Jackson track and field coach Jim Stoverink knew his boys squad would have to steal a few points here and there to claim the SEMO Conference North title.

The Indians did get a few surprising finishes, but not enough to overtake Poplar Bluff, which held off the Jackson boys and dominated the girls field to sweep the titles Friday afternoon at the Jackson Junior High School track and field complex.

The Poplar Bluff boys edged Jackson 95-82 to win the conference crown. Sikeston was third with 49.5 points, followed by Central with 41.5

Poplar Bluff also claimed the girls title with 116.5 points. Jackson was second at 77.5, followed by Sikeston (41) and Central (36). Poplar Bluff senior Jabreuna Brimlett claimed four titles, winning the 100 and 200 meters, the long jump and the triple jump.

"They have a great track program down there," Stoverink said. "They have coaches who know what they're doing and athletes that are passionate about it. And they're very deep. We knew that they were going to be tough on both the boys and girls, and they were. We got exactly what we expected."

But the Jackson boys also enjoyed a few unexpected surprises. The Indians, traditionally strong in the distance and jump events, got a pair of firsts from senior Ty Crowden in the 110 and 300 hurdles and a surprising first from Justin Crane in the discus.

Crane, whose meet-best coming in to Friday's competition was 114 feet, 11 inches, heaved the disc 134-3 on his final attempt to best a strong field.

"I've been doing good in practice," Crane said. "I've been focusing. I felt good about today. I didn't think I'd actually do it, but I'm happy I did."

The distance surprised the freshman thrower.

"I thought it was like 120s," he said. "It makes me want to focus even harder to get through districts and maybe through sectionals."

Jackson's Casey Gray prepares to throw the discus during the SEMO Conference North track and field meet Friday, May 8, 2015 in Jackson. (Glenn Landberg)

Crowden edged Poplar Bluff sophomore Daniel Williams in the 110 hurdles, letting out a triumphant yell as he leaned forward at the finish line.

"It was real close," Crowden said. "I knew I was going to have to push real hard to have a shot to beat him. Today, it worked out in my favor."

Crowden benefited from a strong headwind that favored his four-step style between the hurdles. Williams, a three-step hurdler, struggled to maintain his form going into the wind, and Crowden was able to win with a strong sprint finish.

"I had a little bit more momentum between the hurdles, so I had a little bit of an advantage there," Crowden said.

District competition for Class 4 is slated for next Saturday at Seckman, and Friday's top placers have that hurdle in their sights. Jackson junior Dakota Maddox easily cleared 15-0 in the pole vault to win that competition, then set his sights on a school-record vault of 15-7. He failed in three attempts.

"It kind of messed with me, thinking about the school record and stuff," Maddox said. "I kind of got excited, so I started running a little bit harder and messed up everything. I just got to work on it and I should get there."

Competitors in other parts of the state are vaulting 15-6 or better, so Maddox knows what lies ahead.

"I think I've got a 16 [foot vault] coming up soon," he said.

Central junior Patrick Buck continued a strong finish to the season by winning the shot put with a heave of 45-8, by far his best of the season.

"I've never been very confident in my shot put throws until recently, when I started throwing in the 40s," said Buck, who attributed the switch to a spin approach for his increased distance. "I just knew I had to get it out there for the last [throw]. *... You couldn't slap the smile off me today. I'm really confident about what I can do at the [district] meet."

Another athlete who matched his best effort was Central junior Rico Flye, who cleared 6-2 in the high jump but failed in three efforts to clear 6-3 and set a personal best.

"I felt I had enough power to get over it," Flye said. "But I knew that as soon as I hit the bar that my form was, to say the least, unshapely."

Flye's goal is 6-4, which he feels is within his reach.

"It's very attainable," he said. "It's a matter of putting your thoughts behind you and letting what comes naturally happen."

Jackson's Ethan Laster and Cape Central's Jordan Franklin make their way down the track in the 100-meter open race at the SEMO Conference North track and field meet Friday, May 8, 2015 in Jackson. (Glenn Landberg)

Jackson freshman Ean Buffington won the 800 in 2:03.56 and the 1600 in 4:38.87. Junior Jackson Givens won the 3,200 in 10:34.04.

"Justin Crane really stepped up today and helped pick up some of the slack," Stoverink said. "Ty Crowden had a really good day today. And our distance runners, they came through. *... Everybody did their job. Poplar Bluff was just a little too much for us today."

Poplar Bluff may have dominated the girls field, but area athletes weren't without their shining moments. Jackson's Chelsea Drum won both the 800 and 1600, while the Indians also won the 3,200 relay. And Central's Courterra Stevenson battled through a foot injury and a strong field to win the high jump, clearing 5-0 without a miss.

Jackson's Megan Barnum won the 3,200 in 12 minutes, 16.12 seconds, while freshman Katherine Schumer cleared 10-0 to win the pole vault.

SEMO Conference meet

(at Jackson Junior High)

GIRLS

Team -- Poplar Bluff 116.5, 2. Jackson 77.5, Sikeston 41, Central 36

Individual

100 -- 1. Jabreuna Brimlett (PB) 12.99; 2. Antravia Green (S) 13.05; 3. Krisman Eakin (PB) 13.34; 4. Morgan Stone (J) 13.64; 5. Alyssa Kimmich (J) 14.15

200 -- 1. Brimlett (PB) 26.44; 2. Tyeshia Mitchell (S) 26.49; 3. Eakin (PB) 26.94; 4. Stone (J) 27.32; 5. Brandy Peet (S) 27.49; 6. Kimmich (J) 28.26

400 -- 1. Carli Knott (J) 58.84; 2. Eakin (PB) 59.86; 3. Stone (J) 59.97; 4. Alexis Boyd (S) 1:00.81; 5. Tehya Williams (PB) 1:04.83

800 -- 1. Chelsea Drum (J) 2:21.34; 2. Knott (J) 2:28.21; 3. Kaylee Eakin (PB) 2:30.28; 4. Bridget Trepasso (C) 2:48.45; 5. Maddy McDonald (C) 2:55.27; 6. Darby Self (S) 3:03.76

1600 -- 1. Drum (J) 5:40.42; 2. Tayler Winick (J) 5:41.64; 3. Katherine Sliger (PB) 5:53.82; 4. Zakia Hickman (PB) 6:16.29; 5. Self (S) 6:46.28; 6. Kyra Pearl (C) 6:48.62

3200 -- 1. Megan Barnum (J) 12:16; 2. Sliger (PB) 12:36; 3. Ana Compton (J) 12:50; 4. Hickman (PB) 13:30

100 hurdles -- 1. Alexis Hafford (PB) 15.89; 2. Soley Webb (PB) 16.34; 3. Courterra Stevenson (C) 17.49; 4. Timia Evans (C) 17.92; 5. Kassidy Adams (J) 18:44; 6. Lauryn Varner (J) 19.34

300 hurdles -- 1. Webb (PB) 48.74; 2. Hafford (PB) 49.70; 3. Stevenson (C) 50.61; 4. Varner (J) 50.64; 5. Adams (J) 52.41; 6. Evans (C) 54.88

400 relay -- 1. Sikeston 49.64; 2. Poplar Bluff 51.19; 3. Central 51.37

800 relay -- 1. Sikeston 1:45.26; 2. Poplar Bluff 1:49.23; 3. Cental 1:51.86

1600 relay -- 1. Poplar Bluff 4:08.06; 2. Jackson 4:08.16; 3. Sikeston 4:25.63

3200 relay -- 1. Jackson (Barnum, Drum, Knott, Winick) 10:03; 2. Poplar Bluff 10:52; 3. Central 11:06

High jump -- 1. Stevenson (C) 5-0 1/4; 2. Cassidy Harris (PB) 5-0; 3. Varner (J) 4-10; 3. Hafford (PB) 4-10; 5. Jazreil Hill (C) 4-8

Pole vault -- 1. Katherine Schumer (J) 10-0; 2. Kathryn Smith (S) 9-0; 3. Jaycie Baird (J) 8-6; 4. Eakin (PB) 8-0; 5. Hailey Garrett (PB) 7-6; 6. Jachira Sims (S) 7-0

Long jump -- 1. Brimlett (PB) 17-5 1/4; 2. Harris (PB) 17-1; 3. Mitchell (S) 15-10; 4. Alexus Walker (C) 15-7 3/4; 5. Tramonee Stewart (C) 15-5; 6. Mabrey McCallister (J) 14-7 3/4

Triple jump -- 1. Brimlett (PB) 38-8; 2. Sarah Martin (S) 33-4 3/4; 3. Omunique Fields (S) 33-3 1/4; 4. Mackenzie Mitchell (C) 33-1 1/2; 5. Tehya williams (PB) 32-03 1/2; 6. McCallister (J) 30-9 1/4

Shot put -- 1. Jessenia Ellis (PB) 39-6 1/2; 2. Nicole Humphreys (J) 38-3 1/4; 3. Quetaja Martin (C) 35-2 1/2; 4. Kaitlyn Slaughter (PB) 33-3; 5. Gloria Bennett (S) 32-3; 6. Jordan Crawford (S) 30-1 1/2

Discus -- 1. Ellis (PB) 126-5; 2. Martin (C) 120-1; 3. Oliva brown (J) 103-4; 4. Olivia Leible (J) 94-7; 5. Calli Gerber (PB) 92-9 1/2; 6. Bennett (S) 90-7

BOYS

Team -- 1. Poplar Bluff 95, Jackson 82, Sikeston 49.5, Central 41.5

Individual

100 -- 1. Denzel Britton (PB) 11.61; 2. Zyshon Mallory (C) 11.91; 3. Jerrid Moore (PB) 12.11; 4. Dylan Baragar (S) 12.42; 5. Ethan Laster (J) 12.49; 6. Jordan Franklin (C) 12.61

200 -- 1. Britton (PC) 23.00; 2. Malik Metcalf (PB) 23.52; 3. Cobay Jarrett (S) 23.78; 4. Mallory (C) 23.98; 5. Tyzeek Hill (S) 24.18; 6. Laster (J) 25.15

400 -- 1. Metcalf (PB) 52.26; 2. Julias Hightower (PB) 52.52; 3. Hill (S) 53.26; 4. Joseph Reed (J) 54.09; 5. Gabriel Dudley (J) 54.26; 6. Deterio Newman (S) 55.26

800 -- 1. Ean Buffington (J) 2:03.56; 2. Caleb Bess (J) 2:04.55; 3. Javeon Bonner (S) 2:06.70; 4. Isiah Williams (PB) 2:11.82; 5. Jovanny Miranda (C) 2:12.97; 6. Clayton Carpenter (PB) 2:19.20

1600 -- 1. Buffington (J) 4:38.87; 2. Bess (J) 4:49.98; 3. Williams (PB) 4:59.58; 4. Brantly James (PB) 5:06.34; 5. Monia Clayton (C) 5:08.58; 6. Markeith Dukes (S) 5:09.71

3200 -- 1. Jackson Givens (J) 10:34; 2. Williams (PB) 10:51; 3. Brent Werner (J) 1:53; 4. Matthew Stearns (C) 11:15; 5. Wesley Moore (PB) 11:21; 6. Dukes (S) 11:21

110 hurdles -- 1. Ty Crowden (J) 17.35; 2. Daniel Williams (PB) 17.48; 3. Landon Elledge (PB) 18.74; 4. Glen Boyd (J) 19.89

300 hurdles -- 1. Crowden (J) 41.20; 2. Brian Alford (PB) 42.38; 3. D. Williams (PB 45.29; 4. Boyd (J) 47.94

400 relay -- 1. Poplar Bluff 44.98; 2. Sikeston 45.08; 3. Cental 45.22; 4. Jackson 46.80

800 relay -- 1. Poplar Bluff 1:34.46; 2. Sikeston 1:35.16

1600 relay -- 1. Sikeston 3:32.26; 2. Jackson 3:34.89; 3. Poplar Bluff 3:42.16

3200 relay -- 1. Jackson (Bess, Jackson Givens, Reed, Alex Phillips) 8:54; 2. Central 9:08; 3. Poplar Bluff 9:37

High jump -- 1. Rico Flye (C) 6-2; 2. Wyatt Murphy (PB) 6-0; 3. Braden Wendel (J) 5-10; 4. Jeremy Elliott (J) 5-8 1/2; 5. Cornelius Jackson (S) 5-8 1/4; 6. Kentrez Pople (S) 5-8

Pole vault -- 1. Dakota Maddo (J) 15-0; 2. Brett Barousse (PB) 13-6; 3. Adam Vincent (PB) 13-0; 4. Brenna Redinger (C) 12-0 1/4; 4. Yeremyah Hawkins (S) 12-0 1/4; 6. Shawn Bareiter (J) 12-0

Long jump -- 1. Ernest Fobbs (S) 20-9; 2. Justus Faulkner (S) 19-3 3/4; 3. Malik Metcalf (PB) 19-3; 4. Braion Owens (C) 19-0; 5. Peter Lake (J) 18-9 1/2; 6. Xominique Davis (J) 18-1 1/2

Triple jump -- 1. Fobbs (S) 44-0 1/4; 2. Davis (J) 43-10; 3. Jalen Reddin (C) 42-10 1/2; 4. Pope (S) 39-1 3/4; 5. Abiodun Francis (PB) 38-1 1/4; 6. Murphy (PB) 36-3

Shot put -- 1. Patrick Buck (C) 45-8; 2. Makarius Bell (PB) 43-10 1/2; 3. Christian Mitchell (C) 42-5 1/2; 4. Rashawn McCain (PB) 41-1; 5. Mitchell Garner (S) 40-3; 6. Joseph Jeffers (J) 39-7 1/4

Discus -- 1. Justin Crane (J) 134-3; 2. Patrick Buck (C) 129-2; 3. Josh Lewis (PB) 129-1; 4. Devin Cochran (S) 128-5