Three region champions highlight GC’s 7-AA performances
The season was on the line on Wednesday and Thursday as Gordon Central hosted the Region 7-AA Meet at Ratner Stadium, and several Warriors and Lady Warriors stepped up to extend their season with Sectionals berths.
The Gordon Central girls finished second in the team standings, and the Gordon Central boys took third.
On the girls side, the Lady Warriors finished with 109 total points to take the runner-up spot behind Rockmart ( 140.5) and narrowly beating out Pepperell (107) in a tight race for second.
The Lady Warriors had a pair of region champs among their results with Megan Hudson winning the discus with a throw of 116-05 and Claudia Cox earning the top spot in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 18.39. Second- place finishes for the girls came from Caterra McBride in the discus (89-05), Hudson in the shot put (36-05.5), Cox in the pole vault ( 7- 00) and the 4x400 meter relay ‘A’ team (4:27.09).
Also qualifying for Sectionals with topfour finishes for the Lady Warriors were Kailyn Thomas in the shot put ( third, 31- 11.25), Cameron Luna in the 400 meter dash ( third, 1: 04.64), Lizbeth Alvarez in the 800 meter ( fourth, 2: 43.09) and the 4x100 meter relay ‘ A’ team ( fourth, 54.88).
The Gordon Central boys finished with 107.33 points to earn a third-place finish in the team standings behind Rockmart (150.33) and Pepperell (122). Their lone region champ was Bryce Bussert who won the 1600 meter with a time of 4:56.43.
The Warriors got second-place finishes from Morgan Swaim in the 400 meter dash (52.61) and the 800 meter (2:08.54), Luke Beavers in the high jump (5-10), Lee Ullman in the pole vault (11-06) and Race Hudson in the 300 meter hurdles (42.31).
Other top-four finishes to earn Sectionals berths for the Gordon Central boys came from Cameron Pierce in the discus (third, 11606), Logan Swaim in the pole vault (third, 10-06), Kelby Mezick in the 100 meter dash (third, 11.52) and the 200 meter dash (fourth, 23.04), Beavers in the 110 meter hurdles (fourth, 17.20) and 300 meter hurdles ( third, 43.04) and the 4x400 meter relay ‘A’ team (third, 3:37.74).
The qualifiers will now prepare for Class AAA Sectionals which Gordon Central will host on Saturday starting at 10:30 a.m. They will be competing for State Meet berths. The Class A Public, AA and AAA State Meet for girls and boys will all be held at Hugh Mills Stadium in Albany May 11-13.