The Southwest DeKalb Panthers set four records and won six gold medals on the way to the DCSD JV Boys’ County Track title. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Southwest DeKalb Panthers set four new records on the way to capturing their first-ever DeKalb County Junior Varsity Boys’ Track Championship this week at Godfrey Stadium.
The Panthers scored a meet third-best point total of 129 to outrun Arabia Mountain (111.50) and two time defending champion Stephenson (97). The point total was aided by 18 Top 8 finishes including six gold medals, four silver and four bronze.
Southwest DeKalb’s Amari Scott was named the meet’s MVP following his record setting performances in the 110-meter hurdles (15.22) and 300-meter hurdles (39.73). Scott broke the 15.85 mark set by Nizer Smith of Redan last year in the 110 and the 41.95 in the 300 held by Andre Harris of McNair since 2018.
Scott also joined teammates Ashton Taylor, Slater Thorpe and Scott Kaylup to set another record by running a 3:30.10 in the 4×400-meter relay besting the benchmark of 3:32.16 set by Southwest DeKalb in 2019.
The fourth record set by the Panthers came in the discus throw as Zyeed Conwell went nine-feet past the old mark of 115-feet, 4-inches set by Previs Shelton of Stephenson in 2016 with a throw of 124-feet, 11-inches.
The Panthers garnered gold medals in the high jump and shot put. Makhi Lombard jumped 5-feet, 8-inches to win the high jump and Kenneth Roby threw 41-feet, 3-inches to win the shot put.
Arabia Mountain only had one gold medal on the day but finished with a meet-high 20 Top 8 finishes that included four silver medals and five bronze. The gold medal came in the 4×100-meter relay as the team of Cameron Dudley, Jonathan Odeh-Adimah, Jordan Walker and Antonio Hodge ran a time of 44.49 giving the Rams a second consecutive win in the event.
Southwest DeKalb’s Amari Scott was named the JV County Championship’s boys’ MVP after setting records in both the 110 and 300 hurdles. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Rams had a solid day in the relays also picking up a silver medal in the 4×800-meter relay (9:01.04) and a bronze in the 4×400-meter relay (3:34.22). Marcos Moten had two silver medals in the fields events as he finished second in the shot put (40-06.00) and the discus (120-05).
Stephenson grabbed three gold medals on the day to fuel its third place finish led by 17 Top 8 finishes and five silver medals. Cavalli Jackson won the 100-meter dash (11.16), Kemorey Hill won the 400-meter dash (51.42) and Destin Davies captured the gold in the triple jump (40-09.00). Davies also picked up silver medals in the 110 (15.78) and 300 (42.34) hurdles while Jackson (long jump, 20-00.00) and Hill (200-meter dash, 22.43) also added silver medals.
Towers set two new records on the legs of Innocent Bembetem as he won the 800-meter (2:04.02) and 1600-meter (4:47.34) runs. He broke the old 800 mark of 2:06.20 set by Clarkston’s Thomas Waldemichal in 2017 and the 1600 record of 4:48.14 held by Lakeside’s Jay Clinton since 2017.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Lions grabbed on gold medal in record setting fashion as the 4×800-meter relay team of C’Andre Reid, Rashod Ellis, Brandon Williams and Elias Sullivan ran a best new time of 8:41.95 to break the mark of 8:49.69 set by Stephenson a year ago.
Redan’s fourth-place finish was fueled by two gold medal performances to go with 17 Top 8 finishes. Derrion Pyron captured the 200-meter dash title with a time of 22.42 by edging out Stephenson’s Kemorey Hill (22.43). The 4×200-meter relay squad of Derrion Pyron, Derrick Pyron, Cash Merritt, and Keandre McClintock snagged gold with a time of 1:32.84.
Other gold medal performers included McNair’s Keyuntae Phillips in the long jump (20-02.50) and Dunwoody’s Jared Katz in the pole vault (9-06.00).
See links below for the final JV results, records and history:
2024 DCSD JV Track Championship Results