Stephenson’s Jace Coleman leads a strong sprinter group for the defending Class 4A state champion Stephenson Jaguars. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Druid Hills Sanaa Fredrick swept the 100/200 meter dashes at the Class 4A State Sectional last weekend. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The 2022 GHSA State Track and Field Championships begin on Thursday with 96 individual qualifiers from DeKalb County Schools along with 41 relay teams vying for state gold medals individually and as teams.
Reigning Class 4A boys’ state championships Stephenson Jaguars return to defend their title with nine individual qualifiers and three relay teams entered to compete at Hugh Mills Stadium in Albany.
Sprinters Jace Coleman and Abubakar Diarrassouba led the Jaguars contingent along with 800-meter runner Zahir Raheem and the 4×100-meter relay team as they try to get the repeat. Stephenson rallied past North Oconee a year ago for a 3.5-point margin for the title.
Miller Grove also has a strong contingent headed to Albany in Class 4A with four individuals, including hurdlers Jaylen Salesman, Tyshawn Moon and Dylan Griggs. Arabia Mountain has a pair of individuals and two relay teams headed to Albany and Druid Hills has three distance runners ready to compete.
On the girls’ side Arabia Mountain and Druid Hills send six individuals and two relay teams each to Albany. Arabia Mountain is led by sprinter Davenae Fagan and hurdlers Kailey Elliott and Candace Taylor along with the 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams.
Druid Hills is led by sprinter Sanaa Frederick who swept the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the state sectional last weekend and distance runner Harley Martz and Katie Blount. The Red Devils also have the 4×100 and 4×400 relay squads set to compete.
Stephenson has three relay teams to go with triple jumper Ty’Kira Garrett, runner-up at sectionals. Miller Grove joins the party led by all-around athlete Rasunek Tyler-Thompson (qualified in three events) and three relay teams.
Southwest DeKalb’s Isaiah Taylor swept both the 110 and 300 hurdles at the Class 5A state sectional last weekend. (Photo by Mark Brock)
CLASS 5A
The Southwest DeKalb Panthers are on the hunt for an 11th boys’ state track championship sending eight individual qualifiers competing in the seven events along with all four relay teams at Columbus’ Kinnett Stadium.
Southwest DeKalb has a strong group of sprinters and hurdlers led by Ali Dragan (100/200) and Xavier Turner (200/400). Isaiah Taylor (110/300 hurdles) along with Xzaviah Taylor (300 hurdles/400 dash) lead the hurdlers into competition.
The Panthers last won in 2016 and are joined in the boy’s championship by competitors from Chamblee, Clarkston and Martin Luther King Jr. Chamblee has pushed six individuals out of sectionals to the state meet along with the 4×800 relay team. Alexander Jovanovic (110 and 300 hurdles) and William Elder (1600 and 3200 runs) both take to the track twice for the Bulldogs.
M.L. King has Jaden Virgin in both hurdle events and two relay teams competing. Long jumper Damian Powell represents Clarkston.
Chamblee has the largest contingent of all the DeKalb squads as 10 Lady Bulldogs qualified state led by sprinter Jordyn Parker (200/400) and distance runner Olivia Tabron (1600/3200). Clarkston has long jumper Kionni Graham and the 4×200 relay team competing.
Lithonis’s 4×100 relay and triple jumper Shaequan Fung are competing along with King sprinter Kennedi Carson (200/400).
CLASS 2A
Towers boys and girls are well represented and set to take on the state in the Class 2A State Track and Field Championships at Kinnett Stadium in Columbus.
The Lady Titans have four individual competitors taking part in eight individual events led by sprinter Serenity Harry (won sectional 100/200) and Catherine Forbes (400 winner) who is entered in all three sprint events and the triple jump. The Towers 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams are also set to be on the track.
On the boys’ side the Titans are led by Elijah Hobson who qualified in the 100/200 dashes and the long and triple jump events. Joining him are Keshawn Weathers (200) and the 4×400 relay team.
Columbia has a solid core headed to Columbus led by hurdler Dinari Williams (110/300 hurdles) along with sprinters Adarius White and Eric Stinson. The Eagles also qualified in the 4×100 and 4×00 relays. McNair’s Rashod Smith gets his shot at state in the 400-meter dash.
CLASS 3A
The Cedar Grove Saints put together a good state sectional last weekend to qualify six individuals and two relay teams as they go for a state title at Grisham Stadium in Carrollton.
The Saints who won four consecutive state titles from 2015 to 2018 are led by sprinter Eric Jordan (100/200 dashes) with two competitors in both the 300 hurdles and the shot put.
Redan qualified its 4×800 relay squad for state.
On the girls’ side of the state meet Redan has two individuals in Azaria Green (discus/shot put) and Kennedy Leach (high jump) along with tis 4×800 relay. Cedar Grove sends sprinter Victoria Taylor (200) and its 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams.
CLASS 6A
Tucker and Lakeside are the only two DeKalb schools in Class 6A at Grisham Stadium in Carrollton this weekend.
Tucker’s Mallory Hodge comes in as one of the favorites in the 200 and 400 dashes after winning the sectionals in her qualifying bid for state. Nijah Lewis (100/triple jump) and Katelyn Mendoza (discus/shot put) join Hodge as multi-event qualifiers. The Lady Tigers also qualified in the 4×100, 4×400 and 4×800 relays.
Lakeside’s Lady Vikings has five qualifiers led by sectional pole vault winner Kennedy Strader. Distance runners Nancy Puente and Ellie Skelton both qualified in the 3200 run.
Tucker put six individuals and a pair of relay teams into the boys’ state meet led by Abedelemejid Kerebo who won the sectional 800 title and the state sectional winning 4×800 relay team. Ian Hodge qualified in the 400 dash and the high jump and Nakobi Spurrier made it in both the shot put and discus. Tucker’s 4×400 relay team also qualified.
Lakeside had a pair of state qualifiers in the pole vault led by sectional champ Alex Katsoudas and sixth place finisher Jason Arendt.
Dunwoody’s Jeanne Hardy won the 300 hurdles at the Class 7A state sectional last weekend. (Photo by Mark Brock)
CLASS 7A
Hurdler Jeanne Hardy and distance runner Claire Shelton lead a Dunwoody girls’ team into state by qualifying in two events at McEachern High School.
Hardy won the 300 hurdles and was fourth in the 100 while Shelton took third in both the 1600 and 3200 runs. Three individuals qualified in the field events and the 4×800 relay was a quiet fourth place to qualify.
The Wildcats had three individual qualifiers led by sectional pole vault champ Alon Rogow. Tyson Standard (400) and Carrington Tate (discus) also made state along with the 4×400 relay.
See links below to see complete State Sectional results and list of DeKalb’s state qualifiers: