The Statesboro Relays have become a big event featuring the best that Central Georgia HS Track and Field has to offer. Currently, 25 Teams with 629 athletes will be competing on a late Friday afternoon and into the Evening under the lights at Statesboro HS including Metro teams like Eagles Landing, Riverdale and Roswell. Middle Ga powerhouses will also be in attendance, including Swainsboro, Peach County, Warner Robins and host Statesboro. Timing will be FAT by Phil Logan's Perfect Timing Group. GATFXC.COM will be onsite taking stills until twilight, then shooting some video if an accessible vantage point is available.
Some of the top females competing will be Jasmine Grovenor of McIntosh County Academy, who is the defending AA State Champ in the 100 meters at 12.19. Jasmine also has recorded a season best in the 200 meters at 25.74h and 17-08.75 in the LJ. Along with Grovenor in the LJ, Statesboro's Raven Thomas has a mark of 18-03.50 and a very fast 400 time of 56.73. Mia Adams of Eagles Landing HS is one to watch in the TJ with a pr of 38-02. Amber Heyward of Groves will be pushing Grovenor in the 100/200 meter races as she has clocked times of 12.34 and 25.83. In the Distance races, Jessica Muse of Roswell clearly has the best credentials with times of 2:22 in the 800 and 5:24 in the 1600. Teamate Sally Kirklewski may be unchallenged in the 3200 with a pr of 11:46.52. It will be interesting to see how Swainsboro trio of Jonina Brinson, Latiana Williams and Diedra Jordan perform in the short sprints as well as their horizontal jumpers Aniya Moore and Olivia Holloman, not to mention their relay teams as Swainsboro is a threat to challenge Westminster and North Oconee for a AA state title this season. Some smokin' Relays efforts may be recorded by Eagles Landing, Swainsboro, SE Bulloch, Groves and host Statesboro.
The Boys meet will be just as entertaining with an equal number of talented athletes preparing themselves for major Region battles only a few weeks away. The track is sure to heat up in the 100 meters beginning with a verified seed time from Josh Mercer of South Effingham at 10.99 at the Plankenhorn Invite(FAT). There are a slew (7) of unverified seed times (meaning HH) 11.01 and under (which gatfxc.com does not include) in this race and it will be fun to see how these guys run in FAT conditions. Dwight Hartbridge of Roswell has the lone verified time under sub 50.0 in the 400 meters at 49.80 and will be hard to beat. Richard Wilson of Groves is on another level in the LJ with a pr of 23-07 recorded at the Georgia Olympics in 2009. It should be a good battle in the HJ between Brandon Williams of Wayne Co., Demequez Badie of Swainsboro and Xavier Slater of Claxton all pushing 6-06. The 1600 race could be dominated by Coach Spinks' Eagles Landing squad led by Zack Sims and Keanan Joyner who have both gone sub 4:30. Ausheen Williams of Beach-Savannah has the leading time in the 110h at 14.90 with Brunswick's Justin Coleman a stride behind at 14.99. The 300 Hurdles are a different mix with McIntosh County Academy's Rashard Evans, Coleman and Statesboro's Khlid Smith possibly having a photo finish all sub 40.00. In the Relays, county rivals Peach County and Warner Robins should have epic battles with challenges by Effingham, Groves and Appling in the 4x 100.