The McDonald County seventh-grade boys and girls track team both finished in third place at the Big 8 Conference Junior High Track and Field Championships held May 2 at McDonald County High School.

The eighth-grade girls were fifth while the eighth-grade boys were eighth in the season-ending meet.

Seventh-Grade Boys

The seventh-grade boys were led by Garrett Gricks. Gricks won the shot put (40-0), took second in the discus (97-10) and was sixth in the 200 (28.2).

Andrew Watkins and Eli McCalin were second and third in the pole vault. Both cleared 7-6 with Watkins taking second on fewer misses.

Rounding out McDonald County's top six place finishes were Malick Taylor, second, 800, 2:32.2 and fourth, long jump, 14-10.25 and fourth, triple jump, 30-0.75; Devin Swanson, third, 800, 2:34.6 and fourth, 1600, 5:51.3; Clyde Buchanan, sixth, 800, 2:42.5 and sixth, 1600, 6:05.8; and, Blaine Coatney, fifth, high jump, 4-8 and sixth, 100, 13.5.

The 4x400 relay added a third place.

East Newton claimed the team title with 84 points followed by Lamar with 81, McDonald County 70, Seneca 69, Aurora 57, Mount Vernon 50, Monett 35 and Cassville 19.

Seventh-Grade Girls

Sosha Howard won the triple jump (29-8.5) and was third in the 200 (29.71) and fourth in the long jump (13-7) and Nicole Estrada won the shot put (30-9) to lead the seventh-grade girls.

Kayln Stetina added a second in the 1600 (5:53.8) and 800 (2:42.7).

Rounding out McDonald County's top six place finishes were Melanie Gillming, third, pole vault, 6-6; Adasyn Leach, fourth, triple jump, 26-4; Ebenee Munoz, fourth, 100 hurdles, 19.4; Brooklyn Winters, sixth, 1600, 6:23.9; and, Abigail Wiseman, sixth, triple jump, 24-5.5.

Mount Vernon won the team title with 111.5 points with East Newton taking second with 97 points. McDonald County was third with 71 points followed by Lamar with 58, Monett 48.5, Cassville 38, Aurora 24 and Seneca 16.

The 4x200 relay added a fourth place while the 4x400 was fifth and the 4x100 relay was sixth.

Eighth-Grade Girls

Caitlyn Barton was third in the pole vault (7-6) and teammate Katelyn Ferdig was fourth (7-0) to lead McDonald County to fifth place in the team race. Ferdig added a third in the 200 (29.2) while Barton was fifth in the 100 (14.3).

Rounding out McDonald County's top six place finishes were Lily Allman, fourth, long jump, 13-11.5; Erin Cooper, fourth, triple jump, 28-3 and fifth, long jump, 13-9; Kristin Penn, fourth, shot put, 31-8, fifth, discus, 69-9 and sixth, 800, 3:00.8.

McDonald County added a second in the 4x200 relay, a third in the 4x100 relay and a sixth in the 4x400 relay.

McDonald County was fifth in the team standings with 50 points. Lamar won the team title with 91 points followed by Cassville with 86, Monett 79, Mount Vernon 71, McDonald County 50, Aurora 37, East Newton 33 and Seneca 18.

Eighth-Grade Boys

Justin Smith took fifth in the high jump (4-10) and Jabin Harvey took sixth in the discus for the only individual points by the eighth-grade boys. The 4x200 relay (1:59.0) and the 4x100 (1:07.9) were sixth.

Monett won the team championship with 144 points followed by Mount Vernon with 89, Cassville 72, Aurora 51.5, East Newton 45, Lamar 44, Seneca 14.5 and McDonald County 5.