Balance, strong finish key Oxford’s latest victory

PEARL — Oxford senior Mollie Beth Ott had an idea that her first-place finish in the pole vault was very important to how the Lady Chargers closed out Friday’s MHSAA Class 5A state track meet at Pearl High School when some extra teammates came over to watch her last few attempts.

With Oxford ahead of Pearl by only three points (72-69) with two events left to be scored, Ott’s finish — as well as how teammate Sally Rychlak fared — in the pole vault was critical to deciding a third straight state championship for the Lady Chargers.

Ott knew that Kristen Dickerson had fallen in the 300 meter hurdles and did not record a point. She was vaulting when members of the 4×100 relay team collided and finished eighth, which meant only one point for a team that should have finished fourth. Ott also knew that 3,200 runner Audrey Dayan was held out of Friday’s meet due to an injury, meaning no additional points in an event she was seeded third in. (May 14, 2012, Page 1B)

Three-peat: Lady Chargers capture third track title

BLOG — It came down to the wire, but the Oxford Lady Chargers came out of Friday’s MHSAA Class 5A state track meet at Pearl High School with another trophy to take back home. (more…) (May 12, 2012)

Reese soars to USA long jump title

EUGENE, Ore. — Former Ole Miss All-American and NCAA Champion Brittney Reese continued her dominance at the highest levels of the track and field world when she won the long jump title on the final day of the 2011 USA Outdoor Championships Sunday.

The Gulfport native won her fourth straight U.S. long jump championship with a career-best leap of 7.19 meters (23 feet-7.25 inches) on her final attempt. Her jump is the longest in the world this year by a wide margin and beat the next closest competitor on Sunday by nearly a foot. Reese is the two-defending world champion in the event. (June 27, 2011, Page 6)

Good field of athletes on tap at Ole Miss invitational

Some of the best college and pro track athletes will be on display as they compete in the annual Ole Miss Invitational on Saturday. The meet begins at the Ole Miss Track and Field Complex at 10 a.m. with two field events, the hammer throw and javelin, while the first running event begins at 11 a.m. (more…) (April 8, 2011)