Prep Track

Lady Tigers Seek Double All-American Status

The Bentonville team of Taylor Mahone, from left, Alexis Rolle, Logan Morton and Jody Knight earned All-American honors with their sixth-place finish in the 4x200-meter relay at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, which were held June 13-15 at North Carolina A&T. The Lady Tigers had a time of 1 minute, 40.65 seconds in an event that hasn't been regularly run in Arkansas in 10 years. The girls just missed on a second All-American honor when they finished seventh in the 4x100 relay.
The Bentonville team of Taylor Mahone, from left, Alexis Rolle, Logan Morton and Jody Knight earned All-American honors with their sixth-place finish in the 4x200-meter relay at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, which were held June 13-15 at North Carolina A&T. The Lady Tigers had a time of 1 minute, 40.65 seconds in an event that hasn't been regularly run in Arkansas in 10 years. The girls just missed on a second All-American honor when they finished seventh in the 4x100 relay.

BENTONVILLE — There’s a matter of unfinished business this weekend for the four girls who make up Bentonville’s 4x100-meter relay team.

Jody Knight, Taylor Mahone, Logan Morton and Alexis Rolle will return to Greensboro, N.C., to run again in the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, which will be held at North Carolina A&T. The four Lady Tigers will run in the 4x100 relay, as well as the 4x200 relay — the same two events they competed in last year’s event.

They earned All-American status at last year’s meet with a sixth-place finish in the 4x200, an event not held in normal Arkansas track meets any more. However, the four girls missed out on a second All-American honor when they finished seventh in the 4x100, and that serves as their motivation this year.

“I think we’re really excited about it,” Knight said. “We did really well last year, but we really want to be double All-Americans this time. We want to go there and place even higher in both events.”

The four girls became a relay team at the beginning of the 2013 track season and eventually set the overall state record of 47.09 seconds during the Meet of Champs. They haven’t even been pushed this spring in meets inside state borders and won the 4x100 by a stunning 1.7 seconds at the Class 7A state meet in Cabot.

The New Balance Outdoor Nationals will be the first time they have run together since the Class 7A state meet, which was held May 8 in Cabot. They resumed practice last week, and Bentonville assistant coach Jaclyn Evans liked what she saw upon their return to the track.

“We did a couple of full-blown relays, where each girl runs her full leg,” Evans said. “They looked really good. I was surprised with how strong they looked, considering the time off. I think they are really ready to run well.

“We’ve made some adjustments here and there, but it’s still the same four girls and the same order. That’s been fun to watch. Each handoff becomes more and more consistent because they are so used to each other.”

There are 30 teams that have qualified to compete in the 4x100 from across the country, and 38 teams have qualified for the 4x200. The Lady Tigers’ team will run the 4x200 Saturday morning, the 4x100 prelims Saturday afternoon and the 4x100 finals — if they qualify — Sunday afternoon.

Their best time this season is 47.62, which they posted during the Bulldog Relays in Fayetteville. That is slightly better than the 47.84 they posted in the finals last year, but this year they have experience on their side.

“Nerves got us in the finals,” said Rolle, who will run the opening leg. “For me, now it’s a matter of not worrying about everybody up in the stands. Just focus on the race and just listen to the starter. Don’t worry about anything else

“There are so many more people there watching, and it makes the track look bigger. I just have to remember it’s the same size and the same marks.”

It also marks the last time the four will run together as a team. Knight and Morton have already graduated and will take their talents to Georgetown and Central Arkansas, respectively.

They want to go out in style by doing something never been done by an Arkansas girls 4x100 team — break into the 46-second mark. They would also like to run the 4x200 in under 1:40.

Knight will also compete in the girls 200 championship, as will Morton in the long jump. Others include Bentonville’s Victoria Mitchell in the freshman girls 1-mile run and Springdale High’s Ryann Goodsell in the emerging elite discus.

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