CABOT - El Dorado’s Breya Clark finished third in the Arkansas Heptathlon Thursday. The junior scored 4,087 points in the two-day competition to finish behind Maumelle’s Claire Luallen (4,164) and Camden Fairview’s Tai’sheka Porchia (4,125).
Sophomore LaDiamond Maker finished 17th in her first heptathlon, which featured 81 competitors.
“I’m very pleased with both of these ladies,” said El Dorado coach John Koonce. “Even when things didn’t go as they wanted, they fought back.”
The top 10 was rounded out by Natalie Toney of Pocahontas (4,043), Tamera Rhode of Russellville (3,946), Lauren Goodwin of Sheridan (3,927), Johnaya Givens of Parkview (3,896), Megan Lee of Bryant (3,715), Ashlyne Silcott of Rogers (3,702) and Ally Swaim of Vilonia (3,659).
Clark got out of the gates slowly on Wednesday. She finished 12th in the 110 hurdles, which was one of her best events, with a time of 16.70. She actually fell in the Meet of Champs and finished fifth with a time of 15.94.
“She did not get out of the blocks good,” said Koonce. “It wasn’t like she hit a hurdle and fell like in the Meet of Champs. She just never got going. It was just one of those things. And, that event has been her most consistent all year long until this and the Meet of Champs.”
Clark bounced back with a 17-10 in the long jump, 86-feet in the discus, a time of 27.65 in the 200, a 5-5 in the high jump, 28-1 in the shot and a 2:45 in the 800 meters. Her high jump was the best in the competition.
“She didn’t do what she wanted to do (in the 100 hurdles) but she fought all the way back. She didn’t hang her head. She fought back and PR’d in every single event after that one.”
Maker ran a 19.5 in the 100 hurdles, 16-8 in the long jump, 84-feet in the discus, 27.08 in the 200, 4-9 in the high jump, 28-10 in the shot putt and a 2:51 in the 800 meters.
“To be honest, for her first time, I was hoping she wouldn’t finish last,” said Koonce. “For her to get 17th, she did a great job. It says a lot about both of these kids. They knew they hadn’t done their best and they fought back and and ended up doing very well.”