Central Oklahoma Athletic Conference Championships Recap


Photo Gallery by Michael Kinney

MOORE - Patrick Larrison wants to peak at the right time. The Moore High thrower has had his moments at some of the biggest meets of the season, but as the postseason arrives, he wants to be at his best.

Larrison is well on his way to making that happen. At the Central Oklahoma Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships Thursday, the junior grabbed gold in the discus and shot put.

"The last couple of weeks he has come down a little bit," Moore coach Stefan Seifried said. "He is capable of throwing 195 to 200 feet. It's kind of day to day, weather to weather so to speak."

The weather conditions Thursday at Moore High School were not optimal conditions for throwing the disc. Throwers had to overcome high winds and temperatures in the low 60s as they battled for conference titles.

Larrison proved to be the most capable. His winning throw in the discus was 171- feet. While it was nowhere near his best, it was still 15 feet ahead of second place Alex Eichler of Edmond Memorial.

Larrison was just as impressive in the shot put. His toss of 62 feet out distanced the next nearest competitor by 12 feet.

"Today's wind on our stuff is not good for a right or left handed thrower. A lot of it for him his mental," Seifried said. "He has the capability to go after the state record next year."

Larrison was just one of several athletes who had a solid day at the COAC meet.

As expected, Edmond Memorial dominated most of the relays and sprints. On the boys side they grabbed the 400 relay (42.07), the 3200 relay (8:09) and 800 relay (1:28.03). Edmond Santa Fe kept the Bulldogs from sweeping the relays by edging them by a split second in the 1600 meter relay.

Memorial also earned points in the distance races as Jed Helker ran a 9:51.15 to win the 3200 run.

Yukon's Vernon Turner kept up his streak of winning every high jump competition he has been in this season. Turner took first with a leap at 7-foot-4. Santa Fe's Chris Banks was second at 6-6.

Turner did try to set a new national record at 7-7.25. But the world's third ranked high jumper was unable to get it.

On the girls side, Edmond Memorial took home the team title. However, for maybe the first time this season they found some competition.

Memorial's Morganne Mukes had to hold off Southmoore's Whitney Bridges to win the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.92.

But, Bridges returned to favor in the 200 meter dash. She posted a 24.28 compared to Muke's 24.31.

Edmond Memorial also came up short in the mile relay to Moore, who is the top ranked team in the state in the event. The Bulldogs held a 20 meter lead heading into the final lap before the Lions Tianna Holmes erased the deficit and sprinted across the line two seconds ahead of Edmond. Holmes has the second best time in the 400 meter dash in 6A.

The conference meet was just a tune-up for the class 6A regional meets May 6, which will take place at four sites around the state. Larrison and the rest of the Lions will be heading to Tahlequah.

Once there and at the state meet, Seifried expects to see the best from Larrison.

"He is where he needs to be," Seifried said. "When it comes down to state competition, big competition, he's going to step his game up. He knows when to do what and how to do it."