Photo courtesy of Hoover Athletics.
The Hoover High School boys track and field team won the Class 7A state outdoor meet on May 2, 2026, in Gulf Shores.
Hoover High School captured the Class 7A boys outdoor track and field championship at the state meet, finishing with 130 points at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium in Gulf Shores in early May. The Bucs’ girls squad finished second in the 7A standings with 100 points, falling just short of a sweep.
The boys championship was built on individual excellence from top to bottom. Hunter Purdue was one of the meet’s premier performers, winning the 100-meter dash in 11.12 seconds and the long jump at 24 feet, half an inch. Paxton Weatherly complemented Purdue in the sprints, finishing third in the 100 in 11.21. Jeremiah Tabb won the 110-meter hurdles in 14.97 seconds and placed third in the long jump at 23-0.50, making him one of the most versatile scorers on the roster.
Norman Settles won the boys pole vault at 15-0, a commanding victory in one of the meet’s marquee field events. Nigel Thomas and Langston Smith delivered a strong one-twopunch in the throws, with Thomas placing second in the shot put at 55-9 and fourth in the discus at 165-2. Smith placed third in the shot put at 51-7.25 and fifth in the discus at 164-10.
Ian Chatterton placed fourth in the 800 in 1:55.15 and fourth in the 1,600 in 4:17.23. Jamie McCarthy added a fifth-place finish in the 1,600 in 4:17.40 and seventh in the 3,200 in 9:38.59. KJ Wright placed seventh in the 300-meter hurdles in a personal best of 39.85. Jameson Coleman placed fourth in the 400 meters in 48.36.
The boys 4x100 relay won the Class 7A title in 41.63 seconds. The boys 4x400 relay placed fourth in 3:18.20, and the boys 4x800 relay finished second in 7:50.70, the fourth-fastest time in Alabama and 47th-fastest in the country this season.
On the girls side, Daisy Luna was the team’s most productive individual scorer, placing second in the 400 meters in 56.13, fourth in the 300-meter hurdles in 44.75 and sixth in the 200 meters in 26.35. Chloe Jones placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles in 15.53. Audrey Gault won the girls pole vault at 11 feet, a personal best and the sixth-best mark in Alabama this season. Amelia Vann placed third in the 800 meters in 2:17.08 and fourth in the 1,600 in 5:05.87. Reese Gonzalez placed second in the 1,600 in 4:58.28 and won the 3,200 in 10:50.28.
Khloe Ford placed fifth in the girls shot put at 37-6.50. Cassie Richardson placed ninth in the long jump at 17-0 and seventh in the triple jump at 38-2. Nyel Settles placed fourth in the high jump at 5-4, and Dallas Rooks placed fifth at 5-2.
The girls 4x400 relay won the Class 7A title in 3:51.49, the second-fastest time in Alabama and 84th-fastest in the country this season. The girls 4x800 relay placed fourth in 9:39.05.
Owen Chatterton swept the para ambulatory events for Hoover, winning the boys 100 meters in 22.77, the 200 meters in 49.87, the discus at 21-9 and the shot put at 12-2.
Spain Park’s JD Thompson was one of the most versatile performers from any area school at the Class 6A meet, placing fourth in the 100-meter dash in 11.21, fourth in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.02 and fifth in the long jump at 22-4. Jonathan Fonbah placed third in the high jump at 6-4 and fourth in the triple jump at 46-11. Graydon Moran placed second in the boys pole vault at 14-0, a personal best and the seventh-best mark in Alabama this season.
