Quite a few thinclads from Picayune and Poplarville will be competing for state championships today at Class 4A state track and field championships at Pearl.

To qualify for the state meet, competitors had to finish in the top four of their respective events at the South State meet Saturday in Hattiesburg.

Poplarville’s Stacey Hagenson and Bretta Hart as well as Picayune’s Hannah Nunez led the local contingent headed to the state meet while Hagenson was one of seven Pearl River County athletes to capture first place in individual events in the South State meet.

Hagenson took two first place titles in Hattiesburg, winning both the 3,200 and 1,600 meter runs. Also earning first place honors were Poplarville’s Raven Henry in the 300 meter hurdles and Lady Hornet Tkeyia Hart in the pole vault as well as Picayune’s Iry Robertson in the 200 meter dash and Justin Quinn in the 100 meter dash as well as Lady Tide runner Danielle Camp in the 800 meter run and Picayune’s Micah Bergeron in the pole vault.

Also, the Lady Tide 4X100 meter relay team consisting of Hannah Nunez, Desherra Jackson, Kametria Jackson and “T” Meyers took first in the south state meet.

Nunez and Hart each will be competing in three invidual events today, after qualifying in a trio of seperate events last week.

Nunez finished third in both the 200 meter dash and the high jump as well as fourth in the 100 meter dash while Hart, just an eighth grader, finished third in the long jump, the hgh jump and the triple jump.

Also for Picayune, Jonathan Moore finished second in the 300 meter hurdles, and Reggie Bailey finished third in the triple jump to qualify for the state meet.

For Poplarville, Jessica Harry finished third in the shot put, Leterrio Henry third in the shot put and Raven Purnell third in the discus to qualify for the state meet as well.