JEFFERSON -- Some of the fastest, most explosive high school athletes in the state will gun for glory starting Thursday in Jefferson, as the 2015 Georgia Olympics get underway at Memorial Stadium.
Included in the field are a number of gold medal hopefuls from northeast Georgia. (NOTE: For a complete look at every area athlete qualified for events at the Georgia Olympics, simply scroll down.)
Gainesville sophomore Hunter Mallard soared into this season and has designs on the Class AAAAA pole vault crown after producing the top qualifying mark among competitors at state sectionals. He also owns the best performance in all of Class AAAAA this season after clearng 14-feet-8 at the Hall County Championships on March 26.
Mallard is not the sole torch bearer but does lead the way this season for northeast Georgia-based vaulters -- an elite group over the past few years. In fact former Gainesville standout Paul Malquist still holds the state record for his vault of 16-8 during the 2010 Georgia Olympics. In recent seasons Buford’s David Curry, Flowery Branch’s Austin Eckenroth and Jefferson’s Tyler Porter (who cleared 16-7.25 the same day Malquist went 16-8) have all wowed crowds with their abilities.
Meanwhile, teammate Jamel Dabney is eyeing a gold medal in the shot put after turning in the top state sectional mark at 53-4. Yet he will face steep competition from fellow Region 8-AAAAA foe Ethan Womack of Winder-Barrow, who owns the top shot put throw in Class AAAAA this season.
Class AAA also features several athletes that enter the meet with classification-best marks.
Lumpkin County, Jefferson and East Jackson all feature exceptional performers, including the Eagles’ Chase Kennedy, who has dominated the distance races this season. The sophomore owns the top qualifying marks and also the best times in Class AAA in both the 1,600 (4:22.45) and 3,200 meters (9:27.50).
Meanwhile Jefferson’s Donte Wilson also owns both the top qualifying mark and Class AAA mark in the discus, throwing 135-2 at sectionals and 141-10 at March’s Jefferson Relays. He is being chased by teammate Michael Goza, who qualified second.
While Lumpkin County’s Austin Pierce does not own the top 100 meter time in Class AAA, the Indians standout burned up the track at sectionals, earning the top 100 qualifying time -- tied with Darrell Baker of Hephzibah at 10.84. Thomas Lester of Calhoun owns the top AAA time of the season at 10.59 -- though he qualified 15th at sectionals (11.28).
And in the Class A Public ranks Commerce’s Jose Rodriguez enters with the best 800 meter qualifying time (2:06.75).
And that’s just the top seeds. There are dozens more northeast Georgia-based athletes with shots to medal over the next three days -- competing in perhaps the most impressive spectacle in all of Georgia high school sports. Competition gets underway with all field event finals and all classification 1,600 meter finals on Thursday. Friday sees all classification 3,200 meter finals and sprint event preliminaries, with sprint event finals to follow on Saturday.
Click here for a more detailed look at the Georgia Olympics schedule and qualifying times for all athletes involved.
AREA ATHLETES QUALIFIED FOR 2015 GEORGIA OLYMPICS
May 14-16, Memorial Stadium, Jefferson
CLASS AAAAAA
North Forsyth
Coleton Holzer, high jump
CLASS AAAAA
Flowery Branch
Grant O’Callaghan, 1,600 meters, 3,200 meters
Jake Shewbert, 1,600 meters, 3,200 meters
Gainesville
Hunter Mallard, pole vault
Jamel Dabney, shot put
Juan Ortega, 1,600 meters, 3,200 meters
Jorge Galvan, 800 meters
CLASS AAAA
Buford
4x100 relay
Caleb Auer, discus
Brandon Mangram, long jump, 110 hurdles
Xavier Gantt, 100 meters
Justin McCray, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles
Khalil Anderson, 200 meters
Johnson
Kavin Hopkins, long jump
Juan Soto, pole vault
North Hall
David Schofield, discus
David Seid, pole vault
Quintin Miles, 1,600 meters, 3,200 meters
Corson Teasley, 3,200 meters
White County
4x400 relay
Maurice Sutton, long jump
Kenny Egerton, pole vault
Jacob Tanner, 110 hurdles
Austin Thompson, 3,200 meters
CLASS AAA
Banks County
Trevae Cain, high jump
Will Ledford, long jump
Austin Cox, pole vault
Malcolm Mitchell, triple jump
Andrew Elliot, 1,600 meters, 800 meters
Zez Steeple, 100 meters
Beau Rush, 800 meters
Jose Diaz, 3,200 meters
Dawson County
Cole Smith, discus
Rhys Adams, pole vault
Jacob Poston, 1,600 meters, 800 meters
Christopher Shelp, 1,600 meters
East Jackson
Ethridge Chaisson, pole vault
Dayton Watkins, shot put
Chase Kennedy, 1600 meters, 3,200 meters
Chandler Kennedy, 1,600 meters, 800 meters
Noah Hulett, 3,200 meters
Jackson County
Todd Woodring, 400 meters
Jefferson
4x100 relay
4x400 relay
Donte Wilson, discus
Michael Goza, discus
Luke Wells, high jump
Kayne Berryhill, pole vault
Taylor Jones, pole vault
Tradd Porter, triple jump, 800 meters
Clay Pender, 1,600 meters
Gage Lawson, 400 meters
Dalton Hill, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles
Alex Mason, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles
Addison Cochran, 3,200 meters
Lumpkin County
Austin Pierce, 100 meters, 200 meters
Diamante Anderson, 400 meters
West Hall
4x100 relay
4x400 relay
Jay Crawford, long jump, 300 hurdles
CLASS AA
Rabun County
4x400 relay
Tucker Williams, discus
Duncan Wheeler, high jump
Rhodes Jones, long jump
Duncan Wheeler, 400 meters
Trey Harrison, 110 hurdles
Riverside Military
4x100 relay
4x400 relay
JJ McCalston, long jump, triple jump
James Bruebeck, pole vault
Chris Howard, shot put, triple jump Alexie Joya, 1,600 meters, 3,200 meters
Dante Tate, 400 meters, 200 meters
Tucker Pearson, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles
Malik Faulk, 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles
Jelal Connor, 800 meters
Union County
4x400 relay
CLASS A PUBLIC
Commerce
Jose Rodriguez, high jump, 1,600 meters, 800 meters
Greyson Burke, pole vault
Adrian Vaquera, shot put
Jalen Walton, 110 hurdles
Dallas Gladden, 3,200 meters
