Track: Area teams ready to rumble at Sectionals

Hall County and northeast Georgia will be well-represented this weekend when the state track-and-field Sectionals get underway across the state.

The Sectionals are a new addition to the state track-and-field competition. Added last year, the Sectionals were created in an effort to help strengthen the state meets in Albany and Jefferson.

This year the Class AA Sectionals will be at Great Atlanta Christian in Norcross, the Class AAA Sectionals are being held at Southeast Bulloch, and the Class AAAA Sectionals are at Carrollton High School. The Class AAAAA Sectionals will be at Greenbrier High School outside of Augusta, and the Class AAAAAA Sectionals will be conducted at Mill Creek High School in Gwinnett County.

The top eight finishers in each event qualify for the state meets in Albany and Jefferson next week.

While no teams are being considered among the favorites to win a state title, individually there are several participants that have a chance to medal.

Jefferson is sending by far the biggest delegation with nearly three dozen athletes covering almost every event.

Perhaps one of the more anticipated events will be the Class AAA girls 1600- and 3200-meter events. White County's Jenna Gearing, the reigning cross country champion and ranked No. 1 in both 1600 and 3200, owns the top times in both events coming into the state meet and is a heavy favorite.
But Jenna's sister, Kaitlyn Gearing may be the key to a strong showing for the Lady Warriors. Kaitlyn Gearing won the high jump, the 200- and 400-meter runs, was on the winning 4x100 meter relay team, and anchored the 4x400 relay team to a third place finish at the Region 7-AAA meet.

"Jenna probably has a stronger chance of winning her two events but Kaitlyn is in more events and the team really feeds off Kaitlyn. If she has a good day so will we," White County girls track coach Heidi Dotson said. "If we perform like I think we're capable I feel like we're a top five team (in the state) at least."

Another race to watch for will be the Class AAA boys 3200. North Hall's Witt Nix will be trying to carry the flag for the Trojans' two-milers, who have won four straight state titles in the event.

West Hall's Maia Caldwell-Booker should be at almost full-strength when she races in the 100-meter event after battling a nagging hamstring injury. Also for the Lady Spartans, LeNiesha Kearse is among the favorites in the 110-hurdles after posting the third best time in AAA this season.

"I expect both Maia and LeNiesha to have a strong chance to win the state in their events," West Hall girls coach Dan Matthews said. "Maia should be 100 percent by the time of the meet and both have been working hard to keep improving."

Matthews said to also keep an eye on the Lady Spartans' 4x400 relay team, which got into the Sectionals after the Buford team was disqualified.

"They finished a close fifth and we had three runners with multiple events and I think that affected their time. They have a real shot at advancing and posting a good time since they will almost all be fresh for the run this time," Matthews said.

Buford's David Curry owns the top pole vault jump in Class AAA this season and should make a run at the all-classification title as well.

The Class AA pole vault also should be one of the premier events with Jefferson's Mason Hamrick and Skylar Toney of Riverside Military Academy, ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, doing battle once again. Toney knocked off Hamrick at the Region 8-AA meet.

Below is a list of all the athletes in the north Georgia area competing in this week's sectionals:

Class AA girls

100-meter
Jaclyn Coleman, Jefferson

400-meter
Madison Dills, Jefferson
Savannah Dale, Jefferson

800-meter
Camille Porter, Jefferson (won)
Chandler Bragg, Jefferson

1600-meter
Sally Woerner, Rabun County (won Region 8-AA with 6th best time in AA this year)
Reese Bowles, Jefferson
Morgan Mitchell, Jefferson
Valerie Billingsley, Rabun Co.

3200-meter
Reese Bowles, Jefferson (won)
Morgan Mitchell , Jefferson
Andrea Wolfrey, Rabun

110-meter hurdles
Jordan Gihl, Rabun (won)
Abby Carson, Jefferson

300-meter hurdles
Blaine Townsend, Jefferson
Chloe Gladys, Rabun
Jordan Gihl, Rabun

4x100-meter relay
Jefferson "A" team

4x400-meter relay
Jefferson "A" team (won)
Rabun County "A" team

High jump
Mackenzie Wells, Jefferson

Pole vault
Abby Carson, Jefferson (won)
Chloe Gladys, Rabun
Heather Perry, Jefferson
Katie Mae Smith, Rabun

Long jump
Jaclyn Coleman, Jefferson (2nd)

Triple jump
Camille Porter, Jefferson

Shot put
Callie Jackson, Jefferson
Maggie Newman, Jefferson

Discus
Maggie Newman, Jefferson

Class AA boys

100-meter
Elijah Holifield, RMA

400-meter
James Howard, Jefferson
Gage Lawson, Jefferson

800-meter
Tradd Porter, Jefferson (won)
Josh Reid, Jefferson
Christian Mull, RMA

1600-meter
Alex Parrish, Jefferson (won)
Jacob Adams, Jefferson
Alexi Joya, RMA

3200-meter
Alex Parrish, Jefferson (3rd)

110-meter hurdles
Adrian Humphrey, RMA (2nd)
Charlie Woerner, Rabun
Derek Pollard, Rabun

300-meter hurdles
Adrian Humphrey, RMA (2nd)
Mark Weaver, Jefferson
Tucker Pearson, RMA

4x100 meter relay
RMA "A" team

4x400 meter relay
Jefferson "A" team (2nd)
Jefferson "B" team

High Jump
Josh McDaniel, Rabun (won)
Jordan Oliver, Rabun

Pole Vault
Skylar Toney, RMA (won)