Taylor wins high jump championship

By LYNN WOMACK
Press special writer

TAHLEQUAH DAILY PRESS May 06, 2008 10:48 am

— Paiten Taylor became only the second state champion in Hulbert High School track and the first girl in school history to place first in an event at the state level.
Taylor won the gold in the high jump in class 2A with a jump of 5-2. Her jump was the fourth best jump in the state in all classes. The top jump in the state was in class 6A Regional Meet. Taylor's jump was second best among the four classes that had state meets.
Tande Beaver placed third in the shot put with a throw of 33-6 1/2. She was eighth in the discus with a throw of 97-8. Beaver also participated in the long jump, finishing seventh in the preliminaries. The Lady Riders finished with 16 points in the meet for 14th place.
"I was pleased with our kids at the state meet,” HHS coach Micky McGowan said. “This is the best Hulbert has done in the state track meet in a long time, both in qualifying and in placing. Our goal is for our program to grow and get better. I believe that we are headed in the right direction. I was extremely proud of Taylor as she became only the second state champion in school history,"
Daniel Mauldin placed fifth in the discus for the Riders with a throw of 120-10. The fifth place finish converted to two points for the Riders for a tie of 30th place in the State Meet.
"I thought Mauldin did a good job by placing in the state meet and represented our program and our school well,” McGowan said.