The Ooltewah High School boys’ track team dominated area competition all spring. Tuesday afternoon the Owls expanded their dominance by easily winning the 20-team Section 2-AAA meet at Red Bank.

It was the Owls’ first sectional championship. Red Bank’s girls won their third consecutive sectional title, edging Lebanon 103.5-99.5.

The top four in each event automatically qualified for next week’s Spring Fling state championship meet in Murfreesboro. Thirty-one area boys in individual events and 10 area relay teams qualified, while 24 girls and nine female relay teams also qualified.

Ooltewah’s boys claimed first place in six individual events, including all three sprints (100, 200, 400) and two relays. The Owls had 13 individuals qualify for the state meet, including three in the 100-meter dash, as well as all four relay teams, and whipped second-place Murfreesboro Riverdale by 43 points (156-113) in the overall standings.

“We have tried a lot of sprinters in different events this year so we could determine how to use them at this point,” Ooltewah coach Benny Monroe said. “I think we finally got our lineup pretty solid late last week, and now we’ve got kids who will stay home in our program that could probably help just about any other team in the state.”

Brian Marshall, the only senior on a deep roster of Owls sprinters, won the 100, followed by teammate Johnny Myricks, while Tim Williams finished fourth. Myricks won the 200, followed closely by teammate Sammy Seamster, who ran well despite injuring a calf muscle during the 4x200 relay. Seamster won the long jump earlier in the day.

Eric Green, who began competing in the 400 last week, won that event by nearly a full second over Walker Valley’s Trent Nunnelly. Nathan Swafford turned in a personal-best time of 39.17 seconds in the 300 hurdles for another surprise win for the Owls.

“I just listen to music before the race and find a good beat I like,” Swafford said. “Then I go out and keep that beat in my head to set my pace during the race.

“I’m a football player and I really don’t like running. In fact, I hate running, cold weather and the DMV. But I gave this a try to stay in shape for football, and now I’ve gotten pretty good at it.”

Anita McLure led Red Bank’s Lady Lions by winning the 800 and the 1600 and also helped the 4x100 and 4x200 teams qualify for state. Ooltewah’s Haley Horsch claimed the 200 and 400 in convincing style and finished second in the long jump.

“I wish my times would have been a little faster, but it was hot today and I didn’t want to push myself more than I needed to,” McLure said. “I’m just relieved this part is over and now I can concentrate on running well next week.”

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