Contributions from Coach Robert Wilson
Distance
The 6A 1600m will be just as exciting as the 6A Boys w/ 11 athletes within :10 of each other. Allie Buchalski and Anne Kelly are the favorites w/ prs of 5:00/5:02 Others looking to pull an upset should be Rachel Thorne of Alpharetta, Katherine Yost of Norcross, Alexa Womack of Walton, Natalie Bordes of Alpharetta, Avery Bussjager of Walton and Morgan Ainslee of Lassiter. In the 3200m race Buchchalski and Kelly will duel again w/ both having prs of 10:45. Looking to push the sub 11: mark wil be Yost, Lauren Hovis of Mill Creek, and Thorne. In the 800m field 4 runners have went sub 2:15 including 6A leader Lauren Zimmer of Lambert (2:12), Natalie Bordes (2:13) Tatyana Hodgnett of Tri-Cities and Mary Jeanne Assinzo of Marietta.
Sprints/Hurdles/Relays
Westlake is capable of running away from the field Saturday with their speed. In the 100m Shekara Martin is poised to take the Gold w/ a pr of 11.73 and could double in the 200m at 23.99 though she'll have to contend with Mill Creek's Malayshia George who's a 200/400 specialist (23.76) Also pushing Martin in the 100m will be sub 12. speedsters Elexis Guster of Berkmar and Simone Glenn of Brookwood. In the 200 Westlake could pick up 14 points w/ Martin and teammate Jenee Nichols (24.29) Glenn is also a threat in the 200m race (24.38) George has dominated the 400m with a season best almost :2 ahead of the field (53.40) Should be a terrific race for 2nd as 5 girls have prs ranging from 55.13 to 55.86 including Audrey Holt of Alpharetta, Cierra Dunston and MaKenzie Dunmore of McEachern, Danielle Burnette of North Cobb and Nichols of Westlake,
In the Hurdles races Shanel Burr from North Cobb comes into the 100h as the top hurdler in 6A at 13.88, but could be pushed by Wheeler's Natisha Dixon at 13.98 and all it takes is clipping one hurdle to alter the outcome..Amber Lewis of Roswell has an excellent chance to be in the mix for a title w/ a pr of 14.09 In the 300h Guster's footspeed (Berkmar), may be too much for her competitors to deal with having a Georgia best time of 42.13 Natisha Dixon (Wheeler), Ariel Terrell (Westlake) and Chelesa Crayton (Hillgrove) will provide a very fast race
4x100m- Westlake brings in the two fastest times from sectionals with their A squad burning down a 46.03 earlier this Spring in 46.03....Some top squads were victims of atrrition of Region/Sectionals leaving McEachern as the 1 team that could challenge them. Westlake will be the team to beat as well in the 4x400m having a sparkling 3:47 in Texas and McEachern should push them here clocking a 3:52 at Region
Field Events
Horizontals
Stormm Phillips comes into the meet w/ a top mark of 18-9.25 Kathleen Flagg of Chattahoochee has jumped 17-11, Nicole Blanding 17-9, and Kenya Simms of Langston Hughes 17-9. 3 of the top 4 jumpers in 6A this Spring will not participate in the LJ. Not the same situation in the tricky TJ as the top 3 hoppers in 6A will do battle including Keyasia Tibbs of Tri Cities (40-8), Dovon Johnson of Kennesaw Mtn and Bola Hambolu of Collins Hill have both exceeded 38' this season.
Verticals
In the PV Katelyn Utely of Tift County has cleared 12-3 this Spring and 2 other athletes having clearances of 11' including Jordan Shealy of Kennesaw Mtn and Elizabeth Hartley of Marietta. Should be a great HJ event with Malayshia George from Mill Creek clearing 5-7, Aliah Whisby of East Coweta 5-6 and Jazmyn Johnson of Duluth at 5-5. Westlake's Jasmine Jones pr'd at Sectionals at 5-4.
Throws
Cassidy Callahan of Norcross is the favorite to win the Discus with a huge mark of 145-7, followed by Jenessa Jackson of Marietta at 136 and Sarah Mitchell of Centennial recently had a toss of 128-7. Callahan and Jackson will have sterling ops to double as both have puts of 43+ and Mia Marshall of Parkview has a toss of 42-11