East Rankin Academy (ERA) Patriot Track & Field team concluded the 2024 season on Saturday, May 4th at the 2023 Midsouth Association of Independent Schools (“MAIS”) State Championship.
Entering the post season with both varsity teams MAIS 5A District 2 Champions, twenty athletes individually and all eight relay teams qualified to the regional North State Championship at Bayou Academy. The Patriots at North State were very successful, the varsity boys coming away as the North State Championship runner-up. Among the thirteen individuals (some in multiple events) and seven relay teams that qualified to the 2024 State Championship were senior, Liam Wilkerson (400 meter dash); junior, Lydia Collipp (400 meter dash), and senior, Brayden Warner (discus), all North State champions in their respective events.
The 2024 MAIS State Championships were hosted by Jackson Academy on May 3rd and Jackson Prep on May 4th. For the first time in decades, the varsity boys finished 2nd overall, MAIS 5A State Runner-up! The varsity girls also earned the highest finish in twenty years with fourth overall. Multiple gold medalists included senior, Brayden Warner, winning his second individual state title in discus with a throw of 172-10; senior, Liam Wilkerson, winning the 400 meter dash in a personal best time of 50.58; the boys 4x200 relay team, consisting of junior, Aiden Harrell, senior, Liam Wilkerson, sophomore, Taylor Woods, and freshman Jon Riemann, breaking the ERA school record with a time of 1:30.32; and a very young boys 4x800 relay team featuring 8th grader, Walker Sartin, sophomore, RT Tate, freshman, Jon Riemann, and 8th grader, Zack Price, demolishing the school record with a winning time of 8:46.91.
Other medalists at the State Championship included senior, Brayden Warner (2nd shot put-46-1); junior, Aiden Harrell (2nd 100 meter dash - 10.86); 8th grader, Jillian Breland (2nd discus-110-9); 8th grader, Zack Price (3rd 800 meter run; 3rd 1600 meter run, 4th 3200 meter run); junior, Audrey Mayatte (3rd 3200 meter run, 4th 1600 meter run, 6th 800 meter run); sophomore, Addison Derrick (3rd discus-106-4, 5th shot put 32-1); girls 4x400 relay (3rd Lydia Collipp, Leah Collipp, Audrey Mayatte, Emma Raines – 4:17.39); girls 4x800 relay (3rd Lydia Collipp, Audrey Mayatte, Emma Raines, Jewel Baker – 10:08.66); Emma Raines (4th 300 hurdles-49.07); Lydia Collipp (4th 400 meter dash); boys 4x100 meter relay (4th Aiden Harrell, Liam Wilkerson, Jon Riemann, Taylor Woods – 45.62); RT Tate (5th 3200 meter run, 6th 1600 meter run); sixth grader, Jewel Baker (5th 3200 meter run, 6th 1600 meter run); boys 4x400 relay (6th Aiden Harrell, Liam Wilkerson, RT Tate, Jon Riemann-3:48.52); senior, Colin Harris (7th triple jump – 39-.5); and girls 4x200 relay (7th Katie Simpson, Addison Vowell, Breland Moulds, Lydia Collipp – 1:55.65).
The 2024 Patriot team featured four seniors, all of whom played a role the growth of ERA track and field and the success of this season. The team wishes to congratulate two time discus state champion and shot put finalist, Brayden Warner; state champion 400 meter sprinter and relay team member, Liam Wilkerson; triple jump state finalist, Colin Harris; and shot put state finalist, Jack Boyd, as they graduate with the Class of 2024.
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