Deep Edwardsville squad sweeps Madison County Track Meet

Strength in the distance events proved to be just enough for the Edwardsville Tigers to offset the brilliance of Alton senior LaJarvia Brown on Thursday during the girls competition at the Madison County Track and Field Championship.

Edwardsville freshman Payton Flowers won the 1,600 meters in a time of 5 minutes, 34 seconds while Julianna Determann and Lorie Cashdollar also won individual titles as the Tigers used their talent and depth to post a 57-point win at Edwardsville.

Determann, one of the top Tigers cross country runners in the fall, finished with a time of 12 minutes, 13 seconds in the 3,200 meters while Cashdollar sprinted to a time of 2 minutes, 18 seconds in the 800 meters for Edwardsville, which finished with 177 points.

The Tigers also got a win from freshman Jaydi Swanson in the 400 meters and its 1,600 and 3,200 meter relay teams.

Just as impressive however was the performance of Brown, who continued to show why she’s one of the top Class 3A athletes in the state. Brown scored of Alton’s 120 points by winning her specialties — the long jump (18 feet, 7 inches) and the triple jump (39 feet, 11 inches. Brown also won the 100 and 300 meter hurdle events.

The Granite City Warriors continued to make a name for themselves in the sprints and sprint relays. Senior Andrea Hyde was a double winner— taking the 100 meters in 12.4 seconds and the 200 meters in 26.2 seconds. Granite City also won the 400 and 800 meter relays.

Triad senior Allison Richter won the discus (128 feet, 11 inches) and the shot put (42 feet, 5 inches) while Gabby Arbus scored a win for the Knights in the pole vault with a jump of 10 feet.

Granite City (79 points), Triad (76) and Highland (51) rounded out the top five teams.

Boys competition

A.J. Epenesa won the discus and shot put while Travis Anderson and Levon Hendricks also won titles as the Tigers completed the county sweep with a with a 50 point win over Collinsville.

Fresh off a nation’s best throw of 206 feet a week ago at the Winston Brown Invitational, Epenesa had another big day on Thursday with an effort of 191 feet in the discus. The University of Iowa recruit also won the shot put with a throw of 56 feet four inches.

Anderson, still shaking off the rust after missing a large part of the season with an injury, won the 110 meter hurdles in a time of 13.95 seconds while Hendricks took the triple jump crown.

Devonte Tincher was also a winner for the Tigers, taking the 200 meters. Edwardsville also won the 3,200 and 400 meter relays.

The Tigers finished the day with 161 points, while the Collinsville thinclads were second with 111.

Winning championships for the Kahoks were Zach Hammel-Brown in the 300 meter hurdles, Bailey Crone, who went 6 feet, 4 inches to take the high jump, Daniel Brown who won the pole vault with an effort of 13 feet 7 inches and Amron Cooper-Hodges in the long jump.

Alton (92 points), Granite City (77), Triad (75) and Highland (35) rounded out the top six teams.

Granite City was led by brothers Will O’Keefe who won the 3,200 meters and Andrew O’Keefe who took the 1,600 meter title. The Warriors also took the 1,600 meter relay.

Triad’s lone win came from one of the top 100 meter sprinters in the state in senior Adam Nelson, The DePaul University recruit won the race in 10.9 seconds.

Highland got wins from Tyler Higgins in the 400 meters and Brode Portell in the 800.

This story was originally published April 30, 2016 at 12:35 PM with the headline "Deep Edwardsville squad sweeps Madison County Track Meet."