Hewitt-Trussville out of Alabama swept the team titles
(all photos by Marc Logan)
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Track is Back! It all came together on Friday night. All of the passion of a long jumper barreling down the runway, launching into the air, landing with sand flying and their teammates and fans cheering; the clean execution of the hurdlers rhythmically clearing each hurdle and leaning at the line; the excitement of the 3200 pack turning into a long line of 19 boys going under 10 minutes; and the power of the sprinters running 10.9, 21.5 and 47.7 in the 100, 200, 400. It was a real joy to witness a performance from so many athletes turning in strong performances.
For the 1st month and half of the track season, like many, we had smaller meets with fewer teams so we could perfect how to execute a track in a COVID world, spreading out the athletes using dots & cones during check-in and clerking; athletes wearing masks while not racing, and fans in the stands. Well on Friday we had over 700 athletes and 21 teams from Georgia and Alabama, with deep fields and outstanding performance all the while being compliant with COVID safety protocols. Below are the highlights from Friday Night's performances.
The Boys Events
3 teams with balanced sprint, distance, and field event talent went head-to-head with Hewitt-Trussville (Alabama) winning with 114 ½ and powerful Alexander HS at 96 ½; and sprint & field strong Stephenson 3rd in 81 ½. Individually it was Julian Colson and Bradley Favors delivering outstanding individual sprinting and jumping performances. Then boys of the 1600 and 3200 showcased outstanding times in deep fields.
Sprint Relays and Open Events
100m - Julian Colson (Hewitt-Trussville) had an outstanding meet. Winning the 100m in 10.91 and was 3rd in 200m in 22.40 then later 1st in LJ and 2nd in TJ
200m - Bradley Favors (Stephenson) posted 2 excellent times: wining the 200m in 21.55
400m - Bradley Favors dominates the 400m in 47.73
4x100m-- Alexander with a 42.65 out leans Stephenson 42.67 in a hard-fought battle
4x400m- as expected Stephenson wins the 4x400m in 3:26 over Richmond Hill
Hurdles
110H- Walker Handley of Brookwood wins 14.52
300H- Jasai Taylor of Richmond Hill in a strong 38.41 time with Dorian Helm of Stephens just off his shoulder
Distance Events and 4x800
4x800- Richmond Hill easily won this relay in 8:18 over Whitewater and Starr's Mill. With the distance powerhouse schools stacking their talent into 3 open events of 800, 1600, 3200.
800m- It was 1, 2, 3 sweep by the Alexander trio of Amir Dayal 1:59.06, Marcus Guidry 1:59.48, Jonathan Rachal 1:59.94. 1600m- was a deep and talented field with 13 athletes going 4:30 or faster. At the bell lap, there were 5 athletes at 3:15. It was Logan Ray of East Coweta run a 62 last lap to run 4:17.89 and beat Eoin McNally of Decatur. Of note Decatur had 5 runners go (4:19, 4:22, 4:27, 4:32, and 4:39); Powerful Hewitt Trussville had their 5 runners go 4:20, 4:22, 4:30, 4:39, 4:43.
3200m- was an even deeper event with 19 athletes going under 10 minutes. It had all the excitement you would expect from a tight pack the first mile and then the field turning into a line of runners. Grant Crabtree of Alexander wins in 9:26 over Matthew Moore of East Coweta in 9:27. Hewitt Trussville puts 5 in 9:30, 9:30.6, 9:37, 10, and 10:38.
Horizontal Jumps
Long Jump- Julian Collin (Hewitt Trussville) wins in 32-7 ½
Triple Jump- La'eeg Madi of Alexander in 45 2 ½ just ½ further jump than Jullian Collins at 45 2"
Vertical Jumps
High Jump- 6'6" by Brandon Benton of Alexander
Pole Vault- was won in 14" by Quinn Neal of whitewater beating Joseph Sulkowski of Starr's Mill
Throwing Events
Shot Put- Aaron Fenimore of East Coweta throws 52 8 and edges out Tanver Raza of Hewitt-Trussville with a 52 4
Discus - Jacob Copham of Hewitt -- Trussville throws 140' 6" and wins by just 1 foot over 2 other 139 footers
The Girls' Events
The 3 teams of Hewitt-Trussville, Alexander, and Brookwood with sprint, distance and field event talent went head to head with the ladies from Hewitt-Trussville (Alabama) winning with 125 and well-rounded Alexander HS at 80 ½; and a strong Brookwood team in 3rd with 62. Maci Mills of Hewitt Trussville (1st in 800 and 1600m) and Tayla Moreland of Pike County (1st in 100H, 1st in 300H, 3rd in 100m, 2nd in the LJ) had outstanding days, along with a 56.76 400m time by Adaejah Hodge of Alexander and Serena Tate of Brookwood (1st in 200m and 2nd in 400m).
Sprint Relays and Open Events
100m - Sanaa Frederick from Druid Hill sprints 12.47 and out leans Madison Campbell from Brookwood in 12.50.
200m - Serena Tate of Brookwood wins in 25.19 over Kelsey Martin of Hewitt-Trussville, Madison Campbell and Sanaa Frederick.
400m - Adaejah Hodge of Alexander dominates the 400m in 56.76.
4x100m-- Decatur with outstanding stick work wins in 48.92 over Hewitt Trussville, who runs 49.49.
4x400m- It was the strong Hewitt Trussville foursome over host Starr's Mill
Hurdles
110 H Tayla Moreland of Pike County dominates in 15.66
300 H - Again Tayla Moreland of Pike County wins in 47.65
Distance Events and 4x800
4x800- Richmond Hill ladies easily won this relay in 9:52 over Starr's Mill. The distance powerhouse schools stacking their talent into 3 open events of 800, 1600, 3200.
800m- Maci Mills of Hewitt-Trussville wins in 2:19 over Jazzmin Taylor, Alexander and Allie Wardle of Brookwood.
1600m- Maci Mills of Hewitt-Trussville looked fantastic in her 5:09, pulling Taylor Tarpley from McIntosh to a 5:14 and Harle Martz of Druid Hills to 5:15. Hewitt-Trussville was very deep with #2 , #3, and #4 runners in 5:21, 5:25 and 5:30. 3200m- Reese Wilson from Richmond Hill won in a strong 11:32 with Taylor Tarpley in a very strong double 11:36.
Horizontal Jumps
Long Jump- Pike County duo of Taylor Hampton 19' and Tayla Moreland 18' 9 ½'
Triple Jump- Alison Gordon of Alexander in 36' 6" bests Aniya Hernton of Stephenson who jumped 35' 9"
Vertical Jumps
High Jump- Jazzmin Taylor of Alexander continues her winning ways with a win of 5' 8"
Pole Vault- was won in a 9'7" by Bryce Hackworth of Trinity Christian- Sharpsburg
Throwing Events
Shot Put- Avery Fisher of Richmond Hill wins with a 39'11" throw to best out Lea Townsend of Hewitt-Trussville and Skylar Soli of Douglas County
Discus - Skylar Soli of Douglas County wins the Discuss with a 107' 3" over Avery Fisher of Richmond Hill in 103' 8
Tayla Moreland from Pike County wins her first of 2 gold medals and a silver here in the 100 hurdles in 15.66
Walker Hanley of Brookwood won the 110 hurdles posting a time of 14.52
Julian Collins of Hewitt-Trussville sped to the 100-meter dash win at 10.91
Maci Mills of Hewitt-Trussville won the 1600 meter run going 5:09
Logan Ray of nearby East Coweta held off a fast field taking the 1600 meter win in 4:17.89
Decatur's girls roar towards the finish placing first in the 4x100 relay in 48.92
Alexander bests speedy Stephenson in the 4x100 clocking a 42.65
Adaejah Hodge of Alexander cruised to 400-meter gold posting a time of 56.76
Bradley Favors of Stephenson ran a season-best #1 all-class time of 47.73 in the 400 meters.
Tayla Moreland of Pike County made it a clean sweep in the hurdles recording a 47.65 in the 300h
Jasai Taylor from Richmond Hill posted another win in 300 hurdles going 38.41
Maci Mills captures her second win of the day taking the 800-meter run in 2:19.71
Alexander swept the top 3 spots in the 800-meter run with Amir Dayal taking the win at 1:59.05
Serena Tate of Brookwood seized gold in the 200-meter dash clocking a time of 25.19
Bradley Favors adds 10 more points for the Jags' winning the 200-meter dash in 21.55
Starr's Mill jumbotron displays Favors' 200-meter time
Reese Wilson from Richmond Hill bested the field winning the 3200 meters at 11:32
Grant Crabtree had a wicked kick down the stretch taking the honors in the 3200-meter run in 9:26
Hewitt-Trussville's girls put an exclamation mark on their team win by winning the 4x400 relay at 4:08
Stephenson closed out a strong meet effort by winning the final race of the day posting a 3:26.57
