Gilmer High’s track and field season will continue at the Class 3A state championships.
Five GHS athletes who attended last Saturday’s sectional meet in Atlanta placed in the top eight across seven events to qualify for state.
Gilmer’s state bound athletes include Lady Cats Reagan Boling, Naomi Coombs, Taylor McCormick and Emily Hancock, as well as Bobcat Will Kiker.
“Overall, there are no complaints,” head coach Josh Snider said of Gilmer’s sectional performances.
“Everyone is peaking at the right time, and everyone is doing everything right. This week is about maintaining their abilities and keeping them healthy so that they can perform at the highest level at state. It’s really going to be exciting.”
The sectional event was held at Lakewood Stadium and consisted of teams from Class 3’s Region 2, 5, 6 and 7.
McCormick set a personal best height and school record in the high jump at 5’ 6”. Her mark matched that of Sandy Creek’s Jania Hodges. Because Hodges achieved 5’ 6” in fewer attempts, she took first and McCormick was second.
Boling will advance to state in the 400-meter dash. She turned in a time of 1:01.60 for fourth place. Coombs finished fifth in the 800-meter run when she clocked in at 2:25.52.
Hancock will compete in both the pole vault and 300-meter hurdles at state. She cleared 8’ in the pole vault for sixth and was seventh in the 300-meter hurdles at 50.54.
Boling, Coombs, McCormick and Hancock also teamed up for a fourth-place time of 4:13.14 in the 4x400 relay to close out the event. Their time eclipsed the school record they set a week prior at the region meet.
Kiker will compete in the pole vault at state. He recorded a height of 12’ at sectionals for a qualifying seventh-place finish.
Bobcat Aspen Hataway was in attendance as well and cleared 10’ 6” in the pole vault for 10th. Boling finished 11th in the long jump (15’ 7”) and 14th was 11th in the 200 meters (28.03). Coombs fell shy of qualifying for state in the 1,600 meters with a time of 5:43.02 for 10th.
“It was amazing to see McCormick break the school high jump record with a perfect jump. Boling ran a great race in the 400 to make it to state,” Snider said. “Coombs busted it out in the 800. Hancock made it in pole vault, the 300 hurdles and 4x400 as a senior, which is a great job. We had Kiker making it in the pole vault. Hataway didn’t make it, but to be able to get to sectionals as a freshman, that was an incredible feat.”
The state meet will be held at Albany’s Hugh Mills Stadium Thursday through Saturday. A complete schedule can be found at Ghsa.net.