PEARL — Although Friday was filled with disappointments for theBrookhaven track teams there were still some bright spots. Juniorstandout Jimmy Johns proved to be Brookhaven’s brightest star inthe Class 4A State Track Meet, winning the discus and 110-meterhurdles.

Johns threw the discus 158 feet, 10 inches, beating runner-upRonald Dunlap of Shannon by 10 feet.

In the hurdles, Johns ran a 15.05 on Pearl’s sparkling new8-lane track. Jeremy Jefferson of New Hope was second in 15.25 andCornelius McGee of Clarksdale was third in 15.31

The double victory by Johns gave Brookhaven’s boys 20 points.The Panthers finished fifth in team standings with 32 points.

Pearl dominated the boys competition, amassing 115 points tobeat runner-up McComb’s 66 points by a wide margin. St. Stanislauswas third with 56 points and Provine fourth with 37. Jim Hill andNew Hope tied for sixth with 27.

“Jimmy Johns is a competitor,” said BHS track coach PatrickHardy. “He ran a good leg on our 4×200.”

Brookhaven’s girls were fresh from winning the South Mississippi4A championship at Biloxi but Ridgeland, Indianola Gentry andHernando out of the North proved to be too strong for the LadyPanthers who finished sixth with 31 points.

Led by freshman sensation Bianca Knight, Ridgeland raced to thechampionship, outscoring Gentry 64-63.

Pontotoc was a close third with 61 points and West Jones wasfourth with 44. Oxford was fifth with 35 points and Saltilloseventh with 30.

“The North teams beat us,” Hardy pointed out.

The anticipated showdown between Knight and Brookhaven seniorstandout Kenyatta Coleman produced lopsided results. Knight wonthe100, 200 and 400 meter dashes.

Coleman’s closest challenge was in the 400 where she ran a 56.77and finished second. Knight posted a 55.63.

Knight breezed to an 11.56 in the 100-meter dash. TiniesahMangum of Florence was second in 12.02 and Amanda Patterson ofRidgeland third in 12.29. Coleman was fifth in 12.32.

In the 200-meter dash, Knight posted a 23.98. Mangum was secondand Rechesa McCaleb of Gentry was third. Coleman, bothered by apulled hamstring, was seventh.

“Kenyatta said she felt some tightness in her hamstring so shepulled up,” said Hardy.

Brookhaven’s Shelecia Trunner (16.87) was sixth in the 100-meterhurdles and Sinetra Rivers (55.59) was eighth in the 300-meterhurdles. Toyal Stanfield of Oxford won the 100 in 15.47 and LabianaGolden of Gentry won the 300 in 45.45.

Rivers finished sixth in the high jump, clearing 4-10. DominiqueCrump of Amory cleared 5-0 to win it.

In the 4×100 meter relay, Brookhaven was fourth in 49.82.Ridgeland won in 48.28. The Lady Panthers were also fourth in the4x200, posting a time of 1:45.33 as Ridgeland won in 1:41.52.

James Draper of Brookhaven was seventh in the 400-meter dashwith a time of 54.21. Rudy Jones of Neshoba Central won in49.24.

In the boys 4×100 relay, Brookhaven placed fourth in 43.05. JimHill won in 42.10. McComb was second in 42.65 and Pearl third in42.75.

In the boys 4×200 relay, the Panthers were fourth in 1:31.38.McComb won the event in 1:29.47 and Pearl was second in 1:30.11.Jim Hill was third in 1:30.14.

McComb’s Markie Faust was a double winner for the Tigers,winning the 100 meter dash in 10.61 and the 200-meter dash in22.11.

Danny Powell of Lawrence County finished eighth (44.49) in the300 meter hurdles. Jeremy Jefferson of New Hope won in 39.81.