Malia Campbell from Landmark will be one of the top performers this weekend
GHSA 2A Girls State Meet Preview
Team:
The girls' 2A track state championships looks like it will come down to the ultimate showdown between two small-school powerhouses: Landmark Christian and Athens Academy. Landmark Christian is the 2022 1A-Private state champion, and several key contributors from last year's state-winning team will return to help the War Eagles go back-to-back. Sophomore Taylor Gullatte is in top form and will look to defend her 100m and 200m state titles. Teammate Malia Campbell might be Gullatte's top competition in the 200m, and she's the favorite in the 400m as well. In the distance events, Shari Brown is one of the top contenders for the 1600m and 800m, two events where she is undefeated (besides sectionals) so far this season. These individual standouts will make Landmark tough to beat in the relays. They currently have the #1 ranked time in 2A in all four relay events, which I believe would be a first if it holds true at state. Landmark could also score in the pole vault and shot put.
The team with the best shot at taking down Landmark is Athens Academy, who last won a girls' title in 2017. Athens Academy is even stronger than Landmark in the distance events, as their depth is simply unmatched in 2A. Senior Sarah Harrison is projected to finish in the top five in the 800, 1600, and 3200, and she's not even the top runner on her own team. That honor would go to sophomore Maya Davis, who has run some blazing fast times this season, including 2:11 in the 800m. It should be unsurprising, then, that Athens Academy's 4x800 and 4x400 are ranked very high. The Spartans should also get some help in the field events. High jumper Josie Collins has jumped 5' 8" this season, which ranks #3 in all classifications, and she could score in the sprints as well. Thrower Veronika Babbitt should also score in both throwing events.
It might be a wild battle between the remaining schools who could finish on the podium. Appling County is looking very strong in the sprinting events, led by seniors Cadence Cray (sprints), Jada Williams (hurdles), and Teandra Clemons (jumps). Elite Scholars Academy from Jonesboro will try to maximize its points with hurdler Genesis Johnson ranked 1st in the 300mH and Jayla Simmons ranked highly in both the 200m and long jump, to go alongside some great relay teams. Drew Charter, Eagle's Landing, and Model will all be gunning to grab a podium spot as well.
Individual:
On the individual side, there will certainly be some events that are worth tuning into. Madeline Cooper of Drew Charter is the defending 100m and 200m 1A Public champion, and she's added the 100m hurdles to her arsenal of events this season. It's entirely possible that she could win all three events. The 800m might be an epic battle between Athens Academy's Davis and Savannah Arts's Lyric Olson, both of whom have PRs under 2:11.5. As mentioned above, Davis will be attempting the distance triple crown, so that might put her at a disadvantage with more tired legs, but we'll see. Landmark's 4x800 team ranks #1 all-classifications, but they will have some competition with Athens Academy with team title implications. Providence Christian's Ellison Chadwick is simultaneously a great sprinter and one of the best long jumpers in the state with a PR of 18' 11". Finally, Banks County's Shelby Speed is favored in both the discus and shot put, and she has nearly gone undefeated in both events all season long.
GHSA 2A Boys State Meet Preview
Team:
On paper, the boys' team battle closely resembles the girls' competition, with Athens Academy and Landmark Christian serving as the two favorites, with a host of teams duking out behind them for third and fourth. Landmark has considerably more history on its side, winning three team track titles in the last six state meets. In contrast, Athens Academy has never won a track and field state title. Athens Academy comes in as the narrow favorites in this one thanks in large part to its distance squad. The Spartans won the team XC title this fall, and they've run like champions in the spring as well. Senior Jackson Scruggs will be one of two Athens Academy runners attempting all three distance events at state, alongside junior Will DeLoach. Scruggs, the XC runner-up, ranks in the top two in all three events in 2A. DeLoach isn't too far behind, and senior teammate Robbie Dillon could also score some key points in the 1600 and 3200. The Spartans' 4x800m team are big favorites as well. It's not just distance races for Athens Academy, as the school has three pole vault contenders, including top-ranked vaulter Hoke Lucas. Combine this with some projected points in the sprints and hurdles, and Athens Academy will be tough to beat.
Doing their best to take down the Spartans will be perennial contender Landmark Christian. Unlike Athens, Landmark will not be relying on its distance runners to carry it to victory, instead having more a spread of disciplines. Sophomore Ian Tukes and freshman Jamari Rousseau are two of the best 110m and 300m hurdlers in 2A, so they should score some major points for the War Eagles. 400m specialist London Costen ranks #4 in all classifications with a 46.6 and is the heavy favorite for 2A. He also owns a PR of under 2:00 in the 800m. Sophomore Jaxson Campbell could score points in the 100m, 200m, and long jump, and likewise with thrower Chase Story in the shot put and discus. With such a well-rounded team, Landmark Christian should have good relays across the board. If the meet comes down to the 4x400, I wouldn't want to bet against Costen on the anchor leg leading Landmark to victory.
Model and Vidalia appear to have the best chances at finishing in the top three among the rest of the schools. Like last year, Model is led by distance runner Simon Schabort, who will once again be attempting the distance triple crown. He's ranked in the top three in the 800, 1600, and 3200 despite having a late start to his season. Vidalia is strongest in the jumps. Brandon Beasley is one of the best long and triple jumpers in 2A. Due to a group of some very solid sprinters, distance runners, and hurdlers, Vidalia has a good chance of scoring points in all four relays. Other teams aiming to get on the podium include Appling County and Drew Charter (both strongest in sprints and relays) and Fannin County (distance, pole vault, and throws).
Individual:
I can't wait to see who comes out on top in the 100m and 200m, in which I could see five or six athletes winning. Those events will probably determine which teams finish third through sixth. In the 400m, Landmark's Costen has a chance at breaking the 41-year-old 2A state record of 46.98. In the distance events, we'll see Scruggs and Schabort battle it out three times. Is it possible they go 1-2 in all three distances? The boys' high jump features eight athletes with PRs between 6' 2" and 6' 4", so anyone could win that event. 2A is unusually strong in the pole vault with three athletes seeded at 13' 6" or higher: Athens Academy's Lucas, and Fannin County's Tyler Stevenson and Corbin Davenport. Finally, we should have an epic showdown in both throwing events between Jeff Davis's Darius Barge and Eagle's Landing's DJ Chester. Both athletes head into state having won both events in all their meets since March 9.