Howard breaks  school mark in 1600

South Effingham senior Cailan Howard set a school record with a time of 4:30.54 in the 1600-meter run at the Class AAAAAA Sectional A meet in Valdosta on Saturday.

Howard’s run broke the previous mark of 4:31.13 set by Jacob Mitchell (now running at USC Beaufort) last year at Sectionals.

Howard placed fifth overall in the 1600 and his time of 9:59.53 in the 3200 (sixth) both qualified for the Class AAAAAA State Track and Field Championships in Carrollton beginning Thursday and ending Saturday (May 12-14).

The top eight at Sectionals advanced to state.

Other Mustangs advancing to state were: Cameron Edwards (triple, 4th, 44-5.5), boys 4 X 800 (Devin Hallman, Isaiah Campbell, Amari Branch, Howard, 4th, 8:33.09), boys 4 X 400 (Hallman, Kaleb Hodges, Campbell, Branch, 8th, 3:28.65), Cheyenne Ryan (800, 7th, 2:33.06 and 1600, 8th, 5:47.12), Riley Browne (high jump, top 8, 5-2), Aubrey Edge (pole, top 8, 8-6) and girls 4 X 800 (Madison Hodge, Lily McDonald, Mia Fitzpatrick, Ryan, 3rd, 10:35.25).

The lone Effingham County athlete to advance to state was Candace Kieffer, who placed fourth in both the 1600 (5:24.41) and the 3200 (12:27.60).

Other SEHS athletes competing at Sectionals were: Caroline Motes (400, 13th, 1:02.85), Fitzpatrick (800, 11th, 2:38.15), Christeon Lewis (300 hurdles, 13th, 51.37), girls 4 X 400 (11th, 4:20.81), Branch (400, 10th, 51.72), Hallman (400, 11th, 52.29), Campbell (800, 13th, 2:16.65), Victavious Smith (110 hurdles, 10th, 15.74) and Edwards (high jump, 12th, 5-10 and long jump, 15th, 19-4). 

For ECHS, Brooke Maseda (1600, 9th, 5:50.93 and 3200, 9th, 13:23.34), Enna Lackey (100 hurdles, 9th, 16.82 and 300 hurdles, 12th, 49.57), Kalyce Watson (triple, 11th, 33-0.5), Abby McDonald (shot, 9th, 33-1.5), girls 4 X 200 (14th, 1:49.04) and girls 4 X 100 (14th, 52.44).