Howard's Turk, East Laurens' Canady, and Stratford's Thompson defend titles; Bleckley County still contending
India Turk continues to indicate that the state will be hearing and seeing plenty from here for awhile.
The sophomore from Howard defended her Class AAAA triple jump title on Friday with a leap of 40-1, passing last year's 39-6.
Turk also took sixth in the long jump, which was won by Baldwin's Brittany Trawick by nearly a foot.
Stratford's McKinley Thompson and Nathan Hunt were first and third in Class A boys private high jump. McKinley's 6-6 was two inches better than last year winning mark, and Hunt improved from fifth and 6-0 to 6-2.
East Laurens' Ja'Mya Canaday was also able to defend her title in the Class AA triple jump.
The girls 1,600 didn't have a Central Georgia winner, but five of the eight runners who scored were from the area, led by Bleckley County's Austin Perez, who was second.
Bleckley County's girls remained in first place with 29.5 points, ahead of Berrien's 25. Four other Central Georgia teams are in the top 12: No. 6 East Laurens, and Northeast and Monticello, tied for 11th.
Bleckley County's boys are second in Class AA, three points behind Banks County.
Action begins Saturday in Rome at 11 a.m., 11:15 a.m. in Albany, and noon in Carrollton.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for 4:20 p.m. in Rome, 4:10 in Albany, and 5 p.m. in Carrollton.
Team Standings (in top 10)
Class 6A
Boys
5. Houston County
Class 5A
Girls
4. Veterans
Class AA
Girls
2. Bleckley County
6. East Laurens
9. Washington County
Boys
2. Beckley County
Class A Public
Boys
7. Macon County
Friday's State Champions
Class 4A Girls
Triple Jump: India Turk, Howard, 40-1
High Jump: Mollie Speights, Baldwin, 5-7
Long Jump: Brittany Trawick, Baldwin, 19-4
Class AA Girls
Triple jump: Ja'Maya Canady, East Laurens, 38-2.5
Class A Boys Private
High Jump: McKinley Thompson, Stratford, 6-6
Preliminaries, advancing
Class 6A
Houston County, boys 4x100
Khalil Polk, Houston County, boys 400
Class 5A
Shaianne Sipsey, Veterans, girls 400 and 200
Class 3A
Peach County, boys 4x100
Shaquille Wilson, Central, boys 200
Cameron Blake, Peach County, boys 300 hurdles
Class AA
Bleckley County, boys 4x100
Javoris Smith, Southwest, boys 100 and 200
Enrico Harden, Lamar County, boys 100
Enrico Harden, Putnam County, boys 100
Noah Howard, Southwest, boys 200
Jaylen Thigpen, Bleckley County, boys 800
Brodni Fletcher, Lamar County, boys 300 hurdles
Chavis Rouse, Northeast, boys 300 hurdles