Halls senior Brody Foster, a Virginia signee, was one of the area’s top performers in the Class AAA State Track & Field meet Thursday, May 21, 2026, at UT’s Tom Black Track. (Photo by Elliot Walker)
DEAN FOX
KNOXVILLE — The boys’ pole vault competition had the feel of a season-long conversation reaching its final sentence.
For four years, Halls senior Brody Foster and Maryville senior Sawyer Robinette had seen each other at local meets, sectionals and everywhere in between. Foster was usually just ahead. Robinette was usually just behind, pushing, chasing, trying to close the gap.
On Thursday at UT’s Tom Black Track, they got the state-meet finish they had talked about.
Foster — a Virginia signee — won the Class AAA state title at 15 feet, clearing the winning height after surviving a late duel with Robinette, who finished second at 14-6. Tennessee High junior Heath Swaggerty was third at 14-0, followed by Nolensville senior Langston McGhee and Green Hill senior Reece Cannon, who also cleared 14-0.
Foster was one of several individual champions in the 5Star Preps area who took home titles. Maryville’s Maddie Burgin won the girls 400-meter dash and Oak Ridge’s Mason Greenhalgh won the boys 800.
The Foster-Robinette pairing had perhaps the most drama.
“Me and Sawyer have been competing all season long in various meets, and then we get to come out and show what we’ve been working toward all season,” Foster said. “And it’s been great. He was a great competitor for me today. I really think it could have gone either way between him and me.”
The weather was not ideal. The competition started at 9 a.m., was stopped shortly thereafter because of torrential rain and ponding, then picked up mid-afternoon.
Robinette said the venue gave the athletes a fair chance even if the day itself did not.
“I thought it was a pretty good track to have these conditions on,” Robinette said. “These conditions weren’t the greatest, but you’ve got to compete however you can.”
Robinette — an Alabama-Huntsville signee — cleared 13-0, passed at 13-6, then made 14-0 before needing three attempts to get over 14-6. That clearance secured second place and kept pressure on Foster, who had cleared 13-6 on his second attempt, then made 14-0 and 14-6 before getting over 15-0 for the championship.
For Foster, it was the payoff to a full season of preparation and the final proof of a senior year built toward this moment.
“You work all season, you go through thick and thin with your teammates, and then you show your best,” Foster said.
Robinette’s disappointment was real, but so was his respect. He had wanted the title. He also understood the quality of the vaulter who beat him.
“I think it’s a great honor,” Robinette said. “If I have to come in second behind anyone, I’m glad it’s Brody. But I wish it were first.”
The two had spoken at sectionals about meeting again on the biggest stage.
“We told each other we hope we get first and second,” Robinette said, “and we just have to see who gets first and who gets second. We both love competition.”
Foster wasn’t the only winner in the 5Star Preps area.
Maryville’s Maddie Burgin and Oak Ridge’s Mason Greenhalgh brought home wins, while Knox Central’s Javaston Badgett Jr. and West’s Mackenzie Eisenberg stacked up standout finishes.
Burgin led the girls field with a dominant sprint triple, winning the 400 in 54.56, taking second in the 200 in 24.51 and placing third in the 100 in 11.98. Badgett was one of the top boys sprinters, finishing third in the 100 in 10.70 and fourth in the 200 in 21.90.
Greenhalgh won the boys 800 in 1:52.51, while Eisenberg delivered one of the area’s best field-event performances, taking second in the triple jump at 38-2.25, tying for third in the high jump at 5-2 and adding a 12th-place finish in the long jump.
Maryville’s Abby French tied for third in the high jump, and Sevier County flashed speed with Kenzie Allen placing seventh in the 100 and eighth in the 200. The Sevier County 4×200 relay added a third-place finish in 1:42.13.
Hardin Valley put two runners in the top five of the 1600, with Alexandra Vesser fourth and Ana Berkheimer fifth. Berkheimer was also fifth in the 3200.
Morristown West’s Jayden Howard was busy and effective, placing third in the 300 hurdles, fourth in the 100 hurdles and fifth in the 200. Maryville’s Camden King added a fourth-place finish in the 400 and sixth in the 200, while Morristown West’s Matthew Victory was fifth in the long jump and 12th in the 100.
In the team standings, Collierville’s girls and Brentwood’s boys took home team championships. Maryville’s girls tied for fifth in the state with Brentwood, and the Rebels boys finishing tied for eight with Morristown West.
GIRLS
DISCUS—13. Alani Mitchell, Oak Ridge, 96-4; 16. Peyton Dial, Bearden, 83-9.
HIGH JUMP—3 (tie). Abby French, Maryville, 5-2; 3. (tie). Mackenzie Eisenberg, West, 5-2.
LONG JUMP—12. Mackenzie Eisenberg, West, 17-5.
POLE VAULT—6. Peyton Edmunds, Farragut, 9-6; 13. (tie) Kaylee Reed, Knox Central, 8-0.
TRIPLE JUMP—2. Mackenize Eisenberg, West, 38-2.25; 9. Naomi Burum, Hardin Valley, 36-3.5; 14. Sam Altizer, Morristown East, 32-3.25.
100—3. Maddie Burgin, Maryville, 11.98; 7. Kenzie Allen, Sevier County, 12.31.
200—2. Maddie Burgin, Maryville, 24.51; 8. Kenzie Allen, Sevier County, 25.41.
400—1. Maddie Burgin, Maryville, 54.56; 8. Isabella Malone, Sevier County, 57.71.
1600—4. Alexandra Vesser, Hardin Valley, 5:02.41; 5. Ana Berkheimer, Hardin Valley, 5:02.88.
3200—5. Ana Berkheimer, Hardin Valley, 10:56.74; 7. Zoi LeCours, Farragut, 11:11.63; 8. Alexandra Vesser, Hardin Valley, 11:14.90; 10, Zarah Enborn, Hardin Valley, 11:29.31
100 HURDLES—7. Lily Faulker, Sevier County, 14.98.
300 HURDLES—9. Iris Morales, Maryville, 47.48.
4X100 RELAY—6. Sevier County, 48.61; 8. Maryville, 48.75.
4X200 RELAY—3. Sevier County, 1:42.13; 4. Maryville 1:42.13 (Maddie Burgin, Kasiah Green, Elle McGaha, Julia Hunt), 1:42.16; 11. Farragut, 1:45:04.
4X400 RELAY—3. Maryville (Maddie Burgin, Kasiah Goen, Julia Hunt, Elle McGaha, 3:56.55; 7. Farragut, 4:01.63.
4X800 RELAY—5. Hardin Valley (Ana Sofia Marquez, Zarah Enbom, Ava Berkheimer, Ana Berkheimer), 9:36.24.
BOYS
DISCUS—6. Quincy Prigmore, Maryville, 155-7; 11. Luke Ivey, Campbell County, 148-7.
HIGH JUMP—9. Cooper Jones, Bearden, 6-0; 11 (tie), Chad Dalton, Morristown West, 5-10.
LONG JUMP—5. Matthew Victory, Morristown West, 22-3.75; 12. Cooper Jones, Bearden, 20-3.
POLE VAULT— 1. Brody Foster, Halls, 15-0; 2. Sawyer Robinette, Maryville, 14-6.
SHOT PUT—12. Tipton McCoy, Maryville, 47-3.
TRIPLE JUMP—5. Brody Foster, Halls, 46-3.5; 7. Mouhamed Seck, Bearden, 45-3.5; 9. Ladarion Rabion, Morristown West, 44-9; 15. Tayshawn Rice, 42-1.25.
100—3. Javaston Badgett Jr, Knox Central, 10.70; 12. Matthew Victory, Morristown West, 10.89.
200—4. Javaston Badgett Jr., Knox Central, 21.90; 5. Jayden Howard, Morristown West, 21.98; 6. Camden King, Maryville, 22.03.; 10. Nicolas Rivers, 22.34.
400—4. Camden King, Maryville, 48.51; 8. Josh Malenson, Maryville, 48.85.
800—1. Mason Geenhalgh, Oak Ridge, 1:52.51.
1600—3. Tommy Babbitt, Maryville, 4:18.29; 5. Nicholas Burke, West, 4:25.77.
3200—6. Sam Shagan, Farragut, 9:36.56; Nicholas Burke, West, 9:56.84.
100 HURDLES—4. Jayden Howard, Morristown West, 14.44.
300 HURDLES—3. Jayden Howard, Morristown West, 38.10; 9. Ladarion Rabion, Morristown West, 39.86.
4X100 RELAY—7. Morristown West, 42.22.
4X200 RELAY—8. Farragut, 1:29.11.
4X400 RELAY—2. Farragut, 3:18.36; 12. Maryville, 3:24.60.
4X800 RELAY—4. Farragut (Corom Hiebasko, Sam Shagan, John Williams, Ander Cabaniss), 8:00.82.
UNIFIED
GIRLS
LONG JUMP—7. Addison Frost, 11-6.
100—10. Josie Smith, Hardin Valley, 16.06; 14, Kenna Shingles, Hardin Valley, 33.16.
BOYS
SHOT PUT—3. Tyson Ritter, Karns, 43-5.75.
100—4. Becks Allen, Hardin Valley, 12.03; 11. James Lawrence, Hardin Valley, 14.02.
MIXED
4X100 RELAY—3 (tie), Hardin Valley (Becks Allen, Owen Garcia, James Lawrence).
4X400 RELAY—2. Oak Ridge (Amajiah Bishop, Natalie Adams, Rhett Hovater, Mason Greenhalgh), 3:46.28.