GULF SHORES, Alabama — The 2007 state track and field championships were held at the Gulf Shores Athletic Complex Friday and Saturday. It was the first time the Alabama High School Athletic Association state meet had been held in Baldwin County.

Many local athletes competed with three winning individual state titles including Julio Jones of Foley High, Candice Caldwell of Baldwin County High in Bay Minette and Angela McCord of Montrose, a senior at McGill-Toolen Catholic in Mobile. Brent Duke of Spanish Fort took a state-runner-up title in a close second-place finish in the 5A boys 400 meter finals just 0.15 seconds behind Louis Watson’s 50.34 of St. Paul’s winning time.

Jones won two 6A gold awards with best-in-the-state performances in the boys long jump with a leap of 23 feet, eight-and-one-half inches and first in the 6A triple jump at 49’-1’’.

Caldwell, the 2007 Baldwin County shot put winner was this year’s girls champion in the entire state with a throw of 36’-3-and-1/4”.

McCord, who placed in the top three in four 6A events, was third in the girls shot put behind Caldwell and Datra Montgomery of Tuscaloosa County. On Friday, McCord took third in the discus, second in the pole vault and first in the javelin setting a new 6A record at 130-feet to her third-straight state javelin title.

Team titles went to St. Paul's in 5A competition. The Saints and Lady Saints swept the division as they did in 2006.

Mountain Brook was the 6A girls champion and Opelika took the 6A boys crown.

In the 1A-3A division championships held in Troy, the 2A Bayside Academy track and field teams made a big showing over the weekend.

The Lady Admirals picked up a fourth place finish (out of 23 teams that scored points), and the Admirals took a 5th place finish (out of 29 teams that scored).

Individually, in the girls division, Bayside senior Caroline Gill won the 2A high jump at 4'-10”, junior teammate Patricia Sirmon was seventh. Gill also placed fourth in the 400 meters run.

Sophia Bro won the 2A girls pole vault at eight feet for the Lady Admirals.

Shelby Builta was fifth in the discus.

Calera Sullivan was fourth in the 3200 meters, seventh in the 1600. Charlotte Gill placed eighth in the 3200 and 10th in the 1600.

Corte Minto was 10th in the 800.

In relays, the Lady Admirals took second in the 4 x 400 with Caroline Gill, Lauren Mackay, Sullivan and Minto on the legs. They also took fifth in the 4 x 800 with Hannah Stone, Sullivan, Bailey Wilson and Minto exchanging the baton.

On the boys side, Bayside's Stewart Shoemaker won the 3200 meter run in 10:26.6 and was second in the 1600.

The Admirals 4 x 400 team of Thomas Fugard, Wilson Delaney, Will Dorriety and Caleb Josephs took fifth while the 4 x 800 team manned by Dorriety, Troy Runals, Shoemaker and James Marshall finished second.

Josephs also placed third in the pole vault.