Gilmer High track and field qualified for sectional in 18 events.
The initial stage of the state qualifying process took place last Monday and Tuesday at the Region 7-3A Championships in Calhoun. Athletes needed to finish in the top four of their respective event to keep their seasons going. The Lady Cats accomplished this feat 13 times, while the Bobcats will head to sectionals in five events.
GHS found success in relays, and the Lady Cats claimed a pair of region titles. The 4x400 team of Morgan Palmeri, Jace Sanderson, Sofia El Khorchi and Bella Evans won with a time of 4:33.25. In the 4x800, Cats Jace Sanderson, Liz Gonzales, Jennifer Garcia and Palmeri were first in 11:37.87.
Amayah Jones was the lone individual region champion, and she bested all comers in the shot put with a throw of 33’ 11 1/2”, which was 3’ ahead of second place.
Lady Cat region runners-up included El Khorchi (400 meters, 1:04.81), Garcia (3,200, 13:14.27) and Sanderson (800, 2:42.28).
The 4x200 relay squad of Aliza Chastain, Kenzie Sewell, Jilly Burnette and Evans were third in 1:52.82. Also claiming third were Lilyan Cook (discus, 97’ 5”), Presley Chancey (triple jump, 30’ 11 1/2”), Garcia (1,600, 6:11.38) and Evans (400, 1:06.15).
Remaining Lady Cat sectional spots were secured by fourth-place finishers Sewell (high jump, 4’ 8”) and Jayla Walker (3,200, 14:39.00). Chastain, Jones, Burnette and Sewell secured the same placement in the 4x100 at 54.18.
For the Bobcats, Cheyne Smith will head to sectionals after taking third with a height of 11’ in the pole vault. Also nabbing third was the 4x800 team of Edward Marietta, Seth Turner, Harrison Chester and Dawson Richard in 9:11.52.
Chester also finished fourth in the discus with a mark of 127’ 8”. Chester joined forces with Richard, Turner and Leeland Dantin for the same finish in the 4x400 at 3:51.17. Callihan, Dantin, Hunter Britain and Chaz Curtis finished the 4x200 in 1:35.98 for fourth place as well.
Calhoun won the boys region title over Heritage, 230.5-174. Northwest Whitfield (58) was third followed by LaFayette (56.5), Gilmer (56), Adairsville (55) and Ridgeland (51).
Heritage led the way on the girls side with 178 points and was trailed by Calhoun (147), Gilmer (119), Northwest (103), Ridgeland (80), LaFayette (26) and Adairsville (23).
Sectionals will be Saturday, May 3 at Fort Valley.