Thompson leaps into Heritage girls’ track record book
Despite rainy conditions, the Heritage High track and field teams began their 2019 season in Calhoun on Thursday. The Generals defeated Calhoun and Sonoraville, while the Lady Generals placed third in the team standings.
Senior and UTC signee Madelyn Thompson won the girls’ long jump at 15-5 and took runner-up in the triple jump, although her leap of 31-2.5 set a new Heritage girls’ record in the event.
Allison Craft swept the 3200 (13:31) and the 1600 (6:13), while Zauren Burton won the high jump (4-10). Mariah Mccrary was runner-up in the discus (89-3).
On the boys’ side, Zach Scott took first in the shot put (43-5.5) and discus (1336). Eli Owens took top honors in the high jump (5-10). Wes Lozano won the pole vault (12-0). Caleb Boyd was first in the 3200 (11:08) and Easton O’donnell won the 400 (55.22).
Other outstanding performances by the Heritage boys included Joel Lewis, who was second in the 1600 (5:15), Gavin Chandler, who was third in both the 3200 (11:13) and the 1600 (5:20) and Jay Wales, who finished fourth in the discus (101-11).
All events were run on Thursday, except for the hurdle events.
Two days later at the Southeast Whitfield Invitational in Dalton, the Heritage girls placed fourth with 70.5 points in the 12-team field behind Dalton (142), Gordon Lee (90) and Gilmer (73.5).
For the Lady Generals, Burton took first place in the high jump (5-2.25) and second in the 100 (13:50). Mean- while, Thompson was first in the 100 hurdles (15.53) and second in the long jump (155.5).Thompson also picked up fifth-place points in the triple jump (31-0).
Craft was fourth in the 3200 (13:06) and sixth in the 1600 (6:13). Mccrary placed fourth in the discus (89-7). Akeera Ford was fifth in the 100 (14.01), while Kalei Howard took fifth in the 300 hurdles (55.11) and seventh in the 100 hurdles (19.03).
Also scoring for Heritage was Meliah Postell in the 300 hurdles (sixth, 55.75), the 4x400 team (sixth, 4:53.88) and Emma Bradford in the 400 (eighth, 1:10.74).
The Heritage boys finished third after amassing 72.5 points. Dalton’s 136 points were enough for first with Calhoun (107) placing second in the 12-team meet.
Lozano was second in the pole vault (12-6), while Scott was second in the discus (127-5) and third in the shot put (43-1) for Heritage. Damian Weekly (16.44) and Dakota Crow (16.92) placed third and fourth, respectively, in the 110 hurdles, while Weekly was third (42.37) and Crow fourth (42.38) again in the 300 hurdles. Owens was also third in the high jump (5-10.5).
Eric Dumas was fifth in the 200 (24.21). Lozano added a sixth-place finish in the 400 (55.59) and Zack Locke took sixth in the pole vault (9-0). Also scoring points for the Generals was Cameron Evans in the high jump (seventh, 5-6.5) and the 200 (eighth, 24.52), O’donnell in the 400 (seventh, 56.02), Chandler (seventh, 11:17) and Lewis (eighth, 11:22) in the 3200 and Jonathan Washburn in the shot put (eighth, 39-0).
The Heritage 4x400 relay team also tied for fifth place in the boys’ race (3:51).