For the second year in a row, the Sparta Bulldogs track team can call themselves conference champions.
The Bulldogs won 11 of 19 events at the SIRR Mississippi Division conference track meet Thursday in Anna racking up 191 points. Nashville took second with 133 points followed by Du Quoin (90), Anna-Jonesboro (68), Chester (64) and Pinckneyville (36).
“Overall, this team took care of business and did what was needed to be done,” said Sparta coach Mark North. “I am proud to have won back-to-back titles. We knew we had a shot but we also knew that the competition was going to be tough.”
Maurice Austin finished the meet with four gold medals as he won both the 100 and 200 meter dashes and was also part of Sparta’s winning 400  and 800 meter relay teams.
“To win four gold medals in a conference meet is pretty incredible stuff,” said North.
Wade Reeves also had a big day for Sparta winning both the 1600 and 3200 meter runs. Wes Bradshaw took second behind his teammate Reeves in both events.
The Bulldogs also got first place finishes from Preston Nance in the high jump (6’3.25), Corey Hale in the discus (147’3.50) and Cody Klein, who broke the conference meet record with a 15’6 mark in the pole vault. Klein also took third in the high jump and the triple jump.
Jon Hill took second in the 800, while Dustin Neff took third in the same event and London Oliver claimed third in the long jump to round out Sparta’s medalists.
Next up for the Bulldogs will be the track sectional in Nashville Friday.
“This will be a much different team once sectionals come around,” said North. “In this conference meet, we tried to score as many points as possible. That won’t be the strategy come sectional time. Our goal is to get as many people as possible to the state meet and put them in the best place possible to succeed.”
For Chester, Chad Koenegstein won the 110 meter hurdles (15.3) and took third in the 300 meter hurdles (41.19).
John Baughman finished second in the pole vault (12’6). Wes Cowan took third in the shot put (44’7) and the discus (132’7.5) and Devin Valleroy finished third in the 1600 meter run (5:01.87).
The Yellow Jackets also finished third in the 3200 meter relay with a time of 9:01.15.  
For Pinckneyville, Jake Bathon took second in the high jump (6’3) and Taylor Pyatt finished second in the triple jump.