This 2010 season has finally put GA Middle School Track and Field on the radar. There have been some outstanding Individual performances with many athletes ranked nationally, although gatfxc.com is one of the few MileSplit sites that attempts to solicit results in the correct formats and capture performances. Also, 2010 marks the first State MS championship being hosted by Smart Meet Management at Parkview's Big Orange Jungle with FAT provided by The Perfect Timing Group! There are 25 days left until the meet, with registration here: https://ga.milesplit.com/meets/61846 This meet will include a full schedule of events including Hurdles, TJ, Pole Vault and Discus. The final day for registration is 4/21.
There have been results submitted from Athens Academy, ACS-Athens Area MS Chmp, Landmark, Whitefield, Jefferson-Bryan Relays, Hart County, Westminster, East Jackson Jr. Eagle and the DeKalb County meet which was very competitive. This season since the majority of MS meets are hand-held timing, 100-110 meters events have been included in the Rankings although DeKalb, Bryan Relays, Athens Area, Landmark and Whitefield were FAT.
MS Boys Field
On the MS Boys side, some incredible March efforts were accomplished especially in the Field Events from the NEGA area. Mason Hambrick from Jefferson MS has cleared 12-6 at Commerce per GA Olympics MD Tim Corbett and Mason is ranked #1 on MileSplit nationally. Levi Cummings from ACS has continued to soar and has cleared 11-0. Joseph Ruggiers, also of ACS, is destroying everyone in the Discus with a pr of 161-0. Elbert County MS has 2 boys with some serious hops in Marquice Dye and Kenterrio Chappell who both have cleared 6-0 at the Junior Eagle. In the Horizontal Jumps, 40 feet is being pushed hard and the Athens area is also dominant. Leading the TJ is Taylor Hardigree from ACS with a stellar mark of 39-03 followed by Commerce's Jamir Walton at 38-7 and Bullet Johnson of Elbert in 38-1. Many boys are challenging the 20 feet barrier in the LJ including Hardigree with a 19-05 mark who trails leader Larenz Griggs of Chamblee with a mark of 19-5.75. DeKalb County is dominating the boys Shot starting with Jamal Smith of Stephenson with a heave of 50-02 followed by Justus Mitchell of Henderson at 47-03.
MS Boys Track
There have been some hot performances on the track led by Bear Creek twins Elliot and Evan Berry's sizzling FAT 11.27 and 11.28 at the Carrollton Jr. High Invite (word is they slowed down at the finish to try to tie!) The twins also sport 200m times of 24.26 and 24.32. Chapel Hill-DeKalb's Jayquan Johnson flat out tore it up at the DeKalb MS meet with FAT times of 11.44 in the 100m and 23.46 in the 200m. The performances in the Dash events continued to come from the hot DeKalb meet as Marcus Smith of Miller Grove recorded a event leading time of 53.08 with Salem MS's Deme Richardson a couple of strides behind in 53.68. Luke Teah of Tucker is dominating the 800m run with another DeKalb meet performance as he ran away from the field in an impressive 2:06.79. The sub 5:00 barrier in the 1600m run has been eclipsed by 2 runners in a a gut wrenching race at DeKalb as Teah broke the sub 5: in 4:57.60 but, was just edged out by Lithonia's Dejon Dethroe in a photo finish with a 4:57.54. Although the 3200 is not contested at most MS meets, Woodward's River Holifield has the best time in the state thus far at 11:31.25 followed by Jefferson's Kyle Kashoba at 11:33. Its more common when Hurdles are contested at this level for them to be 100m races and Elbert County's Marquise Dye has an amazing time of 13.84(hh) from the Junior Eagle meet. Christian Nash of Whitefield is in control at 110m with a time of 16.03. Landmark Christian's Darius Smith leads the 300h clocking a 43.33 with yet another Seward from Westminster(Cameron) right in stride at 43.79.
MS Boys Relays
Elbert and Hart County have battled it out in 4 x 100 at least twice this season and thus far Elbert has the upper hand clocking a 45.94 with Hart closing the gap in 46.14 and Chapel Hill-DK is in close quarters at 46.16 and Bear Creek at 46.82. Freedom MS is a good 25 meters on the field in the 4 x 400 with a sizzling 3:43.98 followed by ACS and Chapel Hill.
MS Girls Field
There have been some notable MS Girls performances in the Field Events and at this point in the season the most impressive is by Tiffany Flynn of Cedar Grove MS. Tiffany has a mark of 17-11.5 in the LJ that was recorded at the DeKalb meet. In the Throws, it has been DeKalb domination in the Shot Put led by Randquisha Tripp of Miller Grove MS with a leading toss of 33-07 followed by Chamblee's Alexis Creagh at 33-00. The Discus is another event that is not contested widely in MS ranks but is a staple in NEGA meets and the top mark comes from Grayson Noggle of ACS at 80-03 at the Jr. Eagle Invite. Now we know why ACS has done well in the Field Events at the HS level, because they learn the fundamentals early and have a solid program. Aubree Van Winkle from Habersham MS is ranked behind Noggle at 73-10. Be on the lookout for Caitlin Teknipp from Eagles Landing MS who has thrown over 100-00 in practice per Coach Claude Spinks. The Pole Vault has been contested only by the private school sector with the exception of Buford's Maggie Roper who cleared 8-6 at the Bryan Relays. There are 6 Girls who have exceeded 30-00 in the TJ. Kiaira Jackson leads currently with an effort of 32-03 at a Crystal League meet. Alecia North from Carrollton Jr. High is 1' behind her at 31-03. There are 4 girls who have cleared 4-8 in the HJ this March including Anteanna Heard of Elbert, Lily Mather of Commerce,Taylor Slotin of Buford and Kaylan Ward of Shiloh.
MS Girls Track
6 Girls this season have cracked 13.0 in the 100 and there is a quite a matchup brewing up in anticipation of the State meet on 4/24 at Parkview HS in the 100/200m races between Remel Williams of Fairplay MS and Angelica Henderson from Chamblee. Remel is an experienced sprinter whose mettle has been tested in USATF and AAU club meets the past 2 years and boasts season pr's of 12.34 in the 100m, 25.51 in the 200 and 1:01.34 in the 400m. Angelica has also competed in Club meets for the DC Express and was voted “Female Athlete” of the Year by her 8th grade classmates as well as playing the violin in Chamblee's Orchestra. Her pr's this season are 12.37 and 25.61. Also add in the mix (per Coach Matt Henson) Darielle Oliver of Trickum MS who has ran a FAT 12.33 and 25.50. The top efforts in the 400m all came out of a Crystal League meet by Makenzie Dunmore of Boys&Girls TC in 1:00.54, Tiarra Bailey of Quarter Horses TC in 1:00.59 and Remel's 1:01.34. Tatiyana Rayford of Marietta MS owns the 100 hurdles at 15.88 and may provide frosh sensation Kendell Williams of Kell HS (13.56) some good competition in their future HS careers. Her teamate Aleah Brooks has also been dominant in the 300h in a 50.57 at the Carrollton Jr. HS Invite. Madeline Wetterhall of Chamblee had a fantastic XC season and has clocked fast times in both the 800-1600 at 2:26.20 and 5:22.28. Landmark Christian's Kaylin Deel comes from a family of distance runners and leads the state in the 1600 and 3200m currently in 5:20.59 at a Landmark 3/13 meet and 12:07 2 weeks later at another home meet.
MS Girls Relays
These are swift times for MS 4 x 100 and it could be fun to see how this develops later in HS competition in future seasons. Chamblee MS burned down a 52.40 at the DeKalb meet while Cedar Grove placed 2nd in 53.13. NEGA has a trio of schools that have all competed together under 54.0 including Hart Co.in 52.54(h), Elbert in 53.54(h) and Stephens Co.at 53.64(h). Hopefully, the top 4 x 400 squads will come to the MS State meet as it could be quite a race. Henderson MS and Miller Grove MS had quite a battle at DeKalb finishing in 4:20.20 and 4:20.27 respectively. NEGA's Oconee MS and ACS were a dead heat that had to be decided by the FAT camera at 4:22.03 each!