Princeton senior Will Smith leads a pack of runners in the boys 800-meter run at the District 6-6A track and field meet last Friday at Tom Kimbrough Stadium. Photo by Andy Redmond / C&S Media
By David Wolman
MURPHY — The Princeton track and field team put on quite a show at last Friday’s District 6-6A meet at Tom Kimbrough Stadium, with the Panthers earning area meet qualifications in seven events.
One of the most competitive events was the girls 100-meter hurdles.
Moments after the stadium’s public address announcer informed the crowd that the event would feature the top three ranked competitors in Region I-6A, fans rose to their feet with cell phones in hand, ready to film the action.
The event lived up to the hype.
Princeton junior Sydney Smith, ranked No. 1 in the region, emerged victorious by the smallest of margins, finishing in 13.70 seconds. Plano East senior Caitlyn Tran, ranked No. 2, finished second in 13.872. Tran edged Plano sophomore Morgan Olschewsky, who placed third in 13.875, by three one-hundredths of a second.
Smith was crowned district champion in two events. Her first gold came in the girls long jump, where she posted a winning leap of 19-10.25.
Junior Tito Abiba qualified for Friday’s area meet at Denton Braswell’s Carrico Stadium in the shot put. Abiba’s best throw of the district meet came on her third attempt, a distance of 36-8.25.
On the boys side, junior Aiden Rutledge qualified for the area meet in three events, including teaming with Will Smith, Edwin Eben-Balfour and Mason Williams in the district meet’s final event, the 4×400.
The Panthers finished third in the 4×400 with a time of 3:21.22. A strong second leg by Rutledge moved the Panthers into the top four, and Smith anchored the final leg of the relay to secure a bronze medal.
Rutledge also placed third in the 400 with a time of 49.66 and teamed with Keddy Nworka, Jayden Bissonette and Collin Fannin-White to finish fourth in the boys 4×100 with a 41.95.
Smith is an area qualifier in two events. His other qualification came in the 800, where he took second with a time of 1:56.62.
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