BYESVILLE - Gallia Academy's Kara Jackson set a new stadium record with her qualifying time in the 400-meter dash, and two of her relay teams also set new bests, during the first day of the Division II regional track and field meet on Thursday.

Jackson's time of 58.08 in the 400 broke the stadium record set by a former Blue Angel, Kayla Perry, a two-time state runner-up in the event. The freshman Jackson, along with Brea Close, Tonia Logan and Alexis Geiger also had impressive runs in relays.

The quartet ran the 4x100 and 4x200 meter relays in times of 50.01 and 1:45.47 respectively - both new records for the Meadowbrook High School campus. In all, the Blue Angels advanced to the finals in seven events on Thursday.

Gallia Academy, currently in 14th place with four points after just three events scored, will have competitors vying for regional titles and state berths in 11 different events when the finals are ran on Saturday - putting it in good position to challenge for a regional crown.

Jackson also earned a spot in the finals of the 200-meter dash, where she qualified with the sixth best time. Close finished sixth in the 300 and seventh in the 100-meter hurdles - earning spots in the finals there as well. Alexis Geiger had the second best time in the 100-meter dash.

Eight competitors from each event earn spots in the finals, which will be held Saturday afternoon.

Meigs had both of its boys sprinters earn spots in the finals. Brandan Fisher ran the sixth fastest qualifying time in the 100-meter dash. Fellow speedster Cornelius English, likewise, was sixth fastest in the 200 meters.

Meigs' girls, however, did not advance a girl to the finals. Adrian Bolin had a pair of 12th place finishes in the 100 and 300-meter hurdles. Also, two Lady Marauder relay squads failed to crack the necessary top eight.

Bolin, Emily Fields, Meghan Clelland and Catie Wolfe finished 14th in the 4x200-meter race. Then Wolfe, Clelland, Bolin and Devan Soulsby teamed to finish 13th in the 4x400 event.

Also on the girls side, River Valley's Tara Workman was 15th in the 300-meter hurdles. Then Gallia Academy's lone boy on the track side, Alex Ables, also did not advance after running 11th in the 400-meter dash.

Several finals were held on Thursday, including the 4x800-meter relay. Gallia Academy's Lee Ann Townsend, Genna Baker, Carol Fahmy and Lauren Adkins just missed moving on to the state meet with a fifth place showing in a time of 10:26.60.

Also in that event, Meigs' Soulsby, Kimberly Swisher, Hailey Williams and Wolfe were 15th in a time of 11:09.34.

Finals held in field events saw River Valley's Ashley Fitch take 15th with a throw of 28-05 in the shot put. Also Gallia Academy's Allie Troester tied for 15th with a height of 4-08 in the high jump. In boys field events, Gallia's Seth Lyles did not register a height in the pole vault.