(by Don Meador, Public Information, Allen County Schools)
Special Olympics athletes from Allen County competed
in the annual Kentucky State Special Olympics championships last weekend at
Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. Several athletes representing Allen
County schools brought home medals and ribbons.
In the art competition, Allen County Primary
Center students won multiple awards. Winners were Tristin Branham (fourth
place), Austin Bryant (participant ribbon), Michael Jones (participant ribbon),
James Lane (participant ribbon), Leeland Loyd (first place), Aiden McGuffey (participant
ribbon), Tanner Meadors (participant ribbon), Marlie McGee (third place), Casper
Scott (fourth place), Gavin Scott (Fifth place), and Jayden Turner (participant
ribbon).
Art winners from the Allen County Intermediate
Center included Natalie Boaz (fourth place), Kameryn Hall (First place),
Abigail McGuffey (participant ribbon), Summer Rippy (sixth place), Caitie Scott
(first place), Brianna Smith (first place), Paul Michael Stilton (second
place), and Daren Turner (seventh place).
Receiving ribbons from the James E. Bazzell
Middle School were Shawn Brown (fifth place), Lucy Celsor (third place), Anthony
Chilton (sixth place), Brittany Gunter (fourth place), Nick Mandrell (second
place), Ciera Smalling (second place),
Jordyn Snodgrass (first place), Austin Turner (fourth place), Dustin Turner
(fifth place), Jacob Waters (second place) and Colton Woods (second place).
Ribbons
winners in the art competition from the Allen County-Scottsville High School
included, Hailee Blankenship (second place), J.HJ. Frost (sixth place), Mark
Anthony Gonzalez (seventh place), Holly Grizzle (participant ribbon), Willie
Guess (participant ribbon), Anna Hairston (second place), Emilie Shelby (third
place), and Jacob Strode (third place),
In
track and field events, the winners from ACPC were Michael Jones (gold medal in
the 50-meter dash), and fifth in softball throw and Jayden Turner, a silver
medal in the 100m dash and gold medal in the softball throw. ACIC winners
included Bricen Mansfield, sixth in the 50m dash and gold in the softball
throw, Gabriel Moore, fifth in the 100m dash and a gold medal in the softball
throw, Amiaha Nichols, gold in the 50m dash and silver in softball throw,
Jennifer Nichols, fifth in the 50m dash and a bronze medal in the softball
throw, Nila Nichols, a sixth in the 50m dash and gold in the softball throw,
and Logan Roof, a silver in the 50m dash and the softball throw.
Bazzell students winning awards in track and
field included Ciera Smalling, a sixth in the 50m dash and a bronze in softball
throw, Austin Turner, a gold medal in the 100m dash and a bronze medal in softball
throw, Dustin Turner, a silver medal in the 100m dash and a gold medal in
running long jump, Jacob Waters, fifth in the 100m dash and a bronze in the
running long jump, and Colton Woods, a gold medal in the 50m dash and a fourth
in the shot put. AC-SH winners were Hailee Blankenship, a gold in the 50m dash
and a silver in the shot put, Makayla Blankenship, a silver medal in the 50m
dash and a gold in the softball throw, Mark Anthony Gonzalez, a gold in the 50m
walk and a silver medal in the softball throw, Holly Grizzle, a bronze medal in
the 50m dash and a fifth in softball throw, and Emilie Shelby, a fourth in the
50m dash and a fifth in softball throw.
In the aquatics portion of the State
Olympiads, several Allen County students earned high honors. Natalie Boaz
earned a silver medal in the 25m backstroke, a bronze in the 25m freestyle, and
a silver in relay. Abby Law captured a gold medal in the 50m backstroke and a
bronze in the 50m free. Brittany Gunter had a sixth in the 50m backstroke, a
silver medal in the 50m free and a silver in relay. Jacob Strode earned a
bronze medal in the 50m backstroke, a fourth in 50m free, and a silver medal in
relay. Dawson Wolfe placed fourth in the
25m backstroke and earned a silver medal in the 25m free and relay.