HOOVER- The Liberty Middle School track team took the competition to the woodshed by winning at both the Hoover Invitational and Arab Invitational track meets. The boys edged Bumpus Middle School of Hoover, which is the same squad that recently edged Liberty to win the Indoor State Track Meet. In Arab, the Lions won both the boys and girls divisions in record style.

In Hoover, the boys from Liberty pulled in 12 medals while the girls took home eight pieces of hardware while finishing third in the multi-school event.

For the Liberty boys, Dylan Dryer won both the 800-meter (2:12.25) and 1600-meter (5:03.16). Benjamin Thomason took home the gold medal in both the high jump (5-06) and long jump (18-11.50). He also finished second in the triple jump (37-8). Isaac Pollard took first place in the triple jump (39-08.50) and was runner-up in the 400-meter (57.28). John Luke Stovall was the silver medal winner in both the 800-meter (2:20.39) and 1600-meter (5:07.31) and the bronze in the 400-meter (57.84). Michael Ross was second in the 110-meter hurdles (17:16) and third in the pole vault (9-00).

The Lady Lions’ medal winners included gold medals for Jazmin Grigsby in the shot put (33-3) and Riana Wilford in the pole vault (8-00). Silver medals went to Dariana Juarez-Walls in the discus (67-9) and Chloe Morse in the high jump (4-6). Third place bronze medals went to Dariana Juarez-Walls in the shot put (32-2), Reynna Mayers in the 400-meter (1:08.32), Brook Apse in the 1600-meter (6:23.83), Kenzie Magouyrk in the triple jump (26-9) and the 4X100-meter relay (55.12) featuring Zariah Lowe, Reynna Mayers, Chloe Morse and Zari Parker.

Taking both championship trophies in Arab, the Liberty boys scored 253 points to runner-up Oneonta’s 91, while the girls posted 220 points to easily outdistance second place Arab which scored 100 points.

The Lions broke the school record for most medals won in a single track meet as the previous mark was 31, but in grand style, the Lions picked up 49 medals in the North Alabama Meet.

Boys medal winners included: Gold- Dylan Dryer, 1600-meter, 4:53.25; Dylan Dryer, 800-meter, 2:11.90; Keenan Walker, 200-meter, 24.44; Keenan Walker, high jump, 6-04; Jaylen Drake, shot put, 48-03; Jaylen Drake, discus, 100-04; Isaac Pollard, triple jump, 39-10; Austin Abney, pole vault, 8-06; 4X100-meter, DeEljon Williams, Justin Johnson, Caden Burks, Crisham Willingham; 4X400-meter, Dylan Dryer, John Luke Stovall, Keymari Pittman, Isaac Pollard.

Silver- Keenan Walker, long jump, 18-03; Benjamin Thomason, high jump, 5-06; Andrew Woodrow, pole vault, 8-00; John Luke Stovall, 1600-meter, 5:01.86; Michael Ross, 300-meter, 47.34; Michael Ross, triple jump, 37-10;

Bronze- John Luke Stovall, 800-meter, 2:15.11; Johnathan Ross, triple jump, 37-06; DeEljon Williams, 100-meter, 12.40; Keymari Pittman, 200-meter, 24.96; Nicholas Rushton, pole vault, 7-06; Michael Ross, 110-meter hurdles, 17.68; Landen Hegwood, 300-meter hurdles, 48.08.

Girls medal winners included: Gold- Riana Wilford, 100-meter hurdles, 18.75; Riana Wilford, pole vault, 7-06; Tramani Osley, long jump, 16-03; Tramani Osley, triple jump, 33-04; Jazmin Grigsby, shot put, 32-01.5; Jazmin Grigsby, discus, 73-06; 4X100-meter, Zaria Parker, Reese Yarbrough, Alexa Moore, Zariah Lowe, 53.28.

Silver- Alexa Moore, 100-meter, 13.38; Katie Gudgen, 800-meter, 2:50.72; Lily Melton, 100-meter hurdles, 18.94; Alayna Langston, long jump, 14-10; Dariana Juarez-walls, shot put, 30-05.5; Reese Yarbrough, high jump, 4-06; Annali Lougheed, pole vault, 7-00; 4X400-meter, Kristianna Booker, Alicia Stanford, Emmy Mattingly, Sophie Plummer, 4:59.89.

Bronze- Alexa Moore, 200-meter, 27.21; Lily Melton, high jump, 4-06; Alayna Langston, shot put, 30-05.5; Dariana Juarez-Walls, discus, 70-01; Reynna Mayers, 400-meter, 1:08.30; Brook Apse, 800-meter, 2:51.07; Chloe Morse, 100-meter hurdles, 19.68; Makenna Barnett, triple jump, 29-09.