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Several Ben’s Ford Christian School athletes are headed to the state meet.

Three Ben’s Ford Christian School relay teams along with two individuals are going to state after qualifying in the 2022 Class 3A South State Meet that was held at Canton Academy.

Ben’s Ford Christian School’s 4×400 meter relay team came in second, while the 4×100 and 4×200 were fourth.

Ben’s Ford’s 4×400 team ran the race in 4 minutes, 45 seconds, while their 4×100 time was 59.73 seconds and the 4×200 time was 2:13. The 4×200 and 4×400 teams had Ethan Norwood, Caden Pajak, Caleb Matthews and Jacob Robichaux. The 4×100 group was Norwod, Pajak, Matthews and Sam Talley. Claiborne Academy won the 4×100 and 4×200 in 48.30 and 1:41, while Wilkinson County Christian Academy topped the 4×400 in 4:16.

Matthews came in second in the 800 after running in 2:35.

Teammate Sam Talley was sixth at 3:09. Claiborne Academy’s Brayden White won in 2:19.

Robichaux came in third place in the 400, clocking in at 1:05, as Wilkinson County Christian Academy’s Roderick Bailey won in 57.18.

The South State Meet was a qualifier. The top four from each event are headed to the Class 3A state meet. The running events will take place on May 7 at Jackson Preparatory School. The South State field events were held last Wednesday, while the running events took place on Saturday. Ben’s Ford Christian School was the only team in the meet.

In the field events, Matthews came in fifth place in the 100 with both running in 12.42. Claiborne Academy’s Peyton Wells won the race in 11.87.

Norwood and Robichaux were fifth and sixth in the triple jump with distances of 28 feet and 26 feet, 9 inches. Claiborne Academy’s Carter Gaston won at 38-10.

Norwood and Pajak came in fifth and sixth in the discus with throws of 83-2 and 76-4, as Claiborne Academy’s Grady Brasher had a throw of 147-9 to win.

Matthews and Talley were sixth and seventh in the long jump with distances of 16-0 and 13-5. Tallulah Academy’s Wyatt Bedgood topped the event at 18-3.25.

Pajak and Norwood were seventh and eighth for the shot put at 30-8 and 30-1. Brasher was victorious at 46-6.

Wilkinson County Christian Academy won the meet with 69.5 points, as Claiborne Academy was just 4.5 points back for second with six teams posting points.

Tallulah Academy came in third at 49, followed by Prairie View Academy’s 24 and Ben’s Ford rounded out the top five with 18.5 points.