JEFFERSON -- East Jackson 3200-meter standout Chase Kennedy admitted he didn’t have much of a game plan coming into the Class AAA state title race Friday at Jefferson Memorial Stadium.
It didn’t matter.
The sophomore bolted off the starting line and only looked back briefly in taking an impressive start-to-finish victory, beating Decatur’s Connor Tinaglia by less than a second for his first track state title. Kennedy finished in 9:32.04 with a mad sprint to the finish just ahead of Tinaglia, who finished in 9:32.82
“I didn’t plan on coming out hard to start but I kind of felt (Tinaglia) was going too so I just went,” Kennedy said. “There’s no real plan to a race like that. You just have to do whatever is necessary to compete.”
Kennedy set the early pace for a group of five, including Tinaglia and Michael Hans of Oconee County, who all had qualifying times under 9:30 in the Sectionals. The group stayed together until the final lap when Kennedy and Hans got some separation. But Tinaglia overtook Hans on the final turn and closed the gap on Kennedy with a late kick but could not catch him as the two had to serpentine through lapped traffic the final 50 meters.
“I glanced behind and saw him coming,” Kennedy said. “I just tried to pick up the pace a little. The traffic didn’t help but I was able to beat him to the line.”
Hans continued to drop off the pace and finished fourth as Robby Gipson of Blessed Trinity passed him on the final straightaway.
It was a better outcome for Kennedy than the night before when he finished what he said was a “disappointing” second in the 1600 to Sam Ellis, also of Decatur.
“That was a big disappointment but I didn’t let that affect me (Friday),” said Kennedy, who was looking for a track title to go with his cross country state title he garnered back in the Fall. “I didn’t hit my target time but to win a track state title is awesome. Everyone is so much closer together it’s tougher to maneuver sometimes. It feels great.”
Combined with teammate Noah Hulett’s sixth-place finish, the win by Kennedy helped pushed the Eagles into fourth place in Class AAA with 17 points heading into Saturday’s track finals.
In other finals Friday night at the Georgia Olympics, in the Class AAAA 3200, North Hall’s Quintin Miles finished sixth in a time of 9:37.27, more than 23 seconds faster than his qualifying time at Sectionals. The Trojans’ Corson Teasley finished eighth in 9:41.30, which was more than 20 seconds faster than his Sectionals time.
In the Class AAAAA 3200, Jake Schewbert and Grant O’Callaghan finished third and fourth, respectively, in a strong showing for Flowery Branch. Shewbert finished in 9:30.33 and O’Callaghan finished in 9:31.20 for the Falcons. Kell’s Logan Poteet stunned Christian Bowles of Lakeside-Evans winning the event in 9:05.50 with a stunning half-lap kick finish more than 7 seconds ahead of the favored Bowles (9:13.13).
In qualifying action on Friday, area runners had some impressive moments.
Lumpkin County’s Austin Pierce came into the 100-meter with the top time in Class AAA and did not disappoint posting the fast time at 10.78 in qualifying to earn a spot in the finals.
The time was a new personal-best and the junior has almost come out of nowhere during the 2015 track season.
“This is the first time I’ve ever made state,” Pierce said. “My goal this year was just to get here. I was shocked when I ran the fastest time (in Sectionals). But I’ve been working twice a day with a trainer and working hard to improve and I things are starting to pay off.”
The key has been an improved start.
“Last year I was getting killed off the blocks but would pass people in mid-race, which is my strength,” Pierce said. “I’ve been focusing on the start and it has gotten much quicker. That has been the big difference this year. It’s going to be a tough race but I feel I have a great chance to win. I’m going to give it everything I have.”
He will have some competition with three runners within 13-100ths of a second of the pace.
Pierce also qualified for the 200-meter finals with a 22.37, the second slowest time. But he had an excuse.
“I was tired after the 100,” he said. “My main focus is the 100 so the 200 is just a bonus right now.”
Riverside Military Academy seniors Malik Faulk and Tucker Pearson had a solid day of qualifying.
In the Class AA 110-hurdles, Pearson and Faulk of Riverside both qualified for the finals. Pearson posted the fifth-best time (15.19) while Faulk squeaked into the finals with a 15.46 time nipping two runners with a late lean.
But it was the 300-hurdles where both impressed.
Faulk posted the fast time at 39.39 while Pearson had the third-best time at 39.83, which were personal-best times for both.
“I was hoping to under 40 but I didn’t think I could get that low,” Faulk said. “I’ve been working on my technique the last few weeks and I think I’m definitely improved on that.”
Pearson, who made state in 2013 but fell in qualifying, said he is enjoying things a little more this time around.
“I’m definitely appreciating it a little more,” Pearson said. “I ran as fast as I possibly could out there. I wasn’t expecting a time like that but it’s nice.”
Faulk said finishing his career with a state title is suddenly within reach.
“I just wanted to improve this year but after (the qualifying) race I think I have a chance. But it’s going to take a time that good again. Hopefully I can do it again.”
As a team the Eagles had a productive day. In the Class AA 4x100 meter relay, the ‘A’ team of JeJuan McCalston, Dante Tate, Chris Howard, and Alphonse Smith III qualified for the finals with a time of 43.22. In the 4x400 relay, the 'A' team of McCalston, Dante Tate, Christian Postel, and Pearson posted the third fastest time at 3:27.70. In the 400-meter, Tate posted the second-fastest qualifying time at 50.42, nearly two seconds behind GAC’s Micah Abernathy. He just missed out on making the 200-meter finals by 5-100ths of a second.
Half of the Class AAA 800-meter field will be area runners with Chandler Kennedy posting the second-best time of 1:58.42 to lead the way. Beau Rush of Banks County (2:00.39), Jefferson’s Tradd Porter (2:00.59), and Dawson County’s Jacob Poston (2:00.98) all made the field.
In the Class AAA 4x100 relay, the West Hall ‘A’ team of Jay Crawford, Jared Mathews, Patrick Hudson, and Darius Coleman-Blair qualified with a 42.84 time.
In the Class AAAA 4x100 relay, the Buford ‘A’ team of Khalil Anderson, Brandon Mangram, Chee Anyanwu, and Xavier Gantt posted the second-fastest time at 42.13 to qualify for the finals.
In the Class AAA 400-meter, Todd Woodring of Jackson County qualified for the finals with a 48.90, the fourth best time.
In the Class A Public 110-hurdles, Jalen Walton of Commerce qualified for the finals with a time of 16.30, the exact time he posted in the Sectionals last week.
In the Class AAAA 110-hurdles, Buford’s Justin McCray qualified for the finals with a 14.85 time. McCray also qualified in the 300-hurdles with the third best time at 39.88.
In Class A Public 800, Jose Rodriguez of Commerce qualified with a 2:06.75 time.
In the Class AAA 300-hurdles, Dalton Hill of Jefferson qualified for the finals with a 40.74 time.
In the Class AAA 4x400 relay, West Hall 'A' (Tommy Oliver, Darius Coleman-Blair, Jay Crawford, Jared Mathews) qualified with a time of 3:27.75, sixth best.
Buford’s Khalil Anderson suffered a heartbreaker missing out on the Class AAAA 200 finals by 1-100ths of a second with a 22.60 after being nipped at the tape by Lithonia’s Jozahn Carter.
