(all photos by Marc Logan's Flash Forward Photography)
Frosh Jaylen Slade (c) was 'the Star' of the Chick Fil-A Invitational
Sooner.. hopefully than later, the Metro ATL area will begin to feel like Spring, as athletes once again dealt with unseasonably colder temps and breezy weather yet once again. But, it did not stop scores of talented athletes from heating up the track at Union Grove Saturday. 34 MileSplit 2nd team Elite Performances were achieved and a rising star announced his presence with authority. MD's commented, "The competition was great and it was an awesome all around meet as 37 teams representing all classifications from a wide cross-section of the state battled it out in some great races. The meet also served as a great mid-season barometer for a lot of programs"
Chapel Hill's Boys established themselves as a 5A powerhouse winning the Boys team title by scoring 85 points besting 5A Eagle's Landing by 16 points with 7A Shiloh a 1/2 point back taking 3rd place. Starrs Mill came out on top on the Girls side besting 3A Westminster by 12 points, with 7A Archer 3rd. Starrs did it by winning the 4x800, scoring 16 points in the PV with Julia Carson taking 1st and picking up alot of points in many events with 3rd place finishes and in the top 8.
Jaylen Slade of Chapel winning the 100m dash in 10.67
Jaylen Slade of Chapel Hill HS continues to prove he is indeed the real deal. Slade began his day winning the Triple Jump with a mark of 45-05 (his pr is 47-6) The fast Frosh threw down 10.67 in the 100m dash and followed that with what has to be a Georgia freshman record time of 21.44 in the 200m. Slade was a key cog in Chapel Hill's winning 4x100 squad (41.88) and 4th place 4x800 squad (3:27.37)
Elijah Berry of Shiloh (3) is seen here winning the 400m dash in a sweet time of 47.95. Berry, in a rare 400/800 combination of events, later won the 800m run going 1:56.29
Myles Collins of Archer remained undefeated in the 1600m run this season posting a 4:21.78 edging a game Calan Gizelbach of Central Forsyth at 4:22.55 (rear)
Chapel Hill (lane 6) shocked the field running away with the Boys 4x100 clocking a 41.88
Eagle's Landing and Shiloh push it coming into the Boys 4x400 finish!
In the best way possible to end a meet, Eagle's Landing and Shiloh battled the entire race with Eagles taking the win by .04 in a photo finish going 3:16.67!
Stockbridge (lane 4) prepares to pass the baton to their anchor coming from behind to win the Girls 4x100 relay posting a winning time of 48.26
Jazmine Hobson of Shiloh (lane 4) wins the 100m dash in 12.08 and later completed a double taking the 200m as well clocking a 25.22. Taking 2nd in the 100m was Jasmine Logan from Eagle's Landing HS in lane 3.
1600m dash girls sprint for the holeshot. Pictured (L-R) are Westminster's Katherine Vuckovic, Mackenzie Walls of Veterans HS and Naima Turbes of Westminster. Turbes took the win going 5:08.41. Walls won the 3200 later clocking an 11:17..
The Girls 800m race went down to the wire, as Naima Turbes (r) edged Chapel Hill's Ilene Soleyn (who earlier won the 400m dash at 57.39) by .44 clocking a 2:19.30
Darci Khan of Stockbridge clears the final hurdle in the Girls 300m hurdle race, but..its never over till the finish line as Jayda Burkett of host Union Grove (rear) caught and passed her for the win going 45.28.
34 performances met the MileSplit US Second Team standard.