For someone who hadn’t competed in track and field before this season, Maurice Moore saved his best for last.
The Fort Campbell senior won the 400-meter run and placed fifth in the 200 meters at Thursday’s Clark’s Pump and Shop Class 1A State Meet in Lexington.
Moore’s time of 49.32 seconds was the third-fastest in school history – only behind Jordan Gibbs-Francis (48.57 in 2013) and Marcus Gildersleeve (49.27 in 1993). He knocked off nearly seventh-tenths of a second off his previous best. He only lost in the 400 meters once during the season.
It was part of a day that saw Moore reach the medal podium four times. He finished fifth in the 200 meters in 22.86 seconds, .01 off his personal best run at the region meet.
Moore was also part of two relay teams that brought home top-three finishes.
The 1600-meter relay team of Moore, Samuel Atoubi, Robert Federovich, and Mateo Cerritos Gatto finished second to region rival University Heights Academy with a time of 3:33.34.
The 800-meter team of Moore, Cerritos Gatto, Federovich, and McKenzie Andrews finished in third place in 1:32.57 – a season-best.
Cerritos Gatto had two individual trips to the medal podium. He finished fifth in the 400 meters in 51.24 seconds and was seventh in the triple jump at 40 feet, 11.75 inches – just off his personal best set at the region meet.
John Montalvo medaled for the Falcons in the pole vault with a height of 11 feet, equaling his region meet height.
In other finishes for the Falcons –
Samuel Atoubi finished in 14th place in the 110-meter hurdles in a season-best 16.88 seconds.
Amaury Andrews was 22nd in the 300-meter hurdles in 47.82 seconds.
Jeffery Perry came in 23rd place in the 3200-meter run in 11:22.11.
In the field events, Ja’Lyel Welch finished 13th in the shot put at 42 feet, 4 inches. He was also 13th in the discus throw at 118 feet, 4 inches.
Keshawn Dixon was 19th in the discus throw with a toss of 107 feet, 6 inches.
Kaiden Verdone came in 11th place at 5 feet, 10 inches.
In the unified events, Arismendy Cueto and Eithan Cassell had a big day and reached the medal podium several times.
They finished second in the 2×50 meter relay (15.14); third in the long jump (21 feet); fifth in the shot put (46-00.50).
As a team, the Falcons finished in eighth place with 37 points.
