By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          The throwing and stretching and game-planning have started in four spots around the state with the start of the GHSA state track championships.

          Action got going shortly before lunch Thursday, with 6A, 3A, and Adapted at Grisham Stadium in Carrollton, 5A and AA at Kinnett Stadium in Columbus, 4A and A Public at Hugh Mills Stadium in Albany, and A Private and 7A at McEachern High in Powder Springs.

          The final medals and trophies will be handed out around dinnertime Saturday. The only day where some rain is a possibility is Friday, but less than 40 percent, to go with temperatures below 80.

Last year’s Thursday coverage

Last year’s Friday coverage

Last year’s Saturday coverage

          The last girls team state champ from Central Georgia is GMC, which won Class A Public in 2015 and 2016. Bleckley County’s boys took the Class A title in 2019.

          Washington County’s boys were second last year in AA and Stratford’s boys second in A Private. GMC’s girls took fifth in A Public, Hancock Central’s boys eighth.

          Among the returning state champs from Central Georgia: Jones County’s Zion Ragins in 5A boys 100 and 200, Macon County’s Ken’Wan Felton in boys A Public shot, FPD’s Claire Harrison in A Private girls discus.

          And among the top seeds from Central Georgia this weekend: West Laurens’ Makayla Register, girls 4A shot; Baldwin’s Nafer Rapier, 4A girls 300 hurdles; Perry’s Rodney Bryant, 4A boys 300 hurdles; Dublin’s Ramontei Dardy, A Public boys discus; GMC’s Walker Bloodworth, A Public boys 800; and ACE’s Nathan Haller, A Public boys 3,200.

          Relay teams from Mary Persons and Dublin also have top qualifying times.

          Central Georgia athletes and teams seeded in the top three in their events:
Class 6A
Houston County girls: Marquia White, discus
Class 4A
Baldwin girls: Nafer Rapier, 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles
Perry boys: Rodney Bryant, 300 hurdles
West Laurens girls: Makayla Register, shot put
West Laurens boys: Evan Guyton, discus
Class AAA
Mary Persons girls: 4x200 relay; 4x100 relay; Campbell Brown, 200
Peach County boys: 4x200 relay
Class AA
Bleckley County girls: Tristen Crosby, 800
Boys: Keshun Butler, high jump
Putnam County boys: Jalon Kilgore, long jump; Gerald Kilgore, 400; 4x200 relay; 4x100 relay
Washington County boys: Jayden Kemp, triple jump; Tylik Gilmore, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles; Dontavius Braswell Jr., 200
A Public
ACE boys: Nathan Haller, 1600 and 3200
Dublin girls: 4x200 relay; Tahara Diallo, 400; 4x400
Dublin boys: Ramontei Dardy, Discus; 4x800 relay; Jeremiah Green, 110 hurdles
GMC girls: 4x800 relay; Jada Warren, 800
GMC boys: Caleb Bush, 400 and 200; Walker Bloodworth, 800; 4x400 relay; Julian Council, 3200
Macon County boys: Ken’Wan Felton, discus and shot
A Private
FPD girls: FPD’s Claire Harrison and Destinee Lanham, discus; Harrison, shot
FPD boys: Brady Roper, high jump, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles
Stratford boys: Keondre Glover, high jump and triple jump; Carson Chambless, pole vault