By Gene Phelps

Daily Journal

Chad Bumphis won the 100 meters in 11.2 seconds in last week's Pontotoc Invitational.

However, the Mississippi State football signee and Tupelo sprinter wasn't thrilled with his time.

"I won, but I felt like I was barely moving," he said.

Golden Wave coach Nathan Hall just laughed when her heard what Bumphis had to say about his time. Hall has been pleased with the performance of his sprinters early in the season.

"We won all our relays at Pontotoc," he said. "We've got some depth in sprinting."

Tupelo's sprinters, including Bumphis, will get the opportunity to drop their clockings Saturday during the 39th running of the Daily Journal Relays at Tupelo High School's football stadium.

Tupelo's boys and girls teams enter the meet as defending champions in the large school division while the small school divisions will crown new champions.

Rich Heyer, who won the 400 meters in Pontotoc, joins Bumphis, Matt McIntosh, Garian Heard, Justin Bean, Chris Donald, Keegan Todd, Casey Wilson and David Calmes in the sprints, which include the 4x400, 4x200 and 4x100 relays.

Tupelo will enter the distance runs - 3,200 and 1,600 meters - without its star, junior Max Holman, who will compete this weekend in a regional meet.

In the field events, defending champion pole vaulter Hal Boerner, a junior, returns. He jumped a career-best 13-6 to win last season's event. He's vaulted 14-1 in practice this year.

"One of the most important elements is to have a consistent run and good form," he said. "A lot goes into pole selection, too."

In the girls meet, distance runners Catherine Holman, Katherine Steinman and Maggie McFerrin give Tupelo a solid trio in the 3,200 and 1,600 meters.

Steinman was the 3,200 winner and McFerrin the 1,600 winner in Pontotoc.

Georgia Russell, a freshman, easily won the 300 hurdles in Pontotoc.