What a remarkable year for Georgia women\'s track and field. We were witness to some amazing performances this season and foremost in my mind is the dramatic improvement we\'ve seen in women\'s distance running. But that\'s not the only story from this season and it\'s time to look at all that happened in Albany as we try to sum up the season. This just represents my thoughts...call it an editorial if you like, but I wanted to take a moment to share some of my thoughts.
Class A
Natalie Milo, a senior from Bremen, wins the girls shot put with a 39\'4\". Good story here. Honor graduate who is headed to Samford next fall for track. Natalie spent 7 weeks in a cast this winter before the season and yet came back and leaves as the state champ in the shot put. Nice job Natalie!
You can\'t help but notice that 55.62 in the girls 400m race. Callie Pottinger of Whitefield Academy definitely deserves some kudos for an amazing perfromance in finishing ahead of Ciara Willis of Landmark Christian in the 400m What an amazing performance.
In the team race, Landmark Christian does it again with a big 20 point win over Jefferson. While the margin of vitory was not as impressive as their last few state performances, the ladies at Landmark once again find themselves at the top of the awards stand in what some thought would be a rebuilding year for the program. You are to be commended ladies.
Class AA
Christy Brown of Holy Innocents had quite a meet down in Albany. State champion in the long jump, 100m and 200m. She teamed up with Haley Kolff, who won both the 1600m and 3200m to help Holy Innocents to a 2nd place finish with 50 points. That\'s two girls and 50 points at state. What an amazing performance by these two young ladies!
Greater Atlanta Christian ended their season in tremendous fashion as Stasia Kelly Taylor had an oustanding meet herself, finishing with a state record in the tirple jump along with a win in the 300m hurdles and a 2nd place finish in the 100m hurdles. Her teammate Cree Nix also provided some valuable points herself with her runner up finish in the 300 hurdles.
Porche Byrd, of Cross Keys was another young lady that had a great meet, running a 55.62 to win the 400m. And I couldn\'t help but notice that Buford High School had some elite performance as well, including a young lady that ran 2:20 in the 800m for runner up honors to Megan Betts of Darlington. Congratulations as well to Janna Brown, of Bleckley County, who tied a state record with her 10\'6\" winning effort in the pole vault. The vault in Georgia just keeps getting better and better.
Class AAA
I had a chance to talk to the coach from Therrell while waiting for one of my athletes to warm up. The girls from Therrell had quite a season. They represented themselves well down in Albany, taking home a top 4 finish. The coach is in only his second season with the girls program. Looks like good things are happening for them as they had quite a contingent at state. But what can you say about Carrollton? Wow about sums it up for me. This team boasts talent in so many different areas. They scored in 13 different events at state, something I find truly amazing. Hats off to the crew at Carrollton for an awe inspring performance.
The 4x100 in AAA is a race that really got my attention. From 1st through 6th place, there was only a .913 seconds difference between them. Thank heavens for automatic timing! Holy smokes....less than 1 seconds difference between 1st and 6th...amazing.
Brittany Long of Therrell had quite a meet. State champion in both the 100 and 200m with times of 11.95 and 24.2. Way to turn up the heat Brittany. Congratulations on an amazing performance.
I also noticed that M.L. King had a great first season. I believe that M.L. King is in their first year of competition and finished 8th overall as a team. Thanks in part to Ayesha Famble and her state winning performance in the 800m. 2:19.85 over a duo from Westover (that\'s right two girls from one school went 2 and 3 in the 800m). Great job M.L. King girls on a great season.
Caroline Vaughn,, from Blessed Trinity, also had an amazing meet. 14.288 in the 100m hurdles gave her top honors. in AAA. I was able to watch her prelims race. Watching her run hurdles is like watching poetry in motion. Congratulations on an oustanding perfromance.
Jasmine Dacus, of Westlake, was equally impressive in winning the 300m hurdles in 43.387. The girls from Westlake were impressive all year long and did not disappoint at state finishing just behind 2nd place Westover. The folks at Westover also deserve credit as that program produces superior results year after year. Congratulations to you both on exceptional seasons.
Class AAAA
Alisha Simmons of Greenbrier led a trio of 18+ long jumpers in a high quality field. Kim House, of North Springs, was one of those 18\' jumpers. She helped her team to a state championship and also ran on the top 4x400 team that turned in a 3:53 to just edge SW Dekalb. The girls from North Springs had a tremendous meet. Congratulations ladies.
We all know about the exploits of Emily Reese. This kid is just flat out amazing and I could go on and on about her. She\'s as impressive off the track as she is on it. Her effort in the 3200 broke a state record that had stood since 1986...and she\'s a freshman. My first thought was my gosh, what does she use to motivate her now? And then the answer occured to me. Shelley Taylor and Emily Borsare, that\'s what. You may look at the results and say but Emily finished 29 seconds ahead of Shelley in the 3200. Shelley is a fighter. Her peformance in the 1600m proved that. She\'s smart and she stayed with Emily for a good portion of the race in the 1600m. Emily ran a smart race in the 3200 and is to be commended for that but thankfully for her, Shelley and Emily will be there next year to keep pushing her and the whole state will benefit as a result. We had three athletes in AAAA break the 11:00 barrier in the 3200 this year and that is directly attributable to Emily Reese. She raised the bar and others responded. Georgia and AAAA could not find a better group of girls than Reese, Taylor and Borsare to represent them. You are all to be commended for an amazing season.
Another stand out peformance was posted by Ena Leufroy, of Marist. Ena didn\'t let the disappointment of her finish in the 1600 distract her from taking care of business on Saturday in the 800m as she posted an astounding 2:08.643 for the win, finishing 9 seconds ahead of another talented athlete in Brittany Robbins of SW Dekalb. What an amazing perfromance after what had to be a disappointment for her on Friday. This is the mark of a true champion. Great job Ena on another spectacular finish. Speaking of Brittany though, I don\'t know that I\'ve ever seen an athlete score in the 1600,800 and triple jump before. Unbelievable!
Class AAAAA
If you missed the girls shot put and discus in AAAAA, you missed an amazing show. Emily Sanders. of Sequoyah, and Jasmine Jordan, of Tift County are to be commended for their stellar perfromances but there was a lot of drama as these two young ladies were pushed the entire competition by quality fields in both events. Sanders had to do some serious soul searching before she pulled out a nail biter win over Kristen Hart of Camden County and Amy Mueller of Shiloh. Five girls broke 40\' in the shot put. Mueller might have been the story of the day as she hit a big PR to take 3rd in the event.
Jasmine Jordan posted a 144\'5\" effort in her frist attempt and yet she wasn\'t able to relax until the very end as freshman Eve Machovec, put on a show of her own with two throws over 139\' with a best of 139\'10\" for second place. This was a big PR for both girls and to hit it on the big stage when it really counted is a testament to both athletes. Tift Co. has consistently produced good throwers and Jasmine is just the latest in a long line of good throwers out of that area. As for Eve, what can you say? Just a freshman, she threw 41\' in the shot for fourth place as well and can turn a 63 second 400m. This girl has greatness written all over her. She should be fun to watch for three more years.
The girls 4x400m and Stephenson HS...those two terms seem to go hand in hand and this year was no exception. The girls from Stephenson turned in a 3:49.22 effort to take gold once again. I don\'t know that anybody in the state does the job in the 400 any better than the folks at Stephenson. 3:49...simply stunning.
Girls 4x100m...talk about the battle of the titans. McEachern and Redan....47.200 and 47.220. Ladies, what an incredilbe season you\'ve had. You\'re both to be commended for your spectacular performances all year long. Congratulations for an amazing perfromance.
And what about the distance races in AAAAA? Brittany Hall goes 2:14 and just a sophomore. Taylor Adams is right behind in 2:17 after an amazing 1600m race. where she took top honors over Jackie Drouin. What did Jackie do in response? She sure didn\'t seem to let it bother her as she ripped off a blistring last lap to finish in 10:49.98. Yet another oustanding young female distance runner putting together a perfect race at state and yet one couldn\'t help but be impressed by young Leila Norman, of Walton. Watching her run the 3200 reminded me of another young 9th grade runner who liked to lead from the front. The freshman ran an 11:55 to finish 2nd in a classic match up. These two young ladies really put on a show.
Then there is Aleesha Barber. from Redaan. 14.02 in the 100 hurdles and 42.45 in the 300 hurdles. One of my favorite events is the hurdles and what you do is sheer artistry. It was a joy watching you compete.
Kudos go out to Erica Penk from Dacula for her state championship effort in the vault. It couldn\'t happen to a better kid. Much luck as you continue to push that bar ever higher.
You have a lot to be proud of Georgia. You turned in some stellar performances this season. Looking forward to more of the same next year.