LaTaijha Cherry’s first trip to the state track and field meet was a learning experience. Her second meant a trip to the medal podium.
Cherry finished fifth in the high jump at Saturday’s Clark Pump-N-Shop Class 3A State Track and Field Championships at the University of Kentucky in what was Hopkinsville High’s lone trip to the medal podium.
It was the best finish for a Hopkinsville female athlete at the state meet since Yogi McKnight’s fifth-place finish in the long jump in 2018.
Cherry, who became only the third Hopkinsville athlete to top five feet in the high jump earlier this year, cleared 4-feet, 10-inches.
Zenae Humphries set the school record of 5-feet, 5-inches in 1995. Humphries also has the best height at the state meet, set that same year at 5-2.
Cherry’s best height came four times this season at five feet, including at the region meet which qualified her for the state meet.
