Here are some huge highlights thus far:
State RECORDS broken:
Kendall Williams 13.39
in the AAAA 100h Prelims and she was flawless
Kendell Williams AAAA Long Jump 20-08.50
MLK 4x100 Relay 45.69
Torie Owers Athens Academy 46-08.50 A Shot Put
Sydney Rodkey North Oconee 12-01.00 AA Vault (briefly held the all-class record)
Megan Clark Columbus 12-02 AAA Pole Vault (new all-time State meet record)
Ashley Ivey Washington County AAA Triple Jump 44-07.50
Anasteria Terrell Howard AAA Triple Jump 44-04.50
Holly Ebbets Lee County AAAA Pole Vault 11-06
Anna Dunn Creekview AAAA Pole Vault 11-06
Going into Saturday:
A- Wesleyan has a huge lead over ACS who has alot of points out on the track and with a good performance can pass Wesleyan.
AA-Westminster and Blessed Trinity did well in the Field and distance races , however, will it be enough to hold off GAC, Decatur and SE Bulloch although Fletcher is a shoe in to take the 800m over a game Bailey Willet of BT.
AAA- Monroe Albany is in good position to hold off everyone else barring their baton drop in the 4x100 prelims 15 meters before the finish line...
AAAA- SW DeKalb is right where they want to be going into Saturday.
AAAAA- Is wide open, Brookwood did well in the distance events as did kennesaw in the Field, but MLK and Walton are primed to put up big points Saturday.
Distance Finals-
A 1600- Victoria Coppage pounded the track taking it out early and was just too strong for ACS's Destiny Jenkins turning in a11:00 5:02 which bests Grace Tinkey's pr!
A 3200- Coppage had to make runningmate Grace Tinkey (injured) proud as she took it and and maintained a steady gap over Landmark's Lindy Long for an impressive victory and time in 11:08!
AA 1600- Sahara Fletcher's 400m split was 1:07 breaking 14 other runners and she never looked back cruising to the win in 5:05.Anna Gandolpho was the sole runner who tracked her the entire race from about 40-50 meters back finishing in 5:20.
AA 3200- Anna Gandolpho breezed to victory in this race clocking a 11:35 followed by Westminster's Janine Dupree in 12:06 who held of Gandolpho's runningmate for 2nd (Kate Beechum of BT in 12:08)
AAA 1600- Kristina Delpesche of Columbus and Jessie Dotson of White County battled for 3 laps until Delpesche put the hammmer down the final 300m for the win in 5:12, Dotson hung in there though for 2nd in 5:16.
AAA 3200- It was a classic duel as headlined between Eagle's Landing frosh Gabby Roth and senior Jessie Dotson of White County for 6 laps but Roth's young legs were the key as she mad e a slight move and held her ground the final few laps for the win in 11:30 as Dotson took second in 11:36.
AAAA 1600- This was a beautiful race defining what the sectionals were all about resembling a collegiate race until Alex Cameron of Dunwoody made her move separating from the pack looking very strong and had more footspeed the final 300 meters enroute to victory in 5:03 with Buchalski of John's Creek placing 2nd in 5:09.
AAAA 3200- Allie Buchalksi built a lead of 15-20 meters going into the bell lap but frosh Morgan Ilse of Marist
pushed the race to the brink down the stretch in a true photo finish with Buchalski out leaning her in
11:00.06 for a .31 margin of victory. this was a great race....
AAAAA 1600- Brookwood ran this race to perfection, as if the maestro conducted a torrid symphony to a perfect ending...Kissell and Shanks bided their time behind the leaders hanging in there and then both girls made big moves the final lap to go 1,2 as Caroline Kissell took the win in 5:00 with teamaate Shanks in 5:02.
AAAAA 3200- Another great tight race as for thwe first 5 laps 5 girls were tightly bunched together, but Lassiter's Marcie Merriman, desevedly so, put it together making a move creating some separation and held
off rachel Thorne of Alpharetta for the win in 10:51 to Thorne's 10:54.
I would like to make an editorial comment about the staff in Albany...These people put on a great meet. Field Events are Field Events and sometimes drag out, but man, they have never ran off the Track events as quickly as they did these past couple of days. My head my spinning trying to keep up. I can't say enough about Johnny Seabrooks,Gary Phillips, Harley Calhoun and Pam Hill. Their professionalism was impressive as well as the starters, volunteers, backup timers and lane inspectors. And of course, the PA announcing gives this meet a flavor like none other. Job well done to the Albany crew !!