CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Several Clarksville area runners competed in the TSSAA State Championships at Dean A. Hayes stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It was highlighted by Rossview High’s Kristen DeSantis, who won the class 3A state title in the pole vault with an 11’ 6″ performance.
DeSantis, a dual sport athlete playing soccer and competing in track and field, won the TSSAA Class 3A state title in the pole vault, following multiple rain delays. Her 11’6″ mark was half a foot better then second place, earning her the gold. On Wednesday, Rossview High School held a graduation ceremony for DeSantis, as she missed her school’s ceremony to compete.
“It was a long process to get here,” DeSantis said. “I trained in Nashville with Dr. Brandon Grass, and he deserves a lot of credit. I’ve been surrounded by family, friends and faculty who’ve supported me. They ultimately led me to my success too.”
DeSantis will retire as a state champion and pursue her academic future, as she will attend the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where she will major in biology and be a member of the honors program.
Additional state meet results
Hayden Waleski, an ETSU track signee, was the first to run, earning a seventh-place finish in the 1600M with a time of 4:24.921. Waleski then doubled up the next day running in the 800M, placing sixth with a time of 1:59.28. Myrham Cohen from Northeast finished 12th in the triple jump with a mark of 12.72M.
Zachariah Taylor, the Kenwood school record holder for the 100M and 200M, placed sixth with a time of 10.74 in the 100M. Taylor then competed in the 200M, placing fourth, with a time of 22.02. Kenwood also had a relay team compete in the 4x200M, placing seventh with a time of 1:28.51.
Treyson Cosby from Northwest competed in the 300M hurdles, placing 11th with a 41.45 second time. Teyvon Clayborn was another Viking that competed, participating in the decathlon, placing 12th. Northwest’s 4x400M team placed 13th with a time of 3:31.59. Prophet Basden was the lone runner from Kirkwood, placing 5th in the 400M with a time of 48.57.
As for the girls, Northeast High had several competitors. Alijanae Cole placed tenth in the long jump with a 4.94M jump. Ja’kyah Montgomery, also from Northeast, earned a sixth-place finish in the girls triple jump with a 10.89M jump. Meanwhile, two Northeast relay teams competed, with the 4x200M team placing 12th with a time of 1:45.14, and the 4x100M team placing 7th with a 49.56 second performance
Ella Moore from Clarksville High placed 11th in the shot put with a 10.10M throw. Brooklyn Houk placed 14th in the discus with a throw of 25.73M.
Correction: Zachariah Taylor’s first name was misspelled in an earlier version of this article.