GHSA state track is underway: Who from Central Georgia is likely to bring home hardware?
https://www.ghsa.net/ghsa-track-field-state-championship
The GHSA state track meets are underway in Albany, Rome, and Carrollton, with cooperative weather on the first day of three.
That’s likely to change in at least a few of the venues.
Two Central Georgians are top seeds in two events: Mary Persons’ Justin Wachtel in the Class 4A boys 1,600 and 3,200, and Bleckley County’s Nykeem Farrow in the Class AA boys 100 and 200.
Central Georgia will likely impact the standings in Class AA more than any other class.
On the girls side, there are four individual and one relay seeded first: East Laurens’ Ikeria Hamilton in the triple jump and Kennedee Williams in the 800, and the Falcons’ girls 4x400 relay team, plus Northeast’s Nikeria ALbritton in the girls shot and Mecca Jackson of Washington County in the 200.
On the boys side: Bleckley County’s Caden Maxwell in the pole vault, Farrow, and the Royals’ 4x100 relay.
Howard’s Jordan Rozier tops the Class 4A girls 1,600.
Stratford McKinley Thompson in the Class A Private high jump is first.
In Class A Public, GMC’s De’Aisha Stephens in the girls 800 rates first. Hancock Central’s Kaben Hunt in the discus and Darius Battle in the 800 plus Macon County’s Daikyvius Phillips in the 400 along with Hancock Central’s 4x400 relay team are top seeds.
Houston County’s India Turk is second in the Class 6A girls high jump and triple jump. Mackenzie Walls of Veterans is second in the Class 5A girls 1,600 and 3,200.
Among the defending state champs from Central Georgia who are among the top five seeds in their event:
Houston County’s Wesley Steiner in the 6A boys discus; Houston County’s Turk in the 6A girls triple jump; Baldwin’s Mollie Speights in the 4A girls high jump; Bleckley County’s Austin Perez in the AA girls 3,200; Washington County’s Mecca Jackson in the AA girls 400; East Laurens’ Kennedee Williams in the AA girls 800.
Washington County’s girls finished second in AA last year, with Baldwin fourth in 4A girls. Veterans girls in 5A and FPD’s boys in Class A Private were both seventh.
Stratford’s girls have the most qualifiers in Central Georgia, with 15 individuals and two relays in Class A Private.
Hancock Central’s boys have 14 individuals and two relays competing in Class A Public, putting them among the contenders.
Bleckley County boys have 13 individual and two relays competing, two more individuals than Washington County, both in AA. FPD has 13 individual girls and two relays in A Private.
Baldwin’s boys have nine individuals and all three relays in 4A, Mary Persons’ nine individuals and one relay with boys and eight individuals only in girls. Howard’s girls bring nine individuals and two relays in 4A.
East Laurens’ girls have eight individuals and two relays in AA.
Here are the Central Georgia student-athletes and relays seeded in the top 5 in their class and event:
Class 6A
Girls
India Turk, Houston County, second, high jump; fifth, long jump; second, triple jump
Boys
Wesley Steiner, Houston County, second, discus
Jordan Ross, Houston County, fifth, high jump
Class 5A
Girls
Mackenzie Walls, Veterans, second, 1,600; second, 3,200
Shaianne Sipsey, Veterans, third, triple jump
Class 4A
Girls
Jordan Rozier, Howard, first, 1,600
Kayla Sweeney, Howard, second, 100; third, 200
Mollie Speights, Baldwin, second, high jump
Trinity Coney, Howard, fifth, 300 hurdles
Boys
Justin Wachtel, Mary Persons, first, 1,600; first, 3,200
Quen Wilson, Mary Persons, third, 100
Exzavier Lewis, West Laurens, third, high jump
Antwan Fann, Perry, third, shot put
Enrico Harden, Mary Persons, fourth, long jump; fifth, 200
Kion Colbert, Upson-Lee, fifth, 110 hurdles
James Kilgore, Baldwin, fifth, 800
Baldwin, fourth, 4x400 relay
Class 3A
Girls
Zarria Battle, Westside, fourth, triple jump
Rayvn Cystrunk, Central, fifth, 100
Central, third, 4x100 relay
Boys
Devan Hart, Peach County, third, 100
Sparro Jenkins, Westside, third, 800
Noah Whittington, Peach County, fourth, long jump
Peach County, first, 4x100 relay
Class AA
Girls
Nikeria Albritton, Northeast, first, shot put
Ikeria Hamilton, East Laurens, first, triple jump
Kennedee Williams, East Laurens, first, 800
Mecca Jackson, Washington County, first, 200
Brianna McRae, Dublin, second, 300
Europe Brown, Dodge County, second, high jump
Kamaya Foster, Lamar County, third, discus
Austin Perez, Bleckley County, third, 3,200
Amiyah Thigpen, Bleckley County, third, pole vault
Abbi Belflower, Bleckley County, fifth, pole vault
East Laurens, first, 4x400
Washington County, third, 4x400
Boys
Keldrick Beck, Dodge County, first, high jump
Caden Maxwell, Bleckley County, first, pole vault
Nykeem Farrow, Bleckley County, first, 100; first, 200
Bryce Bailey, Bleckley County, second, 100
Lazerionta Taylor, Washington County, second, triple jump
Deandre Pitts, Bleckley County, second, high jump
Jaylen Thigpen, Bleckley County, fourth, 3,200
Caleb Fluellen, Dodge County, fourth, discus
Malyk Walker, Washington County, fifth, long jump
Bleckley County, first, 4x100 relay
Putnam County, second, 4x100 relay
Washington County, fourth, 4x400 relay
Class A Private
Girls
Erin Fortson, FPD, second, shot put
Sydney Artis, Mount de Sales, third
Claire Harrison, FPD, fourth, discus
Boys
McKinley Thompson, Stratford, first, high jump
Jack Miscall, Stratford, fourth, high jump
Tracey Owens, Mount de Sales, fifth, 100
Class A Public
Girls
De’Aisha Stephens, GMC, first, 800; third, long jump
Kandace Prather, Crawford County, third, triple jump
Katelyn Taylor, ACE, fourth, 1,600
Tierra Burden, Dooly County, fourth, 100
GMC, fifth, 4x400 relay
Dooly County, fifth, 4x100 relay
Boys
Kaben Hunt, Hancock Central, first, discus
Daikyvius Phillips, Macon County, first, 400
Darius Battle, Hancock Central, first, 800
Brons Kent, Hancock Central, second, 800
Zanders Shamon, Dooly County, third, high jump
Qeontavious Ivey, Hancock Cenral, fourth, long jump
Cullen Butler, Macon County, fifth, 110 hurdles
Hancock Central, first, 4x400 relay
Hancock Central, third, 4x100 relay