Northside’s Blackmon determined to repeat at state’s top track meets

Northside senior Cherish Blackmon knew it would be a tough act to follow what she did on the track last season. As a junior, she won the Class 6A state championship in the triple jump and did the same thing days later at the Meet of Champions.

Blackmon also holds school records in both the triple jump (38-3.5, which was set last season) and the long jump (17-9.5, which was achieved during her sophomore season in 2023). But Blackmon isn’t feeling any pressure to repeat her feat as the state’s triple jump champion. At least not publicly.

“I didn’t really think about it that much,” Blackmon said.

She’s also continuing to make her push at a repeat, and then some.

At the McDonald’s Relays, held April 24 at Southside’s Jim Rowland Stadium, Blackmon finished third in the triple jump with a measurement of 35 feet and 10.25 inches. She also competed in the long jump and placed eighth, while also part of the 400-meter relay squad which took second with a time of 50.27.

While she specializes in field and track events, including running the last leg in the 400-meter relay, Blackmon doesn’t hesitate when asked what her favorite event is. It’s the event that is her bread and butter, the event that she took state in twice.

“Out of all of my events I participate in, I like the triple jump better at it and it gives me a different feeling,” Blackmon said.

It’s that feeling of being suspended in the air, waiting to land into the sand-filled pit. For Blackmon, it’s like a rush of adrenaline when she flies high in hopes of garnering the winning measurement.

“My speed and being able to hold in the air a little bit longer (are among my biggest strengths),” Blackmon said.

Her coach at Northside, Kelsey Edwards, has seen what Blackmon can do, even before seeing her run and jump for the Lady Bears.

“She really just has natural speed and jumping ability, and at her height it just helps even more on the jumping events,” Edwards said. “I actually had to coach against her when she was in seventh and eighth grade, so it is nice being on the same team with her now and not coaching against her.”

It was at that level where Blackmon realized what she could do at track and field.

Edwards also shares something else about his prized senior; she isn’t quite up to full strength – yet. Blackmon got a late start to the track season because she was finishing up playing basketball for the Lady Bears. And she helped the Lady Bears win the state championship as a valuable player coming off the bench.

In fact, she made several key baskets during Northside’s win against Fayetteville for the 6A championship in March. But not only that, Edwards disclosed, but also Blackmon was fighting through an injury sustained through basketball.

“She got a late start in track this year because she was winning a state championship in basketball, and she has been battling a knee injury from basketball as well that has hindered her a little so far in her short track season,” Edwards said. “We are hoping to use this conference championship meet Friday to gain some momentum heading into state next week to see if she can defend her 6A triple jump title.”

And Blackmon remarked she is more than ready to defend her crown.

“I just know it’s my last season of high school track, so I just do my best,” she said.

Plus, Blackmon is glad to have the support of her teammates with her, especially the ones she runs with on the relay squad.

“My teammates are very important because I will just be coming from a jumping event, so they build me up before my race and after,” she said.

She’s ready to rely on herself and her teammates as the 6A state meet fast approaches in early May at Bentonville West’s facility. Then perhaps another run – or jump might be most appropriate – at the Meet of Champions, taking place several days later in Searcy.