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May 16, 2012

Moore thrower gets revenge

By Michael Kinney The Norman Transcript

MOORE — It was five days late, but Taylor Lewis did it. After putting forth a sub-par performance at Friday’s state championship meet, the Moore senior responded with a title-winning outing Tuesday at the third annual Meet of Champions at Moore Stadium.

Lewis won the meet’s shot put title with a throw of 58-02. In doing so, he knocked out Broken Arrow’s Bo Farrow, who beat Lewis to win the state title over the weekend.

It was a nice bit of redemption for Lewis.

“It’s a good feeling for my last track meet of the high school career,” Lewis said. “Definitely coming from last week and only throwing 54-feet on a rainy day. It wasn’t good for me. Coming out here, throwing 58 and winning the Meet of Champions is a good feeling.”

The champions meet brings together the state winners and runners-up from each class in Oklahoma. It allows those in smaller schools to test themselves against their bigger school counterparts.

But Lewis was only worried about beating Farrow. He wanted another chance at him before going off to college. And he made the most of it.

Lewis and Farrow each had throws of 58-02. To decide the winner, officials compared their second best toss and Lewis had him by a couple of inches.

“Being able to go back against the kid that beat me at state, and beating him by two inches, it’s a great feeling,” Lewis said. “It relieves a lot of anger that I had from last week.”

While Lewis was trying to avenge a loss at state, Norman’s Mackenzie Wahpepah-Harris was just trying to have a little fun. He won the 3200-meter title Friday and came back to win it again at the Meet of Champions. He dominated the race with a time of 9:34.69.

“It’s not my personal best, but I will take it,” Wahpepah-Harris said. “I wasn’t super prepared for this race. But I came in and tried to have some fun. It’s been a great year. It’s been really solid. I’ve been loving every minute of it.”

For the third year in a row, Begg’s Regan Ward won a title at the champions meet. But this time the 3A state title holder broke a new girls state record in the 3200-meter run with a time of 10:38.

“It was exciting for me,” Ward said. “It’s funny because last week at the state meet I ran an 11:30. I knew I could do it. I jut had to come out here and show everyone else.”

Norman North’s Josh Beal didn’t win a state title this year, but he did have one of the top times in the state in the 800-meter run. With this being the seniors final year, he was looking for a chance to go out with a bang.

For 760 meters, it looked like Beal would get what he wanted. But Sapulpa’s Cole Barnes got past him down the stretch and Beal wound up in third.

“I gave it my best,” Beal said. “This year has been a blessing. It’s kind of breathtaking, really. Just to be here in front of all these spectators. At the beginning of the year I wasn’t running my best. It took hard work and dedication.”

The Timberwolves’ Hailey Woodard was also signed up and was expected to run and defend her state title in the 400-meter dash. But at the last moment, she bowed out of the meet. Several of the top runners in class 6A did the same.

However, the state’s premier sprinter was not one of them. After winning four gold medals at state, Edmond Memorial’s Bryce Robinson collected three more to add to his collection.

Robinson won 100- and 200-meter dashes and was part of the winning 4x100 relay team.

“I think I ran pretty well,” Robinson said. “I’m still kind of stiff from state. It’s exciting. All this competition. You can’t just come in and act like you are the best. You have to run your hardest every time.”

Michael Kinney 366-3537 mkinney@normantranscript.com

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