Last Friday, 90 schools competed for the state title in track and field at East Jackson High School. Out of all of them, it was the Starr’s Mill boys team that reigned supreme and took the title.
“We love what we do and we show it,” senior Jared Moore said.
Starting with the track events for the boys, senior Bankson Roach placed fifth in the boys 1600-meter race with a time of 4 minutes, 17 seconds. He also placed ninth in the 3200-meter with a time of 9:39. Junior Nate Pacetti took sixth place with a time of 4:18 in the 1600-meter and fifth in the 3200-meter with a time of 9:26.
For team relays, the boys took second place in the 4×800 with a total time of 7:53.34, 18 milliseconds behind the top spot. They also placed within the top 10 for the 4×400 as well with a time of 3:25.
“Everyone has been working hard all year,” head coach Brandon Frey said. “To execute and perform the way they did at the biggest meet of the year, it’s incredible.”
On the field side of things, senior Jared Moore took the top spot in shotput and discus. He threw 63 feet and 6 inches for shotput and 190 feet and 11 inches for discus.
“I hope to continue to set records,” Moore said. “I hope to get good placement in the NCAA tournament, and hopefully in 2028, I could be a part of the U.S. Olympic team for discus.”
The girls team had an incredible performance as well, especially senior Mia Brown who placed in the top five in four events.
This is the first time in school history that the track and field team has won a state title. It is also incredible that it happened under a new head coach.
Head coach Brandon Frey was formerly the shotput and discus assistant coach before moving up to the role of head coach, following Chad Walker stepping down.
“This is really my first opportunity to grow in a leadership role,” Frey said. “Regardless of what your role is, but to be in charge of a whole program, it’s a different animal at that point.”
Throughout this season, several school records were broken. Seniors Jared Moore, Kali McQuade, and Bankson Roach took the school records in shot put and discus, the 800 meter, and the 3200 meter, respectively.
Moore also broke the state record in discus during the state meet.