Sikeston's Michel'le Flye takes the handoff from Lashawna Turner in the 4x200 relay Saturday. Sikeston won the event. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat)

By Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com

JACKSON -- The Sikeston track and field teams were in action this past weekend as they traveled to Jackson to compete against 18 different schools in the Jackson Invitational.

All-around it was a good day for the Bulldogs with both the girls and boy squads placing in the top six. But for Sikeston head coach Jerry Dement, on a day that the girls' team seemed to shine, the boys' team results seemed a little cloudy.

Sikeston's Eli Jackson lands in his winning long jump attempt on Saturday morning in the Jackson Invitational. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat) [Click to enlarge]

"I thought the our girls team competed extremely well," said Dement. "It was probably the best they have competed so far this year.

"However, on the boys side I felt like their performance was somewhat sub-par and that they really had a good opportunity to win the whole meet."

As a whole, the Lady Bulldogs finished in sixth place out of the 19-team field while the boys finished third.

On the girls side, it was on the track that the ladies really strived, receiving the majority of their points through the relay events.

Michel'le Flye and Vonteria Applewhite each placed for their team in the 100-meter dash with Flye coming in fourth and Applewhite finishing in fifth.

But while those performances would not go unnoticed, it was the girls' 4x200 and the 4x100 that stole the show.

With the team of Lashawna Turner, Tyanne Townsend, Chasmin Harrington and Flye in the 4x200 and the team of Turner, Applewhite, Harrington and Flye in the 4x100, the Lady Bulldogs raced to first place in both events.

"The ladies ran extremely well on the track today," said Dement. "I am proud of them because I think they came ready to compete and they really did well."

Applewhite also placed second in the long jump for Sikeston.

On the boys side, it was in the field events that the Bulldogs received most of their points.

Eli Jackson (20-9 inches) and Cal Lane (20-8) took first and second place in the long jump while Dominic Fondon (44-4) and Demetrious Jackson (43-4) placed first and second in the triple jump.

Sikeston Tanner Bryant (left) and Gavilan Bland (center) come out of the gates strong in the 110-meter hurdles Saturday morning in the Jackson Invitational. Bland finished third in the event. (David Jenkins/Standard Democrat) [Click to enlarge]

Lane (6-4) also earned second alongside teammate Robert Walls (5-10) who took fifth in the high jump.

"I felt like the boys did well in the jump events," said Dement. "But those are the events that we expected to be strong in. Where we lacked today was in the relay events."

The boys' relay team took fourth in the 4x200 but dropped the baton in the 4x100 to take them out of the rankings.

On the plus side for the boys on the track. Both Gavilan Bland and Bryan Branion achieved their personal best in the hurdles event. Bland finished third while Branion finished fifth.

The track and field teams will compete in a dual meet at Jackson on Tuesday at 4 p.m. and will host a 16-team event in the Sikeston Twilight Relays this Friday.