Walker Valley’s versatile Trent Nunnelly had hoped to improve on his eight-place standing after Monday’s first five events in the State Decathlon, but despite winning the 1500-meter run, the Mustang senior had to settle for a Top 10 finish coming in ninth among the top competition from across the Volunteer State.
Nunnelly finished with 5681 point after the 10 events, while Brentwood’s Kevin Lazas won the event with a 6510 and William Oliver of Ridgeway took second with a 5948 showing.
Running away with the 1500 by a nine-second margin, Nunnelly earned 757 points for his 4:28.10 time while Brentwood’s Clay Kosack was second at 4:37.90 and Lazas third at 4:43.93.
Nunnelly took a sixth-place finish in the discus with a throw of 99-feet, 3-inches, plus he earned a seventh place with a triple jump of 40-feet, 4.75-inches.
An eighth-place showing in the long jump with a leap of 17-feet, 5-inches and a 10th in the pole vault at 8-feet, 11.75 inches rounded out Nunnelly’s effort.
The the first day of competition, the Mustang athlete posted a third and fourth place finish in the 400- (51.47) and 100-meter (11.75) dashes respectively.
He also garnered a sixth place finish in the discus with a toss of 99-feet, 3-inches, plus a seventh in the triple jump with a distance of 40-feet, 4.75 inches. Nunnelly’s opening day wrapped up with a tie for 10th place in the pole vault with a jump of 8-feet, 11.75 inches.
Cleveland High’s girls’ tennis team was the only county representative in any of the four (baseball, softball, soccer, tennis) team events but after a pair of impressive road sweeps (at Coookeville and Siegel) to get to the Final Four, the Lady Raiders were shutout by Ravenwood.
With the 4-0 victory Ravenwood, which is located in Brentwood, advanced to today’s championship match against Memphis White Station, which eliminated Science Hill 4-1 Tuesday.
Action will return to the track at Middle Tennessee State University this afternoon with a trio of local young ladies vying for a state championship and two others hoping to qualify for Thursday’s finals.
After an eighth-place finish in Monday’s State Pentathlon, Walker Valley’s Gabby Cader will run in the 100-meter hurdles preliminaries at 6 this evening and then turn around an hour and 15 minutes later and do the same in the 400-meter dash.
At 6:20 Bradley Central’s Jacquelin Pitcock, Cleveland’s Beka Day and Lady Mustang Victoria Yates will go for the gold in the 3200-meter run.
Lady Raider Q’Shara Brown will show her speed in the 100-meter dash preliminary race at 6:40.
On Thursday, the ladies will take to the field events in the morning before the boys take the track over in the afternoon. Thursday evening is the wrap up of the girls’ running events, while the boys will crown the majority of their champions Friday.
Also on Thursday morning, Cleveland’s Kelsey Cantrell will square off against Mallory Hutton of Shelbyville, in the state individual tennis quarterfinals at Old Fort Park.
