McCormick becomes three-time high jump state placer
Gilmer High’s Will Kiker and Taylor McCormick left their mark at the state track meet.
The GHSA’s Class 3A Track and Field State Championships gave spring athletes a final opportunity to shine, and those in purple and white took advantage. The meet was held in Albany last Thursday through Saturday, and GHS athletes competed across six events and scored team points on five occasions.
Kiker placed in the top eight of three events, while McCormick found herself on the high jump medal stand for the third year in a row.
“It’s always good to go down and score points at the state meet,” said head coach Ashley DeWitt. “It was a great way for them to end their season.”
Kiker now holds four individual school records in addition to a top relay time. He placed and scored team points in his final three events at state.
“Being in four events is a great accomplishment, but scoring in three events shows what a good athlete and competitor he is,” said DeWitt.
Kiker’s heave of 50’ 8” in the shot put allowed him to finish fourth. The top throw was secured by Cedar Grove’s Solomon Hall at 53’ 9”.
Following a two-hour break, Kiker was tasked with pulling double duty as the discus throw and long jump were held concurrently. Following his throws, Kiker quickly swapped his Air Force Ones for a pair of spikes to compete in the long jump.
In the discus, his fifth-place throw of 149’ 11” supplanted the GHS record he set earlier this season. Rickey Robbins of Monroe Area claimed the title with a toss of 164’ 4”.
His long jump of 20’ 11” erased the former mark of 20’ 9” set by Ian Stewart in 2008. Kiker scored eighth-place points, while White County’s Sean Hughes won the state title with a flight of 22’ 3”.
Kiker’s day started in the triple jump, and he placed 15th (40’ 9 1/2”). He set the school record earlier in the season with a jump of 42’ 11”. The previous triple jump record belonged to Brian Plumley with a 42’ 6” leap in 1994.
As a junior, Kiker set the pole vault record (14”), and along with Hunter Watkins, Michael Little and Issac Rellinger, they are Gilmer’s best 4x200 relay (1:35.29) team.
DeWitt noted the qualities that allowed Kiker to thrive in so many events while defying a popular notion among today’s athletes.
“He has the work ethic and desire to be the best he can be and wants to do well for his school,” he said. “He’s an athlete that plays football, basketball and track and excels at all three. He excels in the weight room, and that’s where a lot of it comes from. He never gives up and kills it in the weight room.
“He dispels the myth that you have to specialize in one sport. He does three and excels in all three because of his dedication.”
McCormick returned to state to defend her high jump title. In addition to winning in all last year, she also placed in the event as a sophomore. This season, she topped out at 5’ 4” for third place. Bremen freshman Marley Derringer won the event at 5’ 8”.
“She’s a great athlete, the valedictorian and does all types of extra curriculars outside of sports,” DeWitt said of McCormick, who is the GHS high jump record holder at 5’ 6”. “She was in the top five at state for three years. She was fifth as a sophomore, won it last year and got third this year. It shows she was at the top of her game for three straight years.”
Making their state meet debuts were pole vaulters Matthew Grice and John Keener, and both achieved personal best heights. Grice’s day concluded with a vault of 12’ for eighth place. His mark came after a scary moment when he nearly collided with one of the stanchions. Keener cleared 11’ 6” for 10th place.
Hebron Christian’s Owen Anderson entered the event with a seeded height of 11’ and achieved a mark of 15’ 1” for first place.