Heritage track teams off to fast start
The Heritage Lady Generals opened the 2023 track season by taking first place in a five-team meet at Calhoun High School last Tuesday night.
Heritage finished with an even 100 points, while Cass was second with 73. Southeast Whitfield and Calhoun tied for third with 70 points and Coosa (33) finished fifth.
The Lady Generals won six different events. Avah Morrison swept the shot put (31-10.5) and the discus (118-8). Piper Collins raced to victory in the 3200 (14:47). Harper Carstens won the high jump (5-2). Caroline Hamilton took first place in the pole vault (7-6) on a tiebreaker, while Hamilton also teamed up with Malia Mckibben, Jenna Ryans and Kylie Campbell to win the 4x400 (4:59.05).
Hamilton also finished second in the 300 hurdles (53.87) and Campbell was second in the triple jump (300). Emma Watson finished second in the pole vault (76) on the tiebreaker, while Lindsey Gibson was second to Morrison in both the shot put (28-11.75) and the discus (83-3).
As for the Heritage boys, they finished with 88.5 points to take the third place behind Calhoun (123) and Cass (95). Southeast Whitfield (64) was fourth and Coosa (11.5) was fifth.
Taking first for the Generals was Collin Black in the 400 (51.01), Hyrum Smartt in the 800 (2:11.57), Brayden Krajesky in the pole vault (96) and Rhett Mcdonald in the discus (141-0.5).
Mcdonald also placed second in the shot put (43-5), while Caden Walling was second in the discus (1255). J.D. Black finished second in the high jump (6-8) after a jump-off tiebreaker. Smartt was second in the 1600 (5:02.71), Paxton McCrary was runner-up in the 100 (11.51), while the team of Mccrary, Tyler Cheatwood, Gavin Broadrick and Collin Black placed second in the 4x400 (3:49.58).
Then on Saturday, Heritage, Gordon Lee and Ridgeland were three of 12 different northwest Georgia schools that participated in the annual Southeast Whitfield Invitational.
Carstens took first place in the high jump (5-0) for the Heritage girls. Morrison was second in the discus (110-8.25) and in the shot put (34-5.25). Hamilton was runner-up in the pole vault (7-0), while Campbell placed third in the triple jump (31-8).
In the running events, Collins was second in the 1600 (6:24.45) and third in the 800 (2:48.75). The 4x400 relay team of Campbell, Hamilton, Ryans and Mckibben also finished in
second place (4:44.73).
Gordon Lee’s girls were led by Madolynn Loyd, who took first place in both the discus (115-5.5) and the shot
put (35-3.5). Molly Ellis finished second in the 3200 (14:54), while Kylie Hunley earned third place in the high jump (4-8.75).
As for the Ridgeland girls, Amiya Smith won the long jump (15-8.5) and Madison Lennon was second in the 300 hurdles (52.63).
Third-place finishers included Marissa Moreland in the 100 hurdles (18.25), Katie Carroll in the 3200 (15:07), Ardeja Battle in the shot put (31-1.75), and the 4x200 relay team of Moreland, Bethany Oster, Isabelle Mcgill and Chloe Tredy (1:55.71).
As for the boys, J.D. Black
took first place in the high jump (6-0.25) for Heritage, while Mcdonald won the discus (148-4) and placed second in the shot put (44-7.5).
Collin Black was runner-up in the 400 (52.27), while taking third place was Krajesky in the pole vault (9-6.5), Smartt in the 800 (2:11.91),
Walling in the discus (1246.5), and the 4x400 relay team of Cheatwood, Broadrick, Mccrary and Collin Black (3:47.67).
Gordon Lee only had two top-three finishes, but both of them were victories as Braxton Turnipseed won the 400 (51.41) and Conner
Whitman took first place in the pole vault (13-0).
Ridgeland did not have a top-three finish during the day. Darrian Burks had the highest place for the Panthers as he took fourth in the 100 (11.16).
Team scores were not available as of press time.