MEATY MEET: BHS' Hodge wins high jump gold, teammates shine; Dewey thinclad places 4th

Several local high school thinclads took advantage of one final opportunity this season to test themselves against the best in the state.

The Oklahoma Baptist University hosted the Meet of Champions — which pitted some of the high finishers from the recent state meets — against each other.

There was no class distinction — the competition pitted warriors from schools of all sizes against each other, hence the name “Meet of Champions.”

Bartlesville High boasted ta gold medalist— Ragen Hodge in the girls high jump (5-feet-4). Quincey Turner in the girls pole vault (11-feet-6).

Freshman Lady Bruin Kadance Barnett soared to third place in the girls long jump (18-feet-5.25). This is the fourth time this season Barnett has flown more than 18 feet — prior to this season no Lady Bruin had ever done it.

Rounding out Bartlesville’s contingent was 6A boys high jump state champion Jack Wahl. Just four days after his towering jump of 6-feet-6 to win state, Wahl’s legs were probably still recovering and he cleared 6-feet-even to finish sixth.

Dewey’s track team also boasted a big effort by Braden Garrison. The muscular thrower finished fourth in the shot put (51-feet-6.5), against a grueling field that included two Glenpool competitors, one from Beggs and other solid programs.

The Meet of Champions is the de facto final hurrah of the 2021-22 school sports cycle.