2023 Outdoor Storyline: Can Munford Win Division I Class AA?

Brent Lyons

Munford Cougars

In the previous classification cycle that spanned from 2018 to 2021, Munford High School was classified in the "Large Division" that encompassed schools with enrollments from approximately 750 up to 2800. During that time they qualified one triple jumper in 2019 and one multi-eventer in 2018. Last season was the first year of a new two-year cycle in which Division I Track and Field split into three classifications for the first time in TSSAA History and Munford found itself as one of the largest schools in the new Class AA and they took advantage of it. The Cougars finished runner up in the boys team standings behind Greenville High School by just three points. This season, they hope to fill that empty spot in the trophy case meant for a state championship as they'll, on paper, return the second most individual points of the top five scoring teams from last season. 

School

2022 State

Individual Returning Points

Greeneville

689

Munford

6531

Signal Mountain

5837

East Hamilton

404

Austin-East

390

Melrose

399


Coach Walters, associate head coach, has been with Munford for 15 seasons, and, while he says "We are excited to try and repeat as Sectional Champions," he also knows that it won't be easy with the competition in the state and class continuing to step it up every year.

Senior Leadership

Ryan Coley and Braxton Sharp are two seniors that will play a key role in their success this season. Coley took on the challenge of tripling distance events at state, running the 800, 1600, and 3200 at the state meet finishing 5th, 3rd, and 6th respectively while Sharp on the other side of things ran the fastest 100 meter time for Munford High School since 2013 with a 10.99 securing a 3rd place finish.

Sharp, lane two, saved his best race for last dipping under the 11 second mark for the first time in his career in the 100m dash and score six points for the Cougars.

However, the Cougars have to make up for the loss of Christian Perez and his 21 points from last year. Perez won the decathlon and took third in the 300 meter hurdles and 4th in the pole vault. While replacing 21 points from Perez may not be easy, the Cougars will return state experience with Jace Hodgin in the decathlon and pole vault, as well as Isaiah Cobbs and Jordan Bell in the relays.

The Cougar 4x100m relay team placed second (lane 2) after favorite Greeneville got disqualified in the final exchange zone.

There is a great opportunity to place well at state with lots of experience returning and they'll likely need to capitalize on the opportunity before 2024. With reclassification occurring every two years now, Munford will return to the largest Division I classification next season but are excited for the challenge it presents, Coach Walters says,
"Whether we are in Class AA or Class AAA, the goals is to qualify as many athletes as we can for the state meet."

Though the time in Class AA has been short, they hope to make the most of the year and leave the State Champions.