A core of female underclassmen are leading the Houston High School track team.
Freshman Maddie Vandiver and sophomore Kayla Herndon have earned the lone first-place finishes this season for the Tigers. Vandiver and sophomore Taylor Korte are also members of the 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams that have placed first four times this season.
Vandiver had first-place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dashes to open the season March 31 at Salem. She ran the 100 in 13.56 and the 200 in 28.45.
Herndon won the 100 hurdles at the same meet in 19.72 and finished second in the 300 hurdles.
Junior Lauren Hoover has been the lead runner on the girls’ relay teams. She, Vandiver, Korte and Herndon won the 4×100 in 56.75 to open the season. The team of Hoover, Vandiver, Korte and Elisa Kelly won the 4×200 in 1:59.25.
On April 5 at Liberty, freshman Taylor Franklin joined Hoover, Vandiver and Korte to win the 4×200 in 1:56.20. The foursome also finished second in the sprint medley relay.
At Monday’s Ava Relays, Herndon was second in the 300 hurdles in 57.80. Hoover and Vandiver placed third in the 100 and 200 meters, respectively.
The 4×100 relay team of Hoover, Korte, Vandiver and Belle Knarr finished second. Reanna Craig joined Vandiver, Hoover and Korte on the 4×200 relay team that finished third.
At last week’s West Plains Relays, Vandiver finished fifth in the 200 as the lone individual medalist. The girls 4×200 relay was third and the 4×100 finished fourth.
The boys’ best performance this season was Nathaniel Alkire’s fourth-place finish in the 100 meters at the season-opening Salem meet.