There were more notable performances over the past week and that trend joins reclassification as the top storyline as the state meet approaches. The Langston Hughes’ boys team took first place in the Spring Break Showdown and emerged from a field of 39 teams. Recently, the Panthers’ 4x100 relay team clocked a blazing 40.63, which gives them the third fastest time in state history. Morgan County’s Josh Jones excelled in both hurdles and earned a top finish with a 14.17 in the 110 meter hurdles and a 37.98 in the 330 meters. Ridgeland’s Darrian Burks looks like a favorite in the 100 meter this year and he posted a 10.51 finish. Hughes also saw success in the field events as Malachi Yeduhah cleared a 7-0 high jump to earn a top finish. In the distance race, Bleckley County’s Luke Churchwell outpaced the field in the 3200 meter with a 9:07.
The Lowndes girls 4x400 meter team showcased state championship potential by clocking a 3:54 time. Woodward Academy’s Olivia Powell dominated the 300 meter hurdles with a 42.68 finish and North Hall’s Abi Moore earned first place in the 800 meter with a 2:16.00 time. North Springs’ Lottie Chappell broke the five-minute mile in the 1600 with a 4:59 finish to earn first place. Additionally, Liandri Stephanie De Wet Rustenberg earned a top finish in the discus with a 145-4 throw.
This will be another busy weekend of meets, including the GAC Classic, Friday Night Lights in Rome, Demaryius Thomas Relays in Dexter, Ga., the Marist Home Meet and the Dexter Wood Invitational in Buford this Friday. On Saturday, Etowah will host the Etowah Invitational, the Grayson Tuneup was cancelled and there will still be the Christian Coleman Invitational, McEachern Invitational and Westover Relays among the many others.
The Westminster two-time defending state champion boys are making their Class 4A debut this year after picking up back-to-back Class 3A titles and are fresh off a strong showing at the 6th Annual Spring Break Showdown. Marietta High School hosted the event and the Wildcats set a new school-record in the 4x400 meter dash. Ethan Mattingly, Willem Mandel, Christian Flournoy and William Gituku earned Westminster 10 points with their 3:30.28 record-setting finish and helped lead the team to a runner-up finish in the overall standings. Westminster’s 76 points came up short to Langston Hughes—who earned 100 points to win the event. There were 39 total schools that participated in the event.
On the girls side, Westminster dominated the field with 128 points and Marist came in a distant second place with 58. Out of the 128 points, the Wildcats accrued 44 from the jumps, 29 in the distance events and 27 in the relays. Senior Palmer Walstad took first in the 3200 meter run with a time of 11:20.35—which is a top 10 statewide time this season. Walstad took another six points with a third-place finish in the 1600 meter run (5:06.05)—which was also a top 10 time. She was edged by Marist junior Ruby Little’s 5:01.59 and North Springs senior Lottie Chappell—who clocked a National top 50 time with a 4:59.18. Chappell came just shy of her personal best time of 4:58.61 and is a name to watch in the Class 5A field this season.
Pebblebrook junior Dwight Phillips has been this season’s sensation with his record-setting 100 meter dash times and was just named the Mile Split boys performer of the week to conclude the month of March. Phillips, who won the state championship in the event as a sophomore last season made national noise and dominated the headlines. Phillips Jr. clocked a blazing 10.31 time two weeks ago—giving him the fastest national time seen in the event this season.
Phillips recently committed to the University of Georgia to play football for the Bulldogs and is a two-way player that also stars in the return game. Before the Class of 2024 standout concludes his junior season, he will look to capture another state title and there are plenty of big meets—including the Cobb County Championships. Phillips shaved even more time off his 100 meter and paced the field with a 10.26 finish. His sophomore teammate Keyawn Spencer finished second with a 10.68. Both times were personal records for the Falcons’ standouts.
I spoke with Pebblebrook’s new head football coach Michael Woolridge on Wednesday about the Falcons’ track team and what they will be able to do on the gridiron in 2023. That conversation can be found right HERE.
This past weekend, Mountain View High School hosted the Gail Devers Invitational that included 1,395 total performances. Brookwood’s Janai Jones placed first in the 100 meter (12.05) and 200 meter (25.56) and teammate Serena Tate earned first in the 400 meter (56.06). On the boys side, Langston Hughes had a strong performance with Maurice Gleaton placing first in the 100 meter (10.71), 200 meter (21.58) and helping the Panthers earn top finishes in the 4x100 meter (41.59) and 4x200 meter (1.27.63). Georgia-Tech football signee Bryce Dopson finished runner-up in the 300 meter hurdles with a 38.11 and was edged by Southwest DeKalb’s Isaiah Taylor, who clocked a blazing 37.24. Shiloh’s Bryce Southerland (14.01) and George Benjamin (14.10) earned top two finishes in the 100 meter, Taylor placed third (14.25), Morgan County’s Josh Jones finished fourth (14.42) and Dopson earned fifth with a 14.76.
The A.J. Terrell Invitational at Westlake High School that is named after the former Lion and Falcons starting cornerback hosted 1,104 total performances over the weekend. Austin McGee (Athens Academy) and Antwan Smith (Westlake). Seymore prevailed with a 21.63 top finish in the 200 meter and Didi Nijie (Westlake) took the 400 meter with a 46.87—comfortably topping second-place Westminster Wildcat William Gituku’s 48.33.
Earlier this month, Alexander senior and Georgia Tech football commit Eric Singleton set a school-record with a 10.35 in the 100 meter. Singleton’s time was the top in the nation prior to Phillips’ 10.29 at the AJ Terrell Invitational.
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