Track season winding down
Published 11:50 am Saturday, May 8, 2021
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By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY
Daily News
The finish line is in sight.
A track-and-field season that began in February will come to a conclusion with Saturday’s state sectionals, followed by the state finals next weekend.
Callaway, LaGrange and Troup will all be well-represented in the Class AA and Class AAAA state sectionals.
The top-eight finishers in each event at the state sectional will advance to the state finals next Saturday.
The LaGrange and Troup student-athletes will be at Kinnett Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, while Callaway’s competitors will be at Gordon Central High.
In Collumbus, the action gets underway at 10:30 a.m. with the 1,600-meter run, and the final event, the 1,600-meter relay, will take place at 6:50 p.m.
LaGrange’s boys’ team, which finished second in the Region 2-AAAA meet, will be represented in 11 events.
A handful of LaGrange’s competitors arrive at the state sectional after winning a championship at the region meet.
Kale Gibbs was first in the 300-meter hurdles and the 110-meter hurdles, Nathan Fritchley won the 3,200-meter run Aaron Fritchley won the 1,600-meter run, and Christian Ector won the pole vault.
For LaGrange’s girls’ team, the 3,200-meter relay team finished first at region, and Zanay Rhaney won the 800-meter run.
Numerous other LaGrange team members also qualified for the state sectional by finishing fourth or higher in the region meet either in an individual race, or in a relay.
State participants for the Grangers are Gibbs (300-meter hurdles, 110-meter hurdles), Christian Ector (pole vault), Nathan Fritchley (3,200-meter run, 1,600-meter run, 3,200-meter run), Aaron Fritchley (1,600-meter run, 800-meter run, 3,200-meter relay), Will Allred (3,200-meter run, 3,200-meter relay), Carter Cook (pole vault), Marcus Franklin (3,200-meter relay), Terry Franklin (800-meter run, 3,200-meter relay), Javon Harris (3,200-meter relay), and Amos Scott (200-meter dash).
For the Lady Grangers, state participants are Zanay Rhaney (800-meter run, 800-meter run, 1,600-meter relay, 3,200-meter relay), Zamya Rhaney (1,600-meter run, 3,200-meter run, 3,200-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay), Alyssa Rhaney (triple jump, 1,600-meter relay, 3,200-meter relay), Isabella Sanchez (pole vault, 300-meter hurdles, 100-meter hurdles) and Ivorie Smith (3,200-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay.
Troup’s girls’ team will compete in two individual events, and it has teams in the 400-meter relay, and the 1,600-meter relay.
Members of the first 400-meter relay team are Kaila Jones-Hooks, Taylar Ross Johnson, Alyson Snow, Ericka James, India Reed and Erriuna Harris.
On the second 1,600-meter relay team are Erriunna Harris, Kaila Jones-Hooks, Ericka James, Nyaira Patrick and India Reed.
Competing as individuals are Ross-Johnson (triple jump), and James (400-meter run).
For Callaway, the boys’ team will participate in 12 individual events and three relays, while the girls’ team will compete in six individual events and three relays.
Leading the way for Callaway are a handful of Region 5-AA champions.
Niakoe Burks won the long jump and the 100-meter dash, and Osiris Rivas won the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter dash.
Also for Callaway, Lane Thompson won region titles in the 1,600-meter run, and the 3,200-meter run.
For the boys’ teams, Callaway’s state participants are Thompson (1,600-meter run, 3,200-meter run, 1600-meter relay, 800-meter run, 3,200-meter run), Rivas (200-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 400-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay), Colton Alsobrook (3,200-meter relay), Carlos Billingslea (400-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay), Karmelo Burton (high jump, 1,600-meter relay, 400-meter relay), Abreon Ford (3,200-meter relay), LaQuize Gilbert (shot put); Zyederius Gray (400-meter relay), 3,200-meter relay), Zavien Hart (110-meter hurdles), Kenneth Jones (3,200-meter relay), Christopher Martineau (3,200-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay), Dyshawn Shephard (3,200-meter relay, 400-meter relay), Jalin Shephard (100-meter dash, 1,600-meter relay, 400-meter relay), Dillion Stephens (discus, 110-meter hurdles, 1,600-meter relay, 100-meter dash, 400-meter relay), and Kaleb Woody (3,200-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay, 400-meter relay).
The Lady Cavaliers will have 14 competitors on Saturday, including Burks (long jump, 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 400-meter relay).
Callaway’s other sectional participants are Omarianna Brown (400-meter relay), Angel Coverson (100-meter hurdles, 400-meter relay, 3,200-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay), Lelani Davis (400-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay,3,200-meter relay, Amoria Franklin (discus), Sheila Hardy (3,200-meter run, 400-meter relay), Gabrielle Johnson (3,200-meter run, 1,600-meter relay, 3,200-meter relay), Keiyanna Maddox (3,200-meter relay, 400-meter relay), Markayla Moore (400-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay), Malaysia Parham (triple jump, 1,600-meter relay, 400-meter relay), Caniyah Poythress (3,200-meter relay, 1,600-meter relay) and Shamiya Reeves (3,200-meter relay).