BRANSON — Mamady Embola got his senior season off to a winning start by setting a personal record and turning in a first-place finish in the 110 hurdles at the Branson Invitational on Thursday.
Embola led most of the race and had to hold off Branson’s Chris Vineyard at the finish, with Embola clocked at 15.71 and Vineyard at 15.72.
“My start was pretty good, I shined in the middle, but I started to lose speed at the end,” Embola said. “I felt myself (losing the lead). So, I pushed myself harder and turned on the jets.
Embola is optimistic he can make a strong run at Ozark’s school record of 15.14 in the 110 hurdles, thanks to the presence of Vineyard at many meets and teammate Gabe Hilton at practices and meets.
Hilton was fifth in the 110 hurdles (16.40) and third in the 300 hurdles (41.73).
“Gabe pushes me so much harder than I could push myself on my own," Embola said. "Chris is my rival. He’s helped me get here, too. I’m thankful for my competitors and teammates."
This is Embola’s third season competing in the hurdles.
“Sophomore year, I had one good race and thought, ‘I think I’ll stick with this,’” he said. “This is my year. I worked out every day for a year for this. I want to break the school record, make my momma proud and maybe get a college (offer).”
Emobola also competes in the high jump. He was 12th with a leap of 5-9.
With the high jump and 110 hurdles often occurring simultaneously, Embola finds himself busy at the start of meets.
“After the (110 hurdles), I’m so dead that my high jump kind of fails a little bit,” he said. “I’m hoping to push past that this year because it’s worth it to me to be good at both of them.”
Ozark’s boys also received a first from Peyton Ligion in the high jump. Ligion cleared 6-2 3/4. Republic’s Zion Allen matched him at that height, but Ligion has fewer missed jumps on the night.
The Tigers’ Rory Banks, a freshman, finished second in the pole vault by clearing 11-0.
Finishing third for the Tigers was Sam Clark in the 100 (11.52). He was fourth in the 400 (53.26) and fifth in the 200 (23.34).
Ozark’s Josh Casto was fourth in the javelin (135-11 1/2).
For Nixa, Jackson Cantwell won the shot put (61-5) and discus (168-5 3/4).
Cantwell and fellow Nixa freshman Hayden Mays were 1-2 in the discus, with Mays posting a heave of 164-0.
The Eagles also received runner-up finishes from Gideon Carter in the 300 hurdles (41.44), Spencer Ward in the 400 (53.10), Devon Kemp in the 800 (2:04), Mason Shank in the 1,600 (4:34) and their 4 x 800 relay (8:26).
Ward was third in the 200 (23.12), while Carter was third in the 110 hurdles (16.01), Zernie Vess was third in the triple jump (39-10) and the Eagles’ 4 x 200 relay was also third (1:35.24).
Aaron Ashley was fourth in the 3,200 (4:35), as was Michael Eisenhart in the high jump (6-0 3/4).
