All season long we've been voting on the breakthrough of the week, so now it's time to decide on the top breakthrough of the year. We've collected the winners from each week along with the top 3 from last week's state meet poll and whoever wins this vote will be the breakthrough performance of the year for the 2026 season. Remember, Breakthrough of the Week is meant to highlight performances of athletes who achieved big improvements and stepped things up to a new level.
Voting will close on Friday, June 5th, at 5pm.
Here's the lineup for the final vote of the year:
Week 1: Cornelius Scott (Social Circle) - Improved his PR from 22.12 to 21.72 in the 200 to win the Social Circle MS/HS Meet #1
Week 2: Oliver Thompson (McIntosh) - Improved his PR from 11:19 to 10:09 to place 7th at the Alpharetta Invitational
Week 3: Henry Verska (Denmark) - Improved his PR from 10:23 to 9:47 in the 3200m to place 3rd at Longhorn Stampede
Week 4: Keontay Rowe (Bowdon) ran 13.95 in the 110-meter hurdles at the Cedartown High School Meet #1 on March 10, improving from his previous best of 15.16. The mark ranks #5 in Georgia and sets a new school record for Bowdon. Rowe finished second in a field of six competitors and also set a personal record in the triple jump, improving from 35-10.5 to 42-3.
Week 5: Riley Strattan (North Paulding) cleared 6-6 in the high jump at the Paulding County Championship, placing second and improving six inches from his previous PR of 6-0. The junior ranks 17th in the state.
Week 6: Dwayne Stowe (Union Grove) jumped 48-10 in the triple jump at the Henry County Track & Field Championships, improving from his previous best of 45-9.5. The mark ranks #13 in Georgia and #1 among juniors while setting a new school record. Stowe placed first among 12 competitors.
Week 7: Frank Lewandowski (Creekview) ran 1:57.89 in the 800 meters at Woodstock Distance Carnival on April 3, dropping from his previous time of 2:03.34. The sophomore ranks #104 in Georgia and #5 among state sophomores, finishing third in a field of 46.
Week 8: Landon Jonas (Wesleyan School) ran 9:11.74 in the 3200 meters at the Creekview Distance Showcase on April 10, improving from 9:34.29 set in March. The senior finished 7th and ranks #13 in Georgia and #6 among seniors while setting a Wesleyan School record.
Week 9: Luke Childress (Prince Avenue Christian) cleared 6-4 in the high jump at the Clarke Central Home Meet on April 16, improving from his previous best of 6-0. The junior ranks 41st statewide and 13th among juniors, finishing second among eight competitors. The mark set a school record for Prince Avenue Christian School.
Week 10: Chase Sykes (Greater Atlanta Christian) ran 48.43 in the 400m at the GHSA A-3A Private Schools Area 3 meet on April 22, improving from 50.52. The junior won the event and set a Greater Atlanta Christian school record. Sykes ranks #18 statewide and #5 among juniors.
Week 11: Daniel Moughon (First Presbyterian Day School) set a school record in the 1600 meters with a time of 4:25.03 at the GIAA State Championships on April 30. The junior improved from 4:29.32 and ranks 66th in Georgia and 14th among state juniors, finishing seventh of 42 competitors. Moughan also posted personal records in the 3200 meters (10:04.70, from 10:16.10) and 800 meters (1:58.72, from 1:59.63).
Week 12: Kaleb Satcher (Heard County HS) threw 162-0 in the discus, improving from his previous best of 142-5. The sophomore ranks #17 in Georgia and #2 among sophomores statewide, finishing 11th of 125 competitors while setting a school record.
Week 12: Harrison Rogers (Bleckley County) ran 9:45.60 in the 3200 meters, improving from 9:57.52. The junior finished 27th of 126 runners and ranks #68 in Georgia and #11 among juniors.
Week 12: Micah Allen (Oconee County) ran 15.19 in the 110m hurdles, improving from 15.84. The senior finished 46th of 124 competitors and ranks #112 statewide.
All season long we've been voting on the breakthrough of the week, so now it's time to decide on the top breakthrough of the year. We've collected the winners from each week along with the top 3 from last week's state meet poll and whoever wins this vote will be the breakthrough performance of the year for the 2026 season. Remember, Breakthrough of the Week is meant to highlight performances of athletes who achieved big improvements and stepped things up to a new level.
Voting will close on Friday, June 5th, at 5pm.
Here's the lineup for the final vote of the year:
