Mathews High School runner Jalen Thomas earned a medal for his sixth-place finish in the 1,000-meter run in last week’s VHSL Group 1A/2A Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Thomas crossed the finish line with a time of 2:45.02. He was the highest placing member of the MHS team competing in the state championships, which were held on Feb. 22-23 at Roanoke College in Salem.

Thomas was also part of the boys’ 4x800 team (along with Jordan Jenkins, Sean Carlson and Wayne Webb) that came in seventh place and was on the 4x400 relay team (with Carlson, Webb and Calvin Kramer) that took ninth place.

The MHS girls’ 4x400 team of Lizzie Stokes, Jaysen Hall, Lauren Bland and Rileigh Betz placed 10th in its event. Ellie Gale came in 15th and Betz finished in 17th place in the 55-meter hurdles. The girls’ 4x800 relay team (Rileigh Betz, Avery Betz, Stokes and Bland) came in 15th place. ...