Pass girls take state

Pass girls take state

PEARL - The Pass Christian girls captured their first Class 3A state championship in track and field Friday at Pearl High School while honoring classmate Dariane Cameron, who died in a car accident just before the region meet two weeks ago.

Nationally-renown junior Cory McGee led the way winning the 3,200-, 1,600- and 800-meter runs - her 14th, 15th and 16th individual state titles. McGee and her sister Devin helped point the way in the 800 as Pass took the lead for good and swept to victory.

Nationally-renown junior Cory McGee led the way winning the 3,200-, 1,600- and 800-meter runs - her 14th, 15th and 16th individual state titles. McGee and her sister Devin helped point the way in the 800 as Pass took the lead for good and swept to victory.

Paige Jones won the 200-meter dash and Pass finished third in the mile for 91 points with the pole vault still pending. Raymond had 78 points and no way to catch Pass.

"It's been hard on us the last two weeks but we did it for her," McGee said. "It was hot today and I played it by ear when to make my move."

McGee ran a sizzling 2:13.61 in the 800, three seconds off the state record. She had a 5;06.17 in the 1,600 and 10:58.53 in the 3,200.

Jones won the 200 in 25.89 seconds.

"I wanted to win it for the seniors," Jones said. "They have finished fourth, then third and second last year.

"I was pushing it for her (Dariane). I know she was watching and wanted us to win."

Pass coach Kelly Causey, who is leaving to become an assistant football coach at Grenada, said he was proud of his team's effort in light of Cameron's death.

"It's been a trying time but the girls really came through," Causey said. "We had the numbers for the meet. I knew if we hung with them (Raymond) we would catch them at the end."

In the Class 4A girls meet, the Long Beach girls took third with a rush. Breann Hedin, Jaya Allen, Chantel Townsend and Mercedes Caston won the 1,600-meter relay in 4:10.06 after Caston had finished third in the 400 dash. Emily Dimitry tied for third in the pole vault.

Long Beach had 47.5 points and champ McComb won with 91 points.

Moss Point was fourth in the Class 4A boys meet with a similar finish to Long Beach. Octavious Booker won the 200 dash, then Moss Point won the metric mile relay.

Two noteworthy performances came from Picayune's Micah Bergeron and Poplarville's Stacey Hagenson.

Bergeron came close to winning the 4A pole vault at 13-6 but finished second because of more misses.

Hagenson won the 3,200 in Class 4A, an event she has been dominant in.

Gautier's Hardie Ezell was second in the shot put, while her teammate David Joseph was third in the triple jump.

Action continues today at 9 a.m. with the Class 5A, 2A and 1A state meets.