Walker Co. track teams vie for GL Invitational honors.
The 63rd Annual Gordon Lee Invitational track meet may have been short on teams, but not short on action and excitement as the Navy-and-White welcomed fellow Walker County neighbors LaFayette and Ridgeland, along with Southeast Whitfield, to Chickamauga.
And in the end, the home team proved to have too much for everyone else.
The Lady Trojans amassed 204.5 points to win the girls’ meet. Southeast (150) edged LaFayette (148) for second place, while Ridgeland (38.5) took fourth.
On the boys’ side, a closer finish saw the Trojans (181) hold off Ridgeland (156). The Panthers were just a hair better than Southeast (154.5), while LaFayette (88.5) took fourth.
Gordon Lee’s girls got a double win from senior Addison Whitman, who won the pole vault at 8-foot-6 before winning the 400 in a time of 1:05. Freshman Gracie O’Neal continued her outstanding spring. She won the 800 in 2:37 and ran the 1600 in 5:55, breaking the school record she set earlier this month.
Taylor Hunley clocked in a 53.4 to win the 300 hurdles, while the 4x400 relay team came in first with a time of 4:37.
In the field events, Baleigh Smith swept both the discus (86-0) and the shot put (312 3/4), while Jordan Yancey won the long jump (14-10).
LaFayette had the second-most event winners. Dominique Southern won both the 100 (13.4) and the triple jump (32-3). Alona Davis raced to victory in the 200 (29.2). Kelsie Burrows won the high jump (4-8) and the 4x100 relay team clocked in at 53.5 to win first place.
Ally Brown (14:10) won the 3200 for the Lady Raiders, while Amaya Harrington (17.4) won the 100 hurdles for the Lady Panthers.
Gordon Lee won five events in the boys’ meet, two by Jasper Wilson, who took the top spot in the 800 (2:13) and the 1600 (4:52). MaKinnon Young (23.7) won the 200, Nathaniel Wright (6-2) won the high jump and Drew Cobb (12-0) took pole vault honors.
Marquie Davis won two events for Ridgeland, taking first in the 100 (10.8) and the 110 hurdles (15.5). Gavin Losh (45.4) won the grueling 300 hurdles for the Panthers, while the 4x100 team won in a time of 44.5. Ridgeland also won both throwing events. Quintin Postell was first in the shot put (45-7 1/2) and Chris Henderson (126-8) won the discus.
Winners for
Southeast included Fernando Gujon in the 400 (54.0), Diego Guzman (10:56) in the 3200 and the 4x400 team (3:44).
Dakota Cathey cleared 21-feet even to win the long jump for LaFayette, while LaTrail McClinic (39-9 1/2) won the triple jump.
Smith and O’Neal won Best in Field and Best in Track for the girls’ meet, while boys’ winners were Cobb (Track) and Wilson (Field), Cobb was second in the triple jump and third in the long jump.