Central's Rashad Haynes wins Class AAA decathlon

By John Varlas
Memphis Commercial Appeal
May 14, 2016 - Central High School track standout Rashad Haynes (center) wins the mens 100M dash during the sectional track meet at Houston High School. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal)

MURFREESBORO — Central's Rashad Haynes needed to run the race of his life to hang on and win the Class AAA decathlon Tuesday at Spring Fling. And he did.

Competing against a very strong field, the senior posted 6,477 points to take the title and give Central 10 vital points in the team standings as it seeks to successfully defend its back-to-back championships on Friday.

"Whoo, I'm tired," said Haynes. "But it's a good tired, a good feeling. This is probably going to be the last decathlon I ever compete in ... so it's great to be successful against such a talented field."

Haynes — who will play football at Mercer — led after nine events. But the 1,500 is certainly not his strongest. His father and coach Rashad Haynes jokingly suggested his son doesn't like races in which he has to pass the finish line more than once.

And indeed Haynes finished well back of the pack. But his 5:33 time was a personal best — by 30 seconds — and allowed him to become the first Memphian to win a AAA decathlon since Joseph Doss of Melrose in 2004.

Despite the fatigue, Haynes still had enough energy for one last athletic feat; tossing his spikes a good 30 feet as he walked toward the medal stand.

"You just have to give your best no matter what the event," he said. "You can't let anything affect your mental state."

Daniel Tell didn't let much affect him either. The Tennessee signee from Briarcrest set a personal record with 6,204 points in finishing second in Division II behind McCallie's Hakim McMorris. Harding' s Ty Kimberlin came in third.

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At 5-6 and 136 pounds — he's lost about 10 since track season began — Tell isn't the biggest decathlete you'll ever see. But the senior said he's been overcoming the odds all his life so one more day wasn't any big deal.

"I have a contusion on my (right) heel so I've been jumping off my left since regionals," he said. "It's been a struggle. In the high jump, I'm jumping four inches over my head. And the hurdles, they hit me in the belly while others can just stride over them.

"But the decathlon is all about being an athlete and being an athlete is all about adapting. It's great to see the results."

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas.