Thursday's Spring Fling wrap-up: Whitehaven track three-peats

MURFREESBORO — When asked if his Whitehaven girls track team could officially be considered a dynasty, coach Yusuf Sharif smiled and shrugged.

"We're trying to be," he laughed.

And succeeding.

The Tigers made history Thursday night at Dean Hayes Stadium, holding off Brentwood 89-83 to win the Class AAA championship for the third consecutive year. Brentwood (2003-05) was the last team to do it.

"I'm just so happy for these seniors," said Sharif. "Three state championships and a runner-up (in 2014) ... I think this was the hardest one yet. But I want to say this for the record, Kiara (Rhodes) put us on our back."

Rhodes, headed to Tennessee where she'll join former Whitehaven star Maia McCoy, won the pentathlon on Monday, before going to work once again. She won both the 100 (14.10) and 300-meter (43.94) hurdles races while finishing second in the high jump and third in the long jump to account for 44 points in her final high school meet.

"She's a point machine," said Sharif.

Kirstin Johnson finished second in both the 100 and 200 and ran on the winning 800 relay team, which also got a boost from the efforts of Ceirra Tate, who has been injured most of the year. The Tigers also won the 400 relay.

Aside from Rhodes, Erica Fisher of Arlington was the only other Class AAA champion; she took first in the 3,200 in a time of 10:59.28.

Briarcrest's Savanna Owens repeated as Division II 400-meter champ, winning in 56.22 while her teammate Meghan Underwood dominated the 800, running a 2:15.77 to win by almost five seconds. Harding's Antoinette Lewis won the shot put with a throw of 40-6.75. while Molly Martin of ECS threw 112-7 to win the discus.

The boys running finals begin Friday at 3 p.m. as Central looks to match Whitehaven and take home its third straight championship.

Friday's best bets

Several area standouts will be going for the gold at the Old Fort Tennis Center Friday morning.

Frederick Danielson of MUS, the West Region player of the year, takes on George Harwell of Montgomery Bell Academy in the Division II-A final at 9 a.m. Catherine Owen and Grace Anne Dunavant of Hutchison will play for the DII-AA doubles title at 11 a.m. against the Chattanooga Baylor team of Lily Mooney and Lauren Carelli.

In DII-A boys, John Kimball and Walker Stearns of St. George's face Ben Pearce and Ohm Sharma of Knoxville Webb at 9 a.m.

Shelby County has a chance for a sweep in Class AAA girls. Sneha Sinha of Collierville faces Somer Henry of Brentwood in singles while the Houston team of Allison Griffin and Lindsay Carney battle Evelyn Calhoun and Georgia Fisher of Brentwood. Both of those matches take place at 11.

Houston and Station Camp meet for the Class AAA soccer title at 4 p.m. at Siegel Soccer Park.

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