Local athletes run strong at track meet
Published 10:43 am Tuesday, April 3, 2018
By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY
Daily News
The LaGrange High girls’ track team ran away from the competition.
Competing in the Granger Invitational, a meet that included athletes from eight different high schools, LaGrange’s girls’ squad dominated the competition to take first place.
In the boys’ high-school meet, LaGrange finished second to Cedartown.
There was also a middle-school competition, and Carrollton’s boys’ and girls’ teams took top honors.
A storm moved in at the end of the day, but most of the events had already been completed, although the 1,600-meter relay had to be canceled.
In the girls’ high-school competition, it was all LaGrange.
There were 13 completed events, and LaGrange took first place in seven of them.
In the 400-meter relay, LaGrange captured a narrow victory over Shaw.
Zakeria Staples, Jartavia Manley, Quay Robinson and Annaya Chelcy finished with a time of 49.78 seconds, which was a fraction faster than Shaw (50.18).
Jada Grant, who qualified for the state finals last season and is enjoying another big spring, gave LaGrange first-place finishes in the triple jump (33 feet, 10 inches) and the long jump (16 feet).
Also in the field events, Mary Beth Callaway was first in the pole vault (6-0), and Renaya Edmondson was first in the discus (102-3).
In the running events, Yaigirhiatg Benn took first in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 16.99 seconds, and Chloe Morman was first in the 3,200-meter run (14:35).
Finishing second for LaGrange were Chelcy in the 100-meter dash (12.56 seconds), Mary Claire Bakarich in the 1,600-meter run (7:02 Staples in the 100-meter hurdles (17.65), Shanteria Kelly in the high jump (4-6), and Edmondson in the shot put (30-2).
LaGrange’s third-place finishers were Grant in the 100-meter dash (12.70), Brandasia Cofield in the 400-meter run (1:04), Zemya Rhaney in the 800-meter run (2:47), Mashya Nunn in the 1,600-meter run (7:20), and Kamari Owens in the pole vault (5-0).
Finishing fourth for LaGrange were Zanay Rhaney in the 800-meter run (2:52), Christiana Beasley in the 1,600-meter run (7:21), Nunn in the 3,200-meter run (16:51) and Makala Beach in the high jump (4-2).
Placing fifth were Morman in the 800-meter run (2:57) and Chelcy in the long jump (15-3.5).
Troup’s girls’ team had a pair of first-place finishers, and one of them was Catherine Leveritt, who earned a hard-fought win in the 400-meter run.
Leveritt completed one trip around the track with a time of 1:02.49, which was less than a half-second faster than Tori Chivers of Shaw.
Also for Troup, Larodia Ramsey finished first in the high jump (4-8), and she was also third in the 100-meter hurdles (18.90).
Disney Brooks was third in the high jump (4-6), and Leveritt, Ashanti Tigner, Markiya Harris and Destiny Stephens placed third in the 400-meter relay (51.93).
Christy Allen was fourth in the 100-meter hurdles (19.40), and Tigner placed fifth in the 100-meter dash (13.15).
Callaway’s girls team got a fourth-place finish from Aniyah Simpson (1:06), and Serenity Hill, Simpson, Leijorey Sanders and Trinity Hill placed fourth in the 400-meter relay (51.92).
For LaGrange Academy, Chloe Harrell was third in the 1,600-meter run (7:16), and Haliah Stargell was sixth in the 100-meter dash (13.20).
In the boys’ competition, LaGrange earned a pair of first-place results, and four runner-up finishes.
One of those wins came from Dylan Norvell, who prevailed in a photo finish in the 100-meter dash.
Norvell crossed the finish line with a time of 11 seconds even, and Cedartown’s Keshan Kent was second (11.04).
Also finishing first for LaGrange was Cameron Thomas, who leaped to the top spot in the triple jump (43-8).
Joshua Turman earned second-place finishes in the 800-meter run (2:08) and 1,600-meter run (4:51), Nathan Fritchley was second in the 3,200-meter run (11:48), and Matthew Callaway was second in the pole vault (9-6).
Finishing third for LaGrange were Alex Bowie in the 1,600-meter run (4:59), Donta Dunson in the 3,200-meter run (12:19), and Chris Watson in the triple jump (41-10).
In the 400-meter dash, Thomas, Vondez Taylor, Watson and Norvell placed fourth with a time of 43.82.
Also finishing fourth for LaGrange were Tyrese Thornton in the discus (102.11.5) and Cornell Kendrick in the shotput (38-1).
Matthew Callaway was fifth in the 1,600-meter run (5:21).
For Callaway High, the 400-meter relay team of Darrick Williams, Curmondre Bray, DJ Atkins and Cartavious Bigsby placed fourth with a time of 43.78 seconds.
Bigsby was fourth in the 100-meter dash (11.31), and finishing fifth were Osiris Rivas in the 400-meter run (53.02), Kobe Jackson in the 110-meter hurdles (18.33) and LaQuize Gilbert in the shot put (33-6).
Troup’s boys’ team only had a handful of athletes participating, and Ryan Fuller was the top finishers with a sixth-place result in the 1,600-meter run (5:29).
MIDDLE SCHOOL MEET
Gardner Newman’s Dakevyon Brown earned two first-place medals to lead his team.
Brown was first in the 100-meter dash (12.14 seconds) and the high jump (5-8), and he was a member of the 400-meter relay team that finished third.
Finishing third for the Mustangs were Javon Harris in the high jump (4-10) and Dexter Heard in the discus (69-10), and Heard was fourth in the 800-meter run (3:06).
Placing fifth were Damien Reeves in the 400-meter run (1:08) and the 800-meter run (3:10), and Harris in the 100-meter hurdles (21.10).
It was a successful day for the Gardner Newman girls’ team, which got first-place finishes from Alyssa Rhaney in the 800-meter run (2:50), Sophie Nix in the 1,600-meter run (6:29), Ivorie Smith in the 300-meter hurdles (53.59) and Katelyn Moore in the long jump (14-3).
Finishing second for Gardner Newman were Jocelyn Andrews in the 1,600-meter run (7:11), Nix in the 3,200-meter run (14:30), the 400-meter relay team, and Nevaeh Boddie in the discus (58-7).
The team’s fourth-place finishers were NyDasia Hatcher in the 100-meter dash (13.91), Rhaney in the 400-meter run (1:09), Nix in the 800-meter run (3:02), Kate Threadgill in the 3,200-meter run (15:35), De’Asia Owens in the 100-meter hurdles (22.47), Zamaya Thornton and Smith in the high jump (3-10), Katelyn Moore in the triple jump (26-2) and Thomas in the shot put (29.6.75).
Placing fifth were Nevaeh Boddie in the shot put (27-1.5), Owens in the 300-meter hurdles (1:24), Andrews in the 100-meter hurdles (23.65), and Moore in the 100-meter dash (13.94).
Lafayette Christian Middle got a pair of first-place finishes from Isaiah Tusing in the 800-meter run (2:32) and the 3,200-meter run (12:40).
For LaGrange Academy, Chloe Harrell was third in the 1,600-meter run (7:16), and Callaway Middle’s Cameron Smith was fifth in the 100-meter dash (13.18).
OF NOTE: For more results, go to ga.milesplit.com, and for more photos, check o
