By Joseph W. Gex, II

Item Sports Correspondent

LONG BEACH — The Picayune Maroon Tide boys track and field team defended the Division 8-4A team title on Thursday at Long Beach High School with 154 points followed by Long Beach with 121.50 points, D’Iberville 115.50, St. Stanislaus 83, Poplarville 75, Bay High 65 and Pearl River Central with 28 points.

In the girls’ division, Long Beach ran away with the title with 186 points followed by Poplarville with 137 points, Picayune 127, D’Iberville 102, Bay High 60 and Pearl River Central with 22 points.

The top four finishers in each event qualified to move on to regional competition at Long Beach on Friday, April 24th.

The Picayune boys team qualified in every running event except the 1600m run to go along with the field events that were completed on Tuesday evening.

Justin Quinn was a triple-qualifier in the 100m, 200m and 400m dashes. Quinn won the division title in the 100m with a time of 10.40 seconds and placed third in the 200m in 22.90. His fourth place finish in the 400m was clocked in 52.70 seconds.

Iry Robertson won the 200m dash in 22.60 seconds while teammate Derrione Stewart placed third in the 400m dash with a time of 51.30 seconds.

Jonathan Moore was a double-qualifier in both hurdle races. Moore won the 300m intermediate hurdles with a time of 41.50 seconds and placed second in the 110m high hurdles in 15.50 seconds.

The 800m relay team of Jeremiah Peters, Jarod Jones, Wayne MacMooain and Robertson won the event with a time of 1:31.00.

The 400m relay team of Cedrick Brown, MacMooain, Peters and Quinn also claimed top honors with a time of 44.00 seconds.

The 1600m relay team comprised of Terrance McCann, Peters, Moore and MacMooain was division champion in the event with a time of 3:34.80.

The Poplarville boys team qualified Irvine Brown in the 400m dash with a second place time of 50.90 seconds and Phillip Travis in the 800m run with a fourth place finish in 2:09.50.

The Hornets’ 400m relay team of Ernest Peters, Lavele Henry, Ira White and Travis placed fourth with a time of 45.90 seconds.

The 1600m relay team comprised of Dexter Travis, Neeko Lockhart, Brown and Travis placed second with a time of 3:40.20.

The top finisher for Pearl River Central was Justin Ulmer who placed fifth in the 300m hurdles.

The Lady Hornets were led by double-winner Stacy Hagenson in the 1600m and 800m runs with times of 5:31 and 2:31.50, respectively.

Tkeyia Hart took third in the 100m low hurdles with a time of 18.00 seconds and Landon Smith placed second in the 400m dash with a time of 1:04.80.

Raven Henry crossed the tape in third place in the 300m low hurdles with a time of 51.90 seconds.

The Poplarville girls 800m relay team made up of Henry, Myiah Poole, Sheena Travis and Synquilisis Henry placed fourth with a time of 1:53.90.

The Lady Hornets’ 400m relay team comprised of Myiah Poole, Raven Henry, Travis and Synquilisis Henry placed third with a time of 54.30 seconds.

Poplarville’s 1600m relay team made up of Bretta Hart, Travis, Smith and Hagenson took third place with a time of 4:37.50.

The Lady Maroon Tide of Picayune qualified in eight running events on Thursday evening led by double-qualifier Hannah Nunez in the 100m and 200m dashes. Her times were 12.50 seconds and 26.10 seconds.

Regina Huderson placed fourth in the 100m low hurdles with a time of 18.20 seconds while Taneequa Myers won the 300m low hurdles in 50 seconds flat. Danielle Camp took second in the 800m run with a time of 2:32.20.

The Lady Maroon Tide’s 800m relay team made up of Danielle Camp, Kymetria Jackson, Selma Griffith and Keanna Magee placed second with a time of 1:52.80.

Picayune’s 400m relay team comprised of Griffith, Kymetria Jackson, Desherra Jackson and Myers won the event in 50.80 seconds.

The Lady Maroon Tide’s 1600m relay team made up of Sarah Ducote, Kymetria Jackson, Griffith and Magee placed fourth with a time of 4:42.90.

Pearl River Central qualified two individuals in two events for the regional meet next Friday afternoon.

Jessica Guillot placed fourth in the 300m low hurdles with a time of 52.10 seconds while Kyla Reagan placed fourth in the 1600m run with a time of 6:26.80.

The regional meet is scheduled to begin at 4:30pm on Friday, April 24th at Long Beach High School. There is a coaches scratch meeting slated for 4pm. The top four finishers at the regional meet will advance to the South State championship meet that is scheduled to be hosted in Hattiesburg on Saturday, May 2nd.