JEFFERSON -- Perhaps the biggest spectacle of the prep sports calendar gets underway this morning in Jefferson -- and a number of local athletes expect to shine in the Georgia Olympics.
The boys state track and field championships will feature three days of the best athletes in the state competing for glory -- a list which includes plenty of northeast Georgia representatives.
(NOTE: For a look at all of the area's competitors at this weekend's Georgia Olympics, simply scroll down.)
Leading the way is Jefferson's own Mason Hamrick, who will look to continue a school and area tradition of pole vaulting elitism when he competes in the Class AA event.
He may be competing in class, but Hamrick enters as the top gun across the entire state after vaulting 15-feet-0 earlier this season and could walk away with top competitor honors.
Hamrick will be pushed by Fitzgerald's Chandler Eckler in Class AA, but Class AAA competitor David Curry will also be pushing for honors, as the Buford standout enters the meet with high hopes of his own. Curry has the top Class AAA mark of the season at 14-7 and will be pushed by Oconee County's Wesley Walters.
Both are defending state champs, and it will make for an interesting afternoon in the pole vault pit, as the duo look to follow in the footsteps of former area champs such as Gainesville's Paul Malquist, Flowery Branch's Austin Eckenroth and Jefferson's Tyler Porter.
Speaking of Gainesville, the Red Elephants have a great shot at capturing a gold medal of their own on Thursday when Colton Quinones competes in the discus
Quinones has the top discus mark in Class AAAAA this year at 166-7, almost 15 feet more than second-seeded Treikell Jones of Stephenson.
North Hall will also gun for glory in the discus, with Destin Bennett and Drew Bryant amongst the top four seeds in Class AAA -- though St. Pius' Daniel Haugh will be tough to beat after putting up a ridiculous 196-5 in the state sectionals.
The Trojans will also look to get back to their domination of the 3,200 meters.
The 2013 meet saw the end of a streak of four straight gold medals for North Hall in the event, but Trojans distance specialists Quintin Miles and Zack Hill will look to put things back in their proper order for North Hall. Miles and Hill are seeded 1-2, respectively, in the race -- though they know they will face tough competition from North Oconee's Tyler Jones and Dawson County's Dylan Forrester.
Commerce also enters this year's meet with high hopes in the distance race and 800, as Nahum Mendoza (3,200) and Jose Rodriguez (800) both enter as No. 3 seeds.
The Tigers are looking to defend their Class A public title and will also look for big things from Qua Colbert, who holds the second best seed mark in shot put.
Whatever happens it should be an intriguing few days in Jefferson. For a look at all of this weekend's information for the Georgia Olympics -- including start times and seedings -- simply click here.
AREA COMPETITORS COMPETING IN THE GEORGIA OLYMPICS
Thursday-Saturday, Jefferson's Memorial Stadium
Athletes listed by school, in alphabetical order
Banks County
Andrew Elliott, 800 meters
Will Ledford, long jump
Beau Rush, 800
Buford
4x100 A relay team
4x100 B relay team
4x400 relay team
Khalil Anderson, 400
Chee Anyanwu, 200
Evyn Cooper, 100 and 200
David Curry, pole vault
Xavier Gantt, 100
Justin McCray, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles
Brandon Mangram, triple jump
Dequavious Picou, shot put and discus
Commerce
4x100 relay team
Tretez Barksdale, high jump
Brian Chandler, 800
Qua Colbert, discus and shot put
Nahum Mendoza, 3,200
Jose Rodriguez, 800
Adrian Vaquera, shot put
Jamir Walton, triple jump
Dawson County
Dylan Forrester, 3,200
East Hall
Jacques Ash, 100
Dmitry Hunter, 110 hurdles
East Jackson
Justin Akin, shot put
Austin Beauchamp, discus
Chase Kennedy, 1,600 and 3,200
DeAngelo Moore, 100
Kendrick Rakestraw, long jump and triple jump
Flowery Branch
Isaac Mize, high jump
Miguel Martinez, 1,600
Nick Ashmead, 3,200
Gainesville
Colton Quinones, discus
Hunter Mallard, pole vault
Juan Ortega, 3,200
Jackson County
Nick Stovall, 110 hurdles
Todd Woodring, 200 and 400
Jefferson
4x100 relay team
4x400 relay team
Addison Cochran, 3,200
Mason Hamrick, pole vault
Max Higgins, 1,600
Dalton Hill, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles and long jump
Ethan Hix, shot put and discus
James Howard, pole vault
Conner McCullough, 300 hurdles
Tradd Porter, 800
Josh Reid, 800
Satchel Turpin, high jump, long jump and triple jump
Johnson
Isaiah Del Campbell, pole vault
Juan Soto, pole vault
North Hall
Destin Bennett, shot put and discus
Drew Bryant, discus
Gil Hoffman, pole vault
Zack Jill, 3,200
Quintin Miles, 800 and 3,200
Bryce Schuebert, 800 and 1,600
Isaac Seid, 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles
Corson Teasley, 1,600
Dylan Truelove, shot put
Stephens County
Sean Blassingame, 400 and triple jump
Rabun County
Austin Shook, pole vault
Charlie Woerner, 100 hurdles, shot put and discus
Riverside Military
4x400 relay team
Malik Faulk, 300 hurdles
Marcus Gouthro, 1,600
Chris Howard, triple jump and shot put
Alexie Joya, 3,200
West Hall
4x400 relay team
Hunter Atkinson, shot put
Nick Sullens, high jump
White County
4x100 relay team
4x400 relay team
Tucker Cook, 300 hurdles
Andrew Manley, pole vault
Caleb Stephenson, 200 and 400
Maurice Sutton, long jump
Austin Thompson, 1,600 and 3,200
Dalton Whitfield, discus
