Competing in front of a home county crowd, Baldwin County athletes turned in a championship-caliber performance at the 4A-7A AHSAA State Track and Field Championships, bringing home four individual state titles and several podium finishes across the weekend at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.

St. Michael Catholic’s boys led the way with the county’s highest team finish, placing sixth in 4A, while the Cardinals’ girls also posted a strong showing with a 12th-place finish. Other notable team results included Bayside Academy’s girls taking seventh in 5A, Foley’s boys finishing 11th in 7A and Fairhope’s girls placing 13th in 7A.

Now, here’s a look at the county’s state champions and podium finishers from the weekend.

STATE CHAMPIONS

St. Michael Catholic senior Brent Acker delivered one of the most impressive individual performances of the meet, winning the 4A boys 400-meter dash in 48.55 seconds — nearly two seconds ahead of the field.

Acker’s title was only one part of a remarkable weekend. The senior also finished runner-up in the 200-meter dash and third in the 100-meter dash, all after playing in the Cardinals soccer playoff game.

Foley senior Rashad Jones dominated the 7A boys javelin, uncorking a winning throw of 199 feet to claim the state title by 25 feet. Jones capped a record-breaking career for the Lions field squad after throwing over the 200 mark earlier this season — the senior is now headed across the causeway to throw for University of Mobile.

Gulf Shores' Matt Howe captured the 6A boys pole vault championship with a winning clearance of 14-0. The sophomore may not have reached his 15-foot goal to clinch a spot at nationals, but his third 14-foot vault in the last five months gives him gold.

Rounding out the state champs, Elberta junior Sam Smith took home the 5A boys high jump with a leap of 6-6. That mark set by Smith is also a new program record for the Warriors.

PODIUM PLACERS

St. Michael added several more podium finishes to its strong weekend highlighted by Acker’s state title. Senior Addison Silvernail finished runner-up in the 4A girls pole vault, while fellow senior Eli Navarre also claimed silver in the boys pole vault. Freshman Emily Friedel placed third in the girls 1,600-meter run as well.

Orange Beach’s Anthony Hawkins secured Baldwin County’s only other 4A podium finish with a runner-up performance in the boys high jump.

In 5A, Bayside Academy senior Billy Neill finished runner-up in the boys discus. The Admirals’ girls 4x800-meter relay team of Shelby Fargason, Avery Therrell, Ansleigh Smith and Heather MacNair also earned runner-up honors, while the freshman Therrell added a third-place finish in the girls 800-meter run to cap a great weekend for Bayside’s distance program.

Gulf Shores senior Daniel Foster finished runner-up in the 6A boys shot put, closing out his field career with a podium finish at his home state meet. Daphne senior Matthew Hill placed third in the 7A boys javelin, representing the Trojans’ lone podium finish of the weekend.

And Fairhope senior Carolina Ledford rounded out Baldwin County’s podium placements with a runner-up finish in the 7A girls pole vault.

The full results from the 4A-7A AHSAA track and field state meet can be found at al.milesplit.com.