MOBILE, Alabama—The Mobile Challenge of Champions held its Elite Division meet at St. Paul’s E.E. Delaney Stadium Saturday and was inundated by top regional track and field talent including several local high-school athletes.

Fairhope 800-meter specialist and Baldwin County Cross-country champion Thomas Grace and Lady Pirate shot putter Kayla Dortch qualified for the Elite Division Dortch, a sophomore, finished with a second-place throw of 36 feet, 8.5 inches behind Lamia Miller of Pine Forest, Fla., who had a winning throw of 40-09.75.

Grace, who signed with the University of Alabama-Huntsvile, took fourth in the 800 against a tough region-wide field. He had held the best 800 time in the state of Alabama until defending state champ Donnie Lee of Tuscaloosa County turned in a better time, then again it Saturday to win in 1:53.10. Mountain Brook’s Payton Ballard was on his heels at 1:53.68 while Alec Holden of Northshore outpaced Grace 1:55.98 to 1:58.46 for third.

“I had faith in my kick,” Grace said about electing to hang back the first 400 meters. “And I was definitely going to go for top three. But Lonnie went out a little faster than I expected and held on. Today, for me, I just didn’t get in a really good week of practice and I guess it showed some. But I’m working to get ready for county and didn’t want to over do it at this point so this was fun but I hope I see those guys again at state.”

Fairhope track and field coach Tim Yahr said just getting invited to qualify to the for the Challenge of Champions Elite Division puts athletes in the upper tier of their event or events.

“These big races tend to make a lot of kids go out too fast, but Thomas is good at pacing and ran a good race. Maybe found himself a little too far behind. But he kicked it in and then held on. This is a tough, tough field. A meet like this, it’s also a good opportunity for athletes to measure themselves, challenge themselves and really try to improve with county and section meets coming up. Kayla was a little bit nervous. A sophomore, she’s never been in a meet this big. She started out kind of off her usual distance but settled down and got into the competition and took a clear second. I’m proud of them and we’re lookig forward to the county meet coming up.”

Other local Baldwin County competitors were Spanish Fort high jumper Grant Schumacher who took third. Schumacher had held the best jump in the state this year at 6-6, but was unable to match that Saturday. Hoover’s Jordan Jones posted a winning 6-08.00 and Matthew Trammell of Rummel finished with a 6-04.00 jump. Shumacher took the bronze with a leap of 6-02.00.

Bayside’s Trista Barry was fourth in the girls high jump at 5-04.00 and teammate Alona Melendez tied for fifth at 5-02.00. Kendall Williams of Kell and Shelley Spires of St. Paul's took first and second with multiple jumps of 5-07.

Emory Builta of Bayside was fifth in the girls discus at 117-07.50 and seventh in the shot put at 32-01.50.

Spanish Fort High will host the county meet April 11.

For more result information on the Challenge of Champions open and invitational meets, visit: http://www.cfpitiming.com/2013_Outdoor_Season/Mobile_challenge_champs_2013/Mobile_CofC_Track_2013.htm