In a rain-delayed meet, the Oxford Middle School track & field team competed against Pontotoc Middle School in a dual meet on Tuesday. It was pushed back a day from Monday with rain in the area, causing the others schools scheduled to participate to cancel, leaving the Chargers and the Warriors to compete against one another.

“(Pontotoc’s coach) and I decided that we would have a dual meet and let as many runners as possible participate in all events (Tuesday),” Oxford head coach Mike Hardwick said. “Every participated and had a great time. It was one of the best times I have ever had at a track meet in my 11 years at Oxford Middle School.”

Seventh-grader Jarvis Avant got the day started for Oxford in the field events, winning the shot put while Conner Bradley finished runner-up. DK Johnson won the triple jump with Alex Gater placing second. Ladarius Giles won the long jump with an attempt of 19-feet, eight inches and Keetan Phillips placed third with a jump of 17-feet, nine inches. Hardwick noted the highlight of the field events came from seventh-grader Brice Mullen who won the discus event with a throw of 90-feet, five inches and Stratton Smith placed second with a throw of 89-feet. Hayes Buchanan placed fourth with a throw of 83 feet.

“To be able to throw over 90 feet as a seventh-grader is fantastic,” Hardwick said of Mullen’s throw.

The Chargers continued to dominate the dual meet, winning nine of the 10 track events. Luke Johnson won the 3200 meter race with Ethan Knight placing second. Jay Wortham placed third in the 100 meter hurdles and Xavier Waltonini finished fourth. In the 100 meter dash, the Chargers claimed the top four spots with Giles placing first with a time of 11.7 seconds. In the 4×200 relay the team of Johnson, Giles, Jalen Webb and Caleb Carothers placed first with a time of one minute and 38 seconds. It was another first place finished in the 4 x 100 relay with Phillips, Carothers, Giles and Tristan Shorter won with a time of 47.2 seconds. It was one of the time five times for OMS in that event. Luke Johnson won the 1600 meter race as Alex Mobely winning the 800 meter race with a personal record time of 2:30. Shorter claimed the 400 meter while Johnson claimed the 300 meter hurdle title. In the final race of the day, Oxford won the 4 x 400 relay with the team of Mobely, Johnson, Carothers and Que Houston.

Oxford returns to action on Thursday, hosting the OMS Invitational with seven teams scheduled to compete. If rain interferes, the meet will be held on Friday.