(all photos by Marc Logan)
5A Boys
Dutchtown Boys, first State title in school history!
Dutchtown's boys took full advantage of an injury to a Fayette County sprinter, and sped on to their first State Track title in school history. The Bulldogs almost ran down Fayette in the 4x100 going 41.40 Ja'Shaun Poke raced to 2nd in the 400m (47.69) Joseph Laster III leaned for 2nd in the 100m (10.67)
Kameron Jones was a catalyst for Dutchtown scoring 18 + points
Kameron Jones hurdled for 18 points taking Gold in the 110h (14.26) and later silver in the 300h (38.33) Cameron Smith chipped in placing 4th in the 300h. At this point the team title had been clinched, but the Dogs' added a 5th in the 4x400 for good measure.
Harrison Fultz of Starrs Mill
Starrs Mill shot up to 2nd in the team standings as well with 48 points. The Panthers did well in the distance events winning 3 Golds and a Silver. Harrison Fultz doubled in the 1600 first at 4:19.56, and Saturday won the 800m in 1:54.59. Nick Nyman won the 3200m posting a 9:35.80 and was 2nd behind Fultz in the 1600 at 4:20.15 and Brandon Rew took 3rd in the 300h (39.25)
Trey Johnson set a new 5A record in the 400m
Fayette County began Saturday with 0 points, but sprang into action quickly winning the 4x100 relay in a photo finish win of 41.39. But misfortune struck in the 100m, as Seth Holloway shut it down after 50m and crossed in 7th place. Holloway did run in the 200 final, picking up a point for the team, but clearly had an injury. Trey Johnson won Gold in the 400m at 47.08 and placed 5th in the 200. The Tigers 4x400 squad ended the meet on a high note racing to Gold in the 4x400 going 3:14.35.
Host Carrollton made the team Podium with 41 points thanks to their prowess in the Field events. Jeremiah Pierce amassed 18 points by winning Gold in the Shot at 61-01, but had to settle for silver in the Discus with a mark of 174-04, as Nicolas Edwards lobbed a bomb of 175-03 seizing Gold. Joe Street ttok silver in the PV at 14-0 and Drew Taylor bronze at 13-6 and Mike Higgins placed 4th in the HJ (6-04)
5A Girls
Alexa Rossum winning the Girls 100m
It was a tough 3 way battle for the girls team title with Buford successfully defending their 2017 title scoring 73 points breaking 2 5A state records on the way. The Wolves went on the hunt quickly in the 4x100, burning down a new 5A state record of 45.26. They next pounced for 18 points in the 400m, as soph Kimberly Harris broke another class record going 53.31 (Harris also won Gold in the HJ at 20-2.5) with Trinity Price taking silver at 53.95
Trinity Price swiped Gold in the 200m
Alexa Rossum took control of the 100m from the gun and never challenging adding another Gold at 11.78 Britiney Johnson placed 5th in the 800m. Trinity Price struck Gold in the 200m with a swift 23.85 (Alexa Rossum shut it down, apparently injured) and Sierra Sieracki took 4th in the HJ. Buford had a 10 point lead over Maynard Jackson going into the 4x400, and cruised being dehyrated/hurt, getting the baton around the track sealing the team title.
Maynard Jackson had a strong day taking 2nd as a team
Maynard Jackson competed very hard, paying off in placing 2nd as a team with 66 points. On Saturday the Jaguars began with taking 3rd in the 4x100 (46.15) Added 10 points in the 400m, as Niya Benton- Andrews took bronze at 55.50 and Nykah Smith placed 5th. Queen Couch slashed to silver in the 100m (11.96) Maynard rang up 9 points in the 100h with Ryah Jackson 4th and China Waldorf, then dialed up 9 more in the 200m as Nykah Smith raced to bronze (24.36) and Niya Benton- Andrews took 6th. Jackson and Waldorf duplicated their 100h performance in the 300h taking 4th and 5th respectively. The Jaguars ended the meet with a bronze in the 4x400 (3:51.36)
Jayda Drake Howard swept the Hurdles for North Springs
North Springs ended up a strong 3rd with 60 points. Jayda Drake-Howard swept the hurdles events. First, in a photo finish win of 13.55 in the 100h, then dominated the 300h at 42.24. North Springs began finals speeding to silver in the 4x100 at 45.94. Saran Kouyeth won silver in the 200m (24.33) while finishing 4th in the 100m. Kennedi Weston Shields placed 3rd in the 800m race (2:18.11) North Springs ended the day with a bang breaking a 20 year old 5A state meet record in the 4x400, taking Gold at 3:44.93
Fayette County took the final team Podium spot having 42 points. The Tigers' points were produced mainly in the field events. Rikkelle Miller got silver in the discus with a toss of 133-09 and took 3rd in the Shot with a mark of 40-08. Na'ilah Moore won Gold in the TJ with a bound of 39-2.25, and placed 3rd in the LJ (18-10.50) and they placed 4th in the 4x400.