4A Contributions from Coach Claude Spinks
Distance
Marist has a huge advantage with their I can't count how many XC State championships...Morgan Ilse has a season best 5:04 in the 1600m and don't be shocked if Kate Northrop knocks a few seconds of her 5:20 pr as Marist always peaks at State. Brittany Truitt of Alexander (headed to Bama' next Fall) has the next fastest time in 5:12.93 It will be very tight the next few positions including Shelby Wilson of NW Whitfield, Bekah Houston of Dalton, Northrop, and Sarah Bearden of Lagrange all with best times around 5:20 Ilse again is the woman to beat in the 3200m and may be running all alone having a pr of 10:57 (good decision to give up Soccer, no) 5 other gals in the field have gone sub 12: including hometown fave Ericka Taylor of Westover at 11:47, Shannon Milliken of Stockbridge 11:48 and Allyssa Weaver of Pickens County 11:50
Its going to possibly be the best 800m race of the meet in 4A as 6 ladies have season bests between 2:20.27 and 2:21.48 led by Truitt of Alexander, Catie Faust of Marist, Devonna Hill of Eagle's Landing, Wilson of NW Whitfield, Michaela McGhee and Jillian Sloane both of Woodland-Stockbridge.
Sprints/Hurdles/Relays
Monroe Area's Javianne Oliver is the top Sprinter all-classes in Georgia and she will be seeking to close out her HS career with another double in the 100/200m before heading to Chapel Hill at UNC. Oliver has pr's this season of 11.52 and 23.73 barring a miscue the quest for the next 2 medals will be between sub 12. sprinters Remel Williams of Alexander and Victoria Parker of Sandy Creek. (Parker has the 2nd best time in 4A 200m in 24.85) Evenly matched are Redan's Crystal Gray, Breeana Mahone of Shaw along w/ Williams of Alexander. The 400m race is going to be an absolute delight based on season bests w/ Gray of Redan coming in top dawg at 56.02. Marist has a top 1/4 miler in their folder w/ Zuri Davis (56.55), others looking to steal the show are Mahone, Chakera Fletcher of Monroe-Alb, Adriunna Brown of Rutland, and Hill of Eagle's Landing.
In the 100h Anasterasia Terrell of Howard is the favorite to take Gold having a pr of 14.18 at Region. Other contenders may be sub 15. athletes Chinvera Njokyu of Fayette County, Sidney Holmes of Chamblee and Natosha Jordan of Richmond Academy. the 300h is fairly wide open and one mistep/miscue could be the difference.Top contenders for the title are Brown of Rutland with a best of 43.94 followed by Fletcher of Monroe-Alb at 44.34 and Susan Meinders of Dalton 44.43 at Sectionals.
Relays are going to be huge for this class and I know the Lynx will be cranked to the max having 4 squads with bests ranging from 47.76 to 48.20 including 4A season leader Shaw, Sandy Creek, Rutland and Redan. Redan has the top Mile Relay time at 3:54, with a train of teams in tow beginning w/ Shaw, Monroe-Alb and Marist.
Field Events
Horizontals
Most of the top jumpers settled for Q' at Sectionals, although 2 girls hace exceeded 19' this Spring including 4A leader Brown of Rutland at 19-5 and Terrell at 19-3. Terrell will be going after an elusive horizontal double having the top mark of 2013 at 40-7. Chinelo Egbosiubia of Bannker and Draneisha Griffin of Redan have both jumped over 38'
Verticals
Natosha Jordan of Academy had a tremendous clearance of 5-9 at Sectionals going into Albany as the favorite in the HJ. Marist's Bailey Weiland has consistently jumped well all season w/ a mark of 5-8. Others looking to bring them down w/ bests of 5-6 are Nicole Findura of Woodland-Stockbridge, Nylah Chavis of Eastside and Hannah Billups of Eagle's Landing. The PV is wide open in 4A as Ashton Matson of Alexander has the top clearance at 10-0, followed by Kayla Kirkland of Westover at 9-6.
Throws
The Discus competition should be tight w/ Liberty County's Courtney Bennett having the top mark at 132-1 (6 weeks ago), Ahyanna Mitchelle of Westover recently tossed the Discus 126-9 at Sectionals. Kamryn Brinson of Marist has plenty of national competition experience on her side (124-2) For the Shot, Nyla Woods of Grady has the best mark going in at 41-4.50 followed by 3 athletes w/ marks of 38'+