volunteers here in town to be judges. There’s not a better facility around than what they’ve got here (at PHS). The kids who came last year and the coaches were impressed with the facilities. This is as good as many college facilities.”
This is the second consecutive year PHS has hosted the 5A state meet.
Wessell does not work a lot of high school meets now, but said there many gifted athletes at Saturday’s meet. He said he had worked several meets that featured just local athletes and was looking forward to seeing the talent from other parts of the state.
“There are some top performers here,” Wessell said.
Wessell said hosting events like Saturday’s meet at PHS is not only good for the athletes, it’s good for the Paragould community.
“They spend money here in motels and restaurants,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know where Paragould is. We always say we’re the best kept secret around.”
Alma coach Tom McMurray said this was his team’s second year to come to the state meet and he liked what PHS had to offer.
“They’ve got quality facilities here. It’s very impressive,” he said. “We appreciate (PHS) for being willing to host this meet because it’s a time-consuming endeavor.”
McMurray said Alma had 22 athletes competing in the meet and they were facing tough competition.
“(Class) 5A talent may be as good if not better than anywhere else in the state this year,” he said. “There’s some real quality athletes in the 5A this year. Magnolia has some great kids. West Helena always has a great bunch of kids. The competition is really tough. Whoever wins is going to have a chance to win the whole thing at the Meet of Champs”
The winners of each event in each classification will earn the chance to compete at the Meet of Champs Wednesday at Lake Hamilton.
The girls’ team from Batesville won the state championship last year and assistant coach Tim Howard said even though the Pioneers were returning several athletes from last year’s team, they were going to have to beat some very talented athletes in order to repeat as state champs.
“We’ve got a good strong senior group that does a really good job for us,” he said. “It’s going to be close. Camden Fairview has got some really good sprinters and field event people. We’re strong in the distance races and we’re hoping that’s what will bring us through it.”
Howard said the Pioneers had competed at PHS three times prior to Saturday’s meet and it was “familiar territory.”
“Everything is first rate-here,” he said. “It’s great.”
Howard said Batesville had 17 girls and nine boys competing in Saturday’s meet.
Joe Wessell, who has worked as a starter at several high school and NCAA track meets for the last 40 years, said PHS is one of the best schools in the state to host these events.
“They do a really good job of organizing. I think that’s why Paragould was asked to host (the state meet) again this year,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of good volunteers here in town to be judges. There’s not a better facility around than what they’ve got here (at PHS). The kids who came last year and the coaches were impressed with the facilities. This is as good as many college facilities.”
This is the second consecutive year PHS has hosted the 5A state meet.
Wessell does not work a lot of high school meets now, but said there many gifted athletes at Saturday’s meet. He said he had worked several meets that featured just local athletes and was looking forward to seeing the talent from other parts of the state.
“There are some top performers here,” Wessell said.
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“They spend money here in motels and restaurants,” he said. “A lot of people don’t know where Paragould is. We always say we’re the best kept secret around.”
Alma coach Tom McMurray said this was his team’s second year to come to the state meet and he liked what PHS had to offer.
“They’ve got quality facilities here. It’s very impressive,” he said. “We appreciate (PHS) for being willing to host this meet because it’s a time-consuming endeavor.”
McMurray said Alma had 22 athletes competing in the meet and they were facing tough competition.
“(Class) 5A talent may be as good if not better than anywhere else in the state this year,” he said. “There’s some real quality athletes in the 5A this year. Magnolia has some great kids. West Helena always has a great bunch of kids. The competition is really tough. Whoever wins is going to have a chance to win the whole thing at the Meet of Champs”
The winners of each event in each classification will earn the chance to compete at the Meet of Champs Wednesday at Lake Hamilton.
The girls’ team from Batesville won the state championship last year and assistant coach Tim Howard said even though the Pioneers were returning several athletes from last year’s team, they were going to have to beat some very talented athletes in order to repeat as state champs.
“We’ve got a good strong senior group that does a really good job for us,” he said. “It’s going to be close. Camden Fairview has got some really good sprinters and field event people. We’re strong in the distance races and we’re hoping that’s what will bring us through it.”
Howard said the Pioneers had competed at PHS three times prior to Saturday’s meet and it was “familiar territory.”
“Everything is first rate-here,” he said. “It’s great.”
Howard said Batesville had 17 girls and nine boys competing in Saturday’s meet.
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