SYLACAUGA, Ala. – Two races on two different days delivered two state championships for Sylacauga track and field, and this week’s Allen Brew Market Athletes of the Week honors belong to Jeremiah Crawford and Corbyn Patterson.
Crawford got things started earlier in the week at the AHSAA Class 5A State Meet in Gulf Shores with the performance of his career in the 300-meter hurdles.
The Sylacauga standout powered his way to a state championship with a winning time of 40.36, breaking his own school record in the process. Crawford had spent the season establishing himself as one of the top hurdlers in the state, and on championship day, he left no doubt. Clean over the hurdles and composed down the stretch, he separated himself late to bring home the state title and add another milestone moment to Sylacauga track and field history.
A day later, Patterson delivered a finish nobody in attendance will forget.
Running out of lane 7 in the Class 5A 400-meter finals, Patterson stayed within striking distance through the opening stretch before closing hard over the final meters. At the line, he leaned just ahead of the competition to win the state championship by 0.02 seconds with a personal-best time of 48.87, nearly three seconds faster than his previous best.
It took everything he had.
After crossing the finish line, Patterson needed medical attention before eventually returning for the medal ceremony, where the moment finally started to settle in. In his final high school race, he crossed the line first when it mattered most.
Together, Crawford and Patterson capped off their Sylacauga seasons with back-to-back state championship performances on the biggest stage in Alabama high school track and field.
Two seniors. Two state champions. One unforgettable week for the Aggies.
