Allen County Students Compete at State Games

   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.