The high school track season got under way at home for Gilmer High School.
GHS hosted Hwy. 515 foes Union, Fannin and Pickens high schools last Thursday. The hometown Lady Cats landed in second in the girls standings while the Bobcats placed fourth.
In most events, a top-five finish was needed to score team points.
Gilmer’s Reagan Boling ran away from the field in the 400 meters with a time of 1:06.89, which was four seconds faster than second place. She inched out a first-place finish in the long jump at 14’ 1”.
Lady Cat Jocelyn Birko tossed the shot put 27’ 2” and the discus 71’ 7 1/2” for a pair of top placements. Teammate Naomi Coombs set the pace in the 800-meter run with a first-place time of 2:42.17.
Emily Hancock gave GHS 10 more points with her top finishes in the 100-meter hurdles (18.59) and pole vault (7’). She nabbed third in the 300-meter hurdle event (57.85).
Lady Cat Taylor McCormick topped out at 4’ 10” in the high jump for first.
In relays, the 4x400 quartet of Coombs, Boling, McCormick and Hancock won easily with a time of 4:43.48. The 4x100 team of Birko, Boling, Coombs and Kayleigh Robbins finished as runners-up in 56.59.
Hodaliz Ambrocio-Perez was second in the 3,200-meter run (23:59.50). Amilia Perez took third in the 200-meter dash (33.61) and placed fourth in the 400 meters (1:12.93). McCormick was third in the 400 meters (1:11.92)
Sierra Ellis claimed fourth in the shot put (22’ 2”) and discus (60’ 10”). Fifth-place finishers included Robbins, 100-meters (14.96) and 200 meters (32.84) and Yesica Tercero, 1,600 meters (7:50.66).
For the Bobcats, Dylan Byrd won the 2-mile run with a time of 11:18.31. Logan Ellis was easily the top thrower in the discus at 124’ 3”.
Gilmer’s Carson Purvis was runner-up in the 800 meters in 2:06.33, and John Keener took third at 2:18.44. Keener also placed second in the 1,600 meters at 5:15.76, and Aspen Hataway secured the same spot in the pole vault (8’ 6”).
In relay events, Bobcats Purvis, Mooney, Keener and Byrd claimed second in the 4x400 (3:58.98). In the 4x100, Hataway, Hughes, Cole Ellis and Michael Little were third (48.86).
Carson Hughes finished third in the 110-meter hurdles (20.15) as did Luke Bryant in the discus (98’ 2”).
Cole Ellis was fourth in the 100 meters (12.23) and fifth in the 200 (25.07). Remaining fourth place finishers were Andrew Mooney, 400 (58.65); Byrd, 1,600 meters (5:27.81); Christian Sumner, high jump (5’) and John Keener, pole vault (7’ 6”).
Fifth-place finishers included Little, 800 (2:23.46); Matthew Grice, 3,200 meters (13:40.67); Logan Ellis, shot put (31’ 11”) and Avery Moseley, discus (88’).
Behind Union (80.5 points) in the boys standings were a closely bunched Pickens (51), Fannin (50.5) and Gilmer (50).
Union (96) was the top girls team as well. GHS topped Pickens for second, 72-35, while Fannin only managed six points.