Poplar Bluff seniors chase history in final tune-up before track districts

Jadarius Pigg and Jaden Deaton were chasing history Wednesday at the 40th Poplar Bluff Invitational track and field meet.

The Poplar Bluff seniors have been inching closer to school records this spring that have stood for over two decades.

Pigg ran the 300-meter hurdles in under 40 seconds for the first time, despite taking out a hurdle with 90 meters to the finish line and had his second-fastest time in winning the 110-meter hurdles.

“I was going to go 38 (seconds) today,” Pigg said of the 300. “If I didn’t hit that (hurdle) I was at 38.”

He officially finished in 39.66 seconds and won the 110-hurdles in 14.49, just 0.56 of a second off the school record.

Deaton had his fastest-ever time in the 1600, finishing in 4:17.54. It was the best time ever at a meet held in Poplar Bluff and just 3.44 seconds off the school record.

“It felt good on the mile,” said Deaton, who also won the 800 by nearly breaking 2 minutes.

“It’s definitely hard by yourself, but it was good. It felt smooth.”

Poplar Bluff's Jaden Deaton leads the pack during the 800-meter event Wednesday, May 5, 2021, at the Poplar Bluff Invitational at Mules Stadium in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

DAR/Brian Rosener

Deaton, who won the SEMO Conference title in the 800, 1600 and 3200 over the weekend, is chasing Arthur Waddle’s mile record of 4:14.1 set in 1982.

Deaton’s time Wednesday was faster than the so-called city record set at the Sam Giambelluca Track and Field Complex at Morrow Stadium. Donald Shell ran 4:20.9 in 1976 to set that record.

“I think I can go faster,” Deaton said.

Pigg’s fastest time in the 110 hurdles this season is 14.28 from late March at Neosho. At the conference meet Saturday, Pigg finished second at 15.72 when he lost a shoe after the second hurdle.

“It’s a lot harder running barefoot,” Pigg said. “I almost caught him.”

Pigg said he made sure not to wear socks Wednesday to avoid another thrown shoe.

He’s chasing Garland Martin’s hurdle records set in 1999. Martin ran 13.93 and 36.22 that season and also set the record on the Giambelluca Track at 14.06.

Pigg said Martin is actually a relative by marriage but they’ve not met.

From left, Poplar Bluff's John-Paul Godwin and Jadarius Pigg lead the pack during the 110-meter hurdles event Wednesday, May 5, 2021, at the Poplar Bluff Invitational at Mules Stadium in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

DAR/Brian Rosener

To get faster, Pigg said he needs to work on his form over the hurdles that’s been a problem since he was younger.

“One thing I really got to work on is pulling my trail leg through,” he said.

The hurdle that Pigg clipped in the 300 could have gotten him disqualified if it impeded the runner in the other lane, Mules coach Mark Barousse said.

“Hurdles and the pole vault, you can’t ever count on those points,” Barousse said. “There’s so much variants.”