ELI ADAMS, VAN BUREN

Every point mattered in Van Buren's first track and field state championship, and Adams provided some big ones.

Based on seedings from the season and the 5A-West track meet, Adams was projected to provide 10 points in the 1,600- 3200-meter runs.

Instead, he finished third in the 1600-meter to earn the Pointers six points in the event.

In the next-to-last event of the state meet, Adams finished second in the 3,200 for eight points.

"Eli Adams scoring 14 points in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter when he was supposed to score 10 was big," Van Buren Coach Hays Lemley said. "We had Mountain Home at 14 to 18 points in the 3200 and 1600 and they scored 10. That was a huge swing of points in our advantage."

Adams is the River Valley Democrat-Gazette Co-Distance Runner of the Year.

"I'm still in shock," Adams said. "I can't believe we won. Every little point mattered, every last effort went into winning the state championship."

For Adams, the projections didn't matter.

"Let's do our all; I can beat them," Adams said.

The week before, Adams won the 3,200 during the 5A-West track meet in Greenwood with a personal record of 9:49.69.

That's also set up his goal for his senior season, his senior season as he sets his sights on his distance coach Aaron Batey's school record.

"I want to break some of my coach's record," Adams said. "I'm one second off, so hopefully I'll get that next year."